i have a 1995 v6 3.8L mustang. The engine has 208,500 miles on it and have recently noticed that my engine will start to over heat while i'm driving around town. as long as i'm driving the engine will not start to heat up, but if i stay at a red light for a while or have to stop a lot then my engine will start to over heat. I was wondering what is causing the problem and how serious it is? also i was wondering if someone could tell me how to fix the problem?

 

If you have an electric fan, check to see if it is working. It not, it could be the fan itself or it could be a temp sensor that turns the fan on.

 

when was the last time you flushed your rad fluid? that might help. or try changing the coolant thermastat (cheap $5)
or maybe your rad is just plain old dirty, on the outside. water pump might be going (almost broke).
just some little thing that might help out
also try what Djs94stang said.

 

I would say the thermostat as well, first and easiest fix!! and while doing that it prob. wouldnt be a bad idea to flush the coolent too. When it sits and starts to heat up check to make sure the fan cuts on, it could be the sensor or the motor of the fan.

 

at 200k, you will have alot of problems like that. A good coolant flush and a new thermostat would be a GREAT idea LOL. at least it's a place to start.

 

If it was the thermostat I would think that it would be worse on the highway that around town.

 

not really. On the hgwy you have ton of air flow cooling the motor.

 

posibly a bad fan cluch if its a mechanal fan

 

Try the thermostat, at 200k i would also recomend not only doing a complete coolant flush but also switch over to all Royal Purple fluids (oil, tranny, rear end). This i have red will keep it a little cooler (less friction) and last a while longer. If the thermostat isnt it, and you plan on keeping the car for over a year more, get an NOS radiator from ford. You should be able to keep it for a long time though. The 3.8s are probably one of the best Ford engines. Also, do you know if it still has the original head gasket on it.

 

Ford 3.8's were only decent in the mustangs, because the cars were light. Once they put them in to tarus's and windstars they were pieces of ****. Head gaskets, front bearings, and PCV/Intake system problems. I don't think they make them anymore (at leaset I hope not). They were not by any means a Great engine.