hissing=vacuum leak. trace where the leak is coming from and fix it. the car will run.

 

Actually, it turned out that the problem was not a vacuum leak. I took it into Tires Plus and they said i needed tp replace my entire exhaust system and it would cost $1500. I laughed because the bluebook on my car is like 1600 and elected to have it towed to a Exhaust pro shop and have them look at it since they specialize in exhaust systems. They were not able to start it right away because it was flooded so they replaced my spark plugs and got it running. And that was it, i figure my exhaust was clogged with snow and it melted away! (It has be -30 degrees here for a week so nothing was melting until i had it in shops all day) Total cost was 100 for tires plus to look at it and 50 for exhaust pros to replace my spark plugs.

 

The problem is back again!! i don't think i really fixed it. It is still making a hissing noise and it looks like it is comming from the front of my engine on the actaul engine block (front right side a little to the right of the fourth spark plug. In fact if i look right there there appears to be some kind of gas and so some bubbing from that spot.

Note: it seems that i am only having these issues when it is really cold (-15 F right now) and also earlier today my car quit on me while idleing at a stoplight. But after it died it started right back up.


Any suggestions? Im not leaking tons of fluid or anything but could it be a cracked block? Do you think if i pluged in my car it would solve the issues?

 

is the check engine light on?

 

Yes, it is on after it dies. Was going to run to an auto part store and try to see if it can read a code.

 

if it's coming from the front of the head i.e below the plugs then it's probably a blown head gasket.

 

The check eng light is always on when the car dies. Just like turning the key on but not starting. Hissing noise from the front of engine, i assume you mean by the radiater?. #4 spark plug, if it is just bellow that, check your pcv hose , it is probably collapsed right as it makes the turn behind the engine,(on the firewall side)

 

Took the car to a dealership because i had no clue what was wrong with it and just wanted my car to work again. They hooked it up to the sensors and said that my fuel injection was misfiring and it was causing my engine to flood. Don't think that had anything to do with my hissing but i asked them and they said that it is most likely do to the drain hole in my muffler being plugged with ice (having trouble when it is -20F). So everytime the car is brought to a shop and warms up to melt the ice it runs again. So i may just try and widen that hole.

 

That's kinda weird......

 

Sounds like you have moisture in the tank!!! Pour some HEET in it. The alcohol will remove the condensation..That should also fix the starved fuel pump and injector noise. The dealer is feeding you BS.. How can snow or ice get in your exhaust? Even condensation would not build up that bad, unless your actually pouring water in it..

 

I do use heet and some other stuff (sea....something) regularly. I think the dealership may be right, because once it gets really cold i have this problem. The hissing (dealership told me) is from the back pressure because the exhaust cannot escape. This would make sense because the noise gets louder untill the car quits.

 

Man Lenny, I live in STL, Not quite as cold as where you are, but still all last week below freezing. As soon as you start you car the exhaust temp rises very fast. That would melt ice or snow almost immediately . I would still get another opinion from a local mechanic..

 

Well, i don't think i said this before, but this is actually my third opinion. The first place i took it to was Tires Plus because they are AAA approved. What they said is that i need an entire new exhaust system because my exhaust is plugged and I have a hole in my muffler. Since they didn't even know that i was supposed to have a hole in my muffler to drain this liquid i got out of there.

The second place i had it towed to was Exhaust Pros and they were not able to start it because the engine was flooded. So they had it in their shop for about 3 hours and replaced the spark plugs. My car started up with no hissing and they checked my O2 gauges and everything was good.

I then drove my car for 30 miles to try and get everything out of the system and everything worked great for 3 days until it was -22 again and then the same thing happened with the hissing and dieing after 10 seconds. So i got mad and said screw it and took it to the place that would have experience with ford vehicles. They were not able to start it either because it was flooded so they dried off my spark plugs and changed my oil (smelled like fuel) And hooked it up to a laptop and found that my fuel injection was misfiring. They replaced that and it worked like a dream.

So right now i am able to drive my car but it is a nice warm 20 degrees outside so i wont know if i still have a problem until it is cold again.

If i have the same problem i will probably try taking a blow tourch to the muffler and see if i can start it after that.

If you have any suggestions let me know

 

They replaced the fuel injectors? Or the or the wiring harness? or the PCM?
Is the exhaust actually cloged?. I still cant wrap my head around it being water/ice. Let me know, cause it`s unusual. Thanks Man

 

The exhaust is not actually clogged when my car is warm, but when it is really cold out it is. Right now there is plenty of exhaust coming out my pipes, but when it is cold no exhaust comes out the pipes and the back pressure makes it come out of some place in my engine compartment.

 

They replaced the fuel injectors about $280 with labor

 

well for the inj`s and labor, not that bad. Does the exhaust have any holes that are not supposed to be there? The weep holes in the muffler should be the only one. Maybe a bad gasket that`s allowing water to get into the exhaust pipe??? I am just shooting ideas now IDK

 

No that hole is the only one. My exhaust system is not very rusty at all. Where could i check for a leaky gasket?

 

The Cat to the flex pipe and the flex to the exhaust pipe. I would say that if it were a leak you would probably hear it. Especially if it was big enough to scoop up water. I am lost. Let us know what you find...