1.) My heater core hoses were leaking on the back of my engine for several hundred miles.
2.) My car idles up and down between 600 and 900 RPMS .... it should be at 850.
3.) I hear tapping near the valve covers and headers... I don't think its the headers... hmm.
4.) When I check my oil level its always all over the dipstick, way above the full lines..


Do you think I need to do an oil change?
Do you think I got coolant in my oil?

 

when the heater hoses were leaking did the car overheat? if so the oil could have broke down and that could be the tapping you here inthe valvecovers.so i would start with an oil change and go from there. the surging idle could be a hundred things most common is a vacum leak

 

1) Replace those hoses..
2) Could be vacuum leak, or mis-adjusted TPS, stuck PCV, etc...
3) Bad lifters.. If you overheat too many times they get 'tired'.
4) I'd drain the oil.. My 89 only uses 4.5 quarts.

If the oil has a milky white coloring that is water in the oil.

Does your engine emit smoke ? If so what color and smell ?

Also what year is your Stang ?

G

 

if the oil isn't milky your fine.......for the idle issue ..run a koeo/koer test and check codes and if that yields no help look for vaccum leaks...as for the tapping... lifters may have crap in them and or it could be and exhaust leak at headers

 

hows longs it been..miles and time ..if long enuf then change the oil..and only u can tell if theres coolant in the oil...just look at it when u drain it..also pop the cap off ur radiator n check for oil floating on the top..that will tell u whether theres oil there or not..

and idk about his 89..but any the 5.0s that i have worked around all use 5 quarts..might be different for his year couldnt tell ya..just check after u fill it..and make sure to wipe the dipstick..then reinsert..and then check it..

 

1.) Yeah, its 1990 and uses 5 quarts... the new motor has 1,500mi on it. 1 oil change at 100miles.
2.) Every time it said, "low coolant," I put more in, except for one time: 15degrees out and drove about 10-13 highway miles.
3.) The coolant leak was the heater core hoses = I REPLACED THEM.
4.) I disconnect the TPS wires and surrounding wires when replacing heater core hoses.
5.) I wanna say it does emit White smoke, but only a very little, but then again its 40-50degrees out here...
6.) I think the tapping is from Valve Covers - I've delt with leaky headers.

7.) The coolant pouring out of the hoses at Replacement - looked normal.

What do you guys mean by milky?.. I mean it looks like oil, but it is somewhat clear...different than I remember it being for sure.
I'll do an oil change. - If its the lifters I'm pissed.

 

milky meaning brownish white....= oil mixed with coolant

 

The disconnected TPS may cause the idle problem. The EEC-IV uses the 1.0v adjustment to set the throttle position. If there is no voltage or the voltage is off by greater than 10-20%, you get idle surging. There is a 'sticky' on how to adjust it.

If the oil is not milky brown then you are ok. It means there is no water in the oil.

The tapping may be a bad lifter, a bent push rod, or a loose rocker. It depends on the sound, and whether it gets more intense as you rev the engine up. If it gets quiet as you rev up it is usually the lifter. If it gets noisier it is usually a rocker or a push rod. Lifters tend to 'pump up' as the rpm increases.

Whiteish smoke at less than 40 degrees is just water vapor. That is if there is no distinct smell of oil or gas.

The fact that brand new heater hose lines are leaking means they either are a poor fit, or the areas they attach to are corroded to the point that they are disintegrating at the pressure (around 10-12 psi)

G

 

no, it did leak.. the new hoses fixed the problem, and the ..clamps.....

I will do an oil change, idle setting procedure, and then go from there this weekend.

I can't imagine having to replace a lifter, rocker, or push-rod - never done it before, but have been there to see someone else do it.

 

u say the motor has 1500 on it..does that mean it was rebuilt?...cuz if so it might be a rocker has loosened...go thru n check all those..