I have a 93 taurus that just started acting up on me. today i was driving it in temps. outside of 70 deg. but i noticed the temp gauge went almost to hot but the aux fan came on. it would cool down then the fan came on again when it got warn, over a five mile trip it cycled like that about 5 times. what might it be? also can i drive it like this until next pay day. cb
You are right in the range of OLD to need a new radiator. If you look at it and see white or green residue anywhere on it, get rid of the radiator. If you don’t see that rotten rainbow, check the fins between the radiator tubes from the back of the radiator where the missing fins usually show up first. Any missing fins or green ones and the radiator is marginal. A new one will run a lot cooler.
Are we safe in assuming that you’ve already checked the coolant level in the radiator when it’s cold? If it’s not plumb full, it should be. Like it says on the cap, do not remove it when hot.
If you need a new radiator, try 1-800-RADIATOr. List price for a new one for a’95 Taurus was $105 last week. Yours should be similar.
Start with the inexpensive things. Is the radiator full of coolant? Is the thermostat working? Is the radiator cap working?
A coolant flush, new thermostat, and radiator cap will cost a lot less than a new radiator, and may solve your temperature problem.