I'll go one of two ways...
Head gasket might be it due to the coolant passage blockage from Ford.

Second thought: How clean is your radiator (inside and out)? Not having a fan shroud isn't an issue at all. But if you have a bunch of crap stuck in the radiator, it will block airflow. Also, having junk stuck in the coolant lines inside it will cause the same thing.

 

I guess I need to do a flush tomorrow. I replaced the thermostat, which still doesn't work correctly. It never has worked on the car. When the car is at normal temp, the needle stays around "N". Anyway, that's not related. The issue I have now is that my dad took a look at the car and insists that its because of the fan shroud. He won't help me work on the car until I buy a new one. It's frustrating dealing with someone who's as stubborn as he is. You could be talking to a certified ford mechanic telling you exactly what's wrong with the car, but he'll still insist that what he thinks is right.

Flushing the radiator with water + cleaner should show if there's crap in there right? Seems logical, so i'll be doing that tomorrow and arguing with my dad about the fan shroud.

 

Run some dishwasher soap (Cascade, not the bubbly stuff) through when you clean it.

If the shop you went to matched what the Ford head looked like when reassembling...you inherited the same problem again...only sooner.

I am trying to give you other ideas, but I agree with the posts above. Misfire between cylinders and overheating is 99.44% a head/headgasket.

Ford has been know on other models to not fully clean out the casting sand in the block; sand absorbs oil and blocks passageways. I would check your transmission fluid as well since coolant keeps it from overheating.

The fan shroud directs the airflow from the fan...the fan really only helps at idle. Air throught the front blows across the radiator. The shroud...is small and almost useless, some people go with the obvious first and then get creative. Get a shroud from a JY if you can, then maybe he'll help.

 

If your thermostat isn't working, that is a major issue. What do you mean 'not working'?
Take it out, toss it in a pot of water on the stove... as it heats, it should open. If it doesn't get a new one. They are super cheap. If it's only opening half or not at all, that's a BIG issue.

 

+1 the thermo is very often over looked and some times, installed upside down...check it as suggested and go from there..

 

Well I had my cousin put on the head gasket because I can't afford to get it done by an actual mechanic. The estimate was a bit over $1000 and my cousin did it for free. Maybe he did put it on wrong, he's a motorcycle mechanic. Anyway, so if the gauge isn't working correctly then it means the thermostat is on wrong or messed up? The gauge in the car is deviated to the left. So when the car is at normal temperature, the needle on the gauge stops at "N". So if the car is overheating, it won't go all the way to the right, it stops around the "R" or the "M". So, it technically works (I guess) it just doesn't READ correctly.

Well I went ahead and got the OEM fan and shroud. I'm waiting for it to be delivered, so i'm going to do the flush and install the fan when it comes. Couldn't I tell if the head gasket is messed up by spraying something near the engine and seeing if it does anything? I'm just not sure what to spray that won't mess up the engine.

 

Most common test for headgaskets are leak down test, compression test, and or check the oil for coolent/coolent for oil (it will look like a milkshake).

Matthew

 

I'll have to change what I said earlier. My cousin replaced the intake gaskets actually. I finally just took the engine apart and looked at the heads. Yep, the guy I bought the car from put the gaskets on wrong. There was water and coolant all over the pistons, the smell of burnt oil, and almost none of the bolts holding the heads in place were tight. There were also two cross threaded bolts. The guy that had put the heads in before me was a moron....

Taking the heads to a machine shop tomorrow, one of them looked warped. Though I do wonder if I couldn't just switch out the engine for a 302. Guess it depends on the price to repair the heads.

 

Bad idea. You will have to change the K member, brakes, suspentions, electrical, trans, and rearend and you will still have less power then a build M90/M112 3.8/4.2 V6.

Matthew

 

Well got the heads redone. They were pretty damn warped. Anyway, so I got everything put back together and it only cost me $340. There's still one more problem with the car. I'm thinking it's an intake leak, but i'm not sure because I made sure the intake and everything was put on right. The car rides smoother than ever but it's still chugging while idling. I think i'm going to have to give in and take it to a ford mechanic. The only things I could think of for it chugging is that either the EGR got screwed or there's an intake leak. I don't really know seeing as there's no check engine light on.