Please help my Cougar 88

Topic: Please help my Cougar 88 (Read 1131 times) previous topic - next topic

Please help my Cougar 88

May 24, 2009, 09:52:04 AM

I have put new lifters and camshaft in my cougar 3.8 Fi and I crank it but after a while when it exceed right working temperature I've turn it off. When I tried to turn it on again I couldn't. I've tear down engine again to check if everything is on its place and put it up again and same thing happened. Please please give me some advice, I'll appreciate it so much!

Please help my Cougar 88

Reply #1 – May 24, 2009, 12:22:49 PM

Ok you have an 88 cougar with a 3.8l engine. You put new cam and lifters in it. So you got is started and when it got to norm temp you turned it off and it wouldn't restart? IS that right? Then you torn into the engine again to double check everything and once you put it back together it did the same thing? Right?

Here are the Questions. So after you got is started it wouldn't start again or wouldn't turn over again? After double check it started again but then wouldn't restart or wouldn't turn over or wouldn't start again?

Please clarify so we can try to help.

Stuckman

Please help my Cougar 88

Reply #2 – May 24, 2009, 01:45:20 PM

coolant temperature sensor.

Please help my Cougar 88

Reply #3 – May 24, 2009, 03:12:21 PM

Quote from: mimus;274069

I have put new lifters and camshaft in my cougar 3.8 Fi and I crank it but after a while when it [COLOR="red"]exceed right working temperature [/COLOR]I've turn it off. When I tried to turn it on again I couldn't. I've tear down engine again to check if everything is on its place and put it up again and same thing happened. Please please give me some advice, I'll appreciate it so much!

I think he means it overheated.

Please help my Cougar 88

Reply #4 – May 24, 2009, 06:27:23 PM

It didn't overheated. I turned it off at normal working temperature and after few minutes when I tried to turn it on again it didn't want to turn over like something is blocked. After I tear it down there is no signs that camshaft is damaged. Could it be some ring or spacer missing on cam or any other idea?

Please help my Cougar 88

Reply #5 – May 25, 2009, 09:55:52 PM

It cranked but wouldn't start or wouldn't crank?

Please help my Cougar 88

Reply #6 – May 25, 2009, 10:30:39 PM

Pull your spark plugs and see if it cranks. 3.8's are known for blowing head gaskets, and when they do they can fill a cylinder up with coolant, causing "hydraulic lock" which will prevent the engine from turning. Liquids cannot be compressed, so if there's coolant in a cylinder with the valves closed the piston will not be able to come up. Pulling the spark plugs will give the coolant a place to go and will allow you to crank it (and will also spray coolant out the plug hole if the cylinder is full of it).

Please help my Cougar 88

Reply #7 – May 26, 2009, 11:56:13 AM

I agree with thunderchicken. Could be an overheating starter though.

Please help my Cougar 88

Reply #8 – June 01, 2009, 08:36:07 PM

Hey guys,
thanks for all your help and info, but I took heads down and it was no coolant in cylinders, the only thing that I guess is a problem is that something is missing on my camshaft - it's been touching a trust plate from inside and when engine gets to normal working temperature metal got "swolen" and those two are stuck. When engine cools down it can turn on again. So guys if anybody knows the order of parts on camshaft or if there is something between trust plate and cam?????

Please help my Cougar 88

Reply #9 – June 01, 2009, 08:53:15 PM

go to your local part store and get a repair manual it should be able to show you how it goes together via illustration.

Please help my Cougar 88

Reply #10 – June 01, 2009, 11:13:41 PM

Quote from: mimus;275504

Hey guys,
thanks for all your help and info, but I took heads down and it was no coolant in cylinders, the only thing that I guess is a problem is that something is missing on my camshaft - it's been touching a trust plate from inside and when engine gets to normal working temperature metal got "swolen" and those two are stuck. When engine cools down it can turn on again. So guys if anybody knows the order of parts on camshaft or if there is something between trust plate and cam?????

Once again what is going on. The camshaft is normally held in buy a plate that bolts to the block/head and Slides into a groove in the end of the camshaft. If things got swollen by norm temp time THAT CAN'T BE GOOD! Did you need a new camshaft or was this just and upgrade? Was there a problem before the cam change? Did you have leftover/extra parts besides the old cam ,and lifters?

Stuckman

Please help my Cougar 88

Reply #11 – June 01, 2009, 11:29:00 PM

wonder if new freeze plug on rear of cam was installed recently and was tapped in too deep.