Well, on the way home from the airport today, was driving and I noticed the temperature gauge was about halfway (I had never seen it this high before so it struck me as weird). Anyway, a short time later a rapid clicking noise developed from somewhere under the hood when I pressed the accelerator. Well, I headed for the first exit ramp (about a mile), and when I was braking to make a turn, the car just died.
Talked to a friend, and the AAA guy (AAA rocks), and the first thing they both guessed was no oil. Well, oil was fine, and the antifreeze seemed fine. The car was towed to a shop, but doesn’t open until Monday. So, I ask for speculation. Yes, I know it could be anything from a clogged thermostat, to a couple blown head gaskets (I hope not). The car is a '97 Ford Escort, and was last serviced in May of last year.
/sidenote I was going to take it in this week for 45k scheduled maintenace. AND, I left my AAA card at home today, so I had to pay 40 bucks for the tow.
Anyway, speculate away. Mods, feel free to move this to MPSIMS if you so desire.
Well, it doesn’t sound like it over heated and popped the head gasket, but a check of the oil will tell you. It will look milky. Check the radiator and see if any dark stuff is floating on the antifreeze – exhaust forced in through the bad gasket.
Did you try to start it once it cooled down? If it starts, but runs rough, check the exhaust for traces of white smoke – steam – which is antifreeze being pushed into a cylinder.
Clicking or knocking can happen when the engine is too hot, which thins out the oil, but often it’ll start to run a bit rough round about then. If it stalls out, trying to restart it often gets it acting like you’ve a dead battery because the hot engine parts have expanded and fit tighter.
A minor leak in the gasket can be fixed with a shot of this gunk that can be poured into the radiator and plugs up the hole. If that doesn’t work, well, then you’ve got a big bill on your hands for removing the top of the motor, planning down the head if it’s warped, and replacing the gasket.
We need more information, like what happened when you tried to restart it before calling the tow.
BTW AAA will often reimburse you if you send them a copy of the towing bill.
I probably shouldn’t even bother answering this, as i’m generally an idiot when it comes to things automotive, but i’ll throw my two cents in anyway.
I too had the “clicking” followed by the car dying on me years ago. it was a blown head gasket. I don’t know if i’d describe it as clicking… maybe “alarmingly loud clicking”, as if something was very obviously and expensively wrong.
anyway, i hope it’s not what i think it is. good luck.
After it died, I didn’t try restarting it. Just had it towed to the repair shop. I’m car stupid too, so I’m not touching anything (other than the dipstick :D) Figures if anything was wrong, not starting it couldn’t do any more harm.
Gunslinger sez:
Well, I’m not positive, but it’s definitely a V4.
Lastly, I when the AAA guy checked the oil, it looked just like the regular light brown. Course, it was dark out. Will post an update when I find out what happened (since I’m sure you’d want to know.
First off its a cute little oxymoron you have there, and secondly Ford doesn’t (nor any other manufacturers I know of off hand) make V4’s. The Escort has a I4, as in 4 inline cylinders.
[/minor nitpick]
I’m curious if its really a “clicking” or a “knocking”. Clicking tends to imply a quieter sound, which would indicate to me an electrical or timing belt problem. Knocking is louder and deeper and definately sounds serious, a sign of predetonation on the cylinders. If its the latter its either a bad thermostat, oil pump, or blown head gasket.
My boyfriend’s (4cylinder) '96 Escort just had to have the timing belt replaced at 51K. The manual recommends replacing it at 100K; he had an extended warranty, so they replaced it n/c. The extended warranty for that car seems to be a good thing because the car is a POS & things fail on it regularly.
Omniscient - Ford at one time produced a V4 engine, available in Great Britain and Europe. The Ford V4 was also found in some Saab products. AFAIK no longer being produced, however. I agree that she’s referring to an inline 4, and with your diagnoses as well.
Geez. Two posts and already I’ve blown it. Sorry about the above post, Viscera. Realized I don’t know your sex, so the gratuitous use of “she” was uncalled for. Much easier being able to talk w/someone face to face, but the people in my everyday life are not nearly as interesting as the ones on this board.
Half-way on the temp guage and you’re worried? my 96 escort gets there all the time. I’d think you’d notice a blown head gasket you’d get some nice smoke blowing out the tail pipe, usually you would but not all the time.
I don’t know about the clicking noise as that could be loads of things. The stalling sounds kind of like it’s not getting enough gas so maybe one of the injectors is clogged. Or somewhere along the way you got some bad gas, did you just fill up? I had a problem years ago with a Mustang that would die out because the catalitic converter was clogged and wouldn’t alow the exaust out.
I’ve got an Escort book at home I’ll look it up tonight if I remember about it, not gonna do much good though but it might.
I’ve got 72k on my Escort now and have had one major problem and that was with the radiator that had a pin hole in it. my rear window defroster button is broken too but other than that my car has been pretty good.
Sigh, turns out it was the head gasket, and they also replaced the timing belt. Don’t know any more details at this time, other than it will cost just under $900. Added to the $700 I paid this week for my wisdom teeth, I’m having a crappy week.
I was feeling your pain, and guessing the gasket before your last post confirmed it. My son was coming home driving his '93 Ford Taurus, and it did EXACTLY the same thing, plus the billowing smoke that ** Gunslinger ** referred to, and then it died, for good, stranding DJ about six hours from home…ACKKKKKKK!! However the quoted price to fix DJ’s car is $2500, so maybe you’re getting a pretty good deal after all.
Good luck with finding that good karma, post it if you find some!!
AND, I left my AAA card at home today, so I had to pay 40 bucks for the tow. 
