QuestionQUESTION: Was driving my 98 Sebring for less then 5 minutes the other day when I noticed some smoke coming from my hood. Temperature gauge went up and i shut off car immediately. Coolant was so hot it was bubbling, and some white smoke crept out from under the hood. Hoping it was just the termostat, but cant get the car started to check the problem. Swithced fuel relay switch and the fuel pump is working. Also tried to use starter fluid to get it started, but it wont turn over. Sounds like it wants to start but never catches.... ANY HELP?
ANSWER: Hi Mike,
With that history of quick overheating I am wondering whether the timing belt may have broken which of course disables the water pump and the distributor. You could either remove the distributor cap and observe whether the rotor is moving when the engine has been cranked over, or you could remove the bolts on the 3 timing belt cover bolts on the side of the engine closer to the fire wall so as to be able to see under the cover to observe whether the cam sprocket is moving when the engine is cranked.
If the timing belt is OK, then you need to check for spark at one of the plug rubber caps. Lastly check for trouble codes using a plug-in code reader at a socket under the dash next to the steering column. I don't believe there is an on-board code readout but try turning the ignition switch 'on-off-on-off-on and leave on" doing that in 5 seconds or less elapsed time. Then watch the odometer window to see if the mileage reading is replaced by any 4-digit numbers preceded by a P. Let me know either way that you get fault code numbers.
Another possibility is a cooling system leak involving a head gasket but that would best be diagnosed if the engine could be re-started. Was there any sign of smoke coming out of the tail pipe during the incident, or is the engine oil cloudy as viewed on the dipstick?
Please 'rate/nominate' this answer/me (see the PS below).
Thanks,
Roland
---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------
QUESTION: Thanks. Timing belt seems ok. Looks like its not getting any spark. May be the distributor or the head. Tried to find a code, nothing appears. Engine oil and coolant, both look fine. No mixes. Do u think the thermostat could have got stuck and caused something else to go wrong, or is it sounding like a blown head?
AnswerHi Mike,
Until you get spark and a start it will be uncertain what caused the overheating. You could remove the thermostat and put it in a pan of water on the stove to see whether it starts to open at around 190 or not.
The two sensors needed for spark can be checked out electrically by measuring the voltage output of each while turning the engine by hand using the bolt on the crankshaft pulley with a socket and breaker bar, and with the ignition switch in the 'on' position. The common ground wire is on pin 43 of the pcm, and the signal wire for the cam shaft sensor is on pin 33 while the crank sensor is on pin 32. If the sensor is working you should observe a 5v reading that pulses to 0.3v several times per revolution. If not then the sensor is bad.
A code readout would require that you have a code reader to do that, apparently. Also check out fuses 5 and 10 in the power box in the engine compartment as well.
Please 'rate/nominate' this answer/me (see the PS below).
Thanks,
Roland
