Q: My Ford Ranger 1998 got too hot and I heard a pop.
I have a 1998 Ford Ranger automatic 4.0L engine, RWD. Yesterday I was driving on the highway and noticed that my truck was getting very hot so I stopped driving and turned it off. A few seconds before that there was a loud pop and I smelled something burned and my cabin got really hot. When I popped the trunk i saw a small tube on the side of the engine was shooting smoke out of it. For about 5 weeks before this it has been making a ticking sound whenever it's in drive or reverse. I included a video of what the sound sounds like. It stops when I put the truck in park. It also makes the sound whenever put the windows up or down to their max. I got the whole radiator changed about 8 months ago because it was leaking anitfreeze before I changed it. I put in antifreeze yesterday before the truck popped. I checked it right now and it's missing about a quarter now. After the pop though, it did not heat up to the red line where the H is on the thermometer. Can anyone help?
My car has 124000 miles.
My car has an automatic transmission.
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Hi there. The noise you heard could have been fuel left in the cylinder when the engine was hot and igniting the fuel as an explosion. That is why you saw smoke coming out of the pipe on the engine. The symptoms of being hot are either the thermostat is sticking closed or the head gasket is burned causing the coolant to drain into the cylinder(s). I recommend seeking out a professional, such as one from Your Mechanic, to help you diagnose your overheating issue.
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