Hesitation and Low Coolant

[TeacherTim]

Ok guys. I just bought the SHO last week, so I'm still getting to "know her". I replaced waterpump and timing belt/cam gasket/drive belts this week.

This happened last weekend and then again today. I'll be driving down the road pushing the accel. and the engine hesitated. The first time it did it I put in a bottle of fuel injector cleaner and thought that fixed the problem, then today it did it again and the low coolant light flashed. I've been reading old posts and it looks like I may need to change the plugs and plug wires - but that doesn't explain the low coolant light. It came on at the exact time the engine hesitated.

Also, I notice a sqeak from the driver side front wheel. It doesn't do it going 10-20 mph in a parking lot, but when you get up to about 30 or so it's a constant sqeak, like the tire rotation is causing it, but I also put new tires on this week and rear brakes. The front breaks are in good shape. Is this just a thing w/ my car or is this a common problem with SHO's?

 

[Darkside]

The low coolant light is all to friggin common. There is a sensor connected to the overflow cap at the bottom of the hose. Pull it out and clean it up, its most likely clogged with muck from old antifreeze.

 

[sdpatt]

Or your cooling system has finally purged all of the air out of it after the system breach and has used the entire inventory of coolant in the expansion bottle. That bottle is an active portion of the cooling system and it's level will change with the temperature of the colling system. If the level in the bottle is low, fill it. If the level is not low, as said before, remove the sensor/cap and clean all of the green crud off the two electrodes at the bottom of the sensor arm.

 

[TeacherTim]

Thanks - the coolant reservoir wasn't empty by any means, but there was room to add some water. I assume it finally did purse after driving it a couple of days after the water pump replacement.

I drove her about 40 miles after filling the reservoir and it hasn't lost any coolant.

I still have the lag and lack of horse power. I pulled two of the plugs tonight and the wires look fairly new and the plugs weren't in bad condition...so there goes my simple solution I was hoping for I'll change the fuel filter tomorrow and run some fuel injector cleaner through her and see if that helps.

 

[TeacherTim]

Changed the fuel filter and also discovered one of the plug wires wasn't connecting down in the well correctly. I guess the spark had been arching up to the wire tip - - Anyway, it's fixed temporarily until I can get new plug wires in. Thanks for all the help.

 

[sdpatt]

Tim,

I highly recommend using only the Motorcraft wires. The WR-4033 from FordPartsNetwork.com for $83.99 is the lowest priced source I am aware of. These wires will fit both the 3.0L and the 3.2L.

Scott

 

[TeacherTim]

Thanks!!! I called my local ford dealer and they quoted me $301.95!!!!!

Plugs are $10.99 each

 

[sho_dwn]

Fordpartsnetwork also has the plugs for $3.99 each.