# Trying to find the problem

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/trying-to-find-the-problem/16862>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Created:** [July 17, 2008, 10:41pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/trying-to-find-the-problem/16862 "2008-07-17T22:41:56Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![rayray5](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e68b1a/32.png) [@rayray5](https://community.cartalk.com/u/rayray5)\
**Post date:** [July 17, 2008, 10:41pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/trying-to-find-the-problem/16862/1 "2008-07-17T22:41:56Z")

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I have a 1994 lincoln ,i put a new water pump,used radiator,thermostat but the water still isn’t circulating the hose by the thermostat keep getting hard so i took yhe thermostat out and the hose still get hard,with the radiator cap off the water spit back out,anyone with an idea i would love to hear from you.

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**Author:** ![ok4450](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e9bcb4/32.png) [@ok4450](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ok4450)\
**Post date:** [July 18, 2008, 2:54am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/trying-to-find-the-problem/16862/2 "2008-07-18T02:54:35Z")

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What kind of Lincoln, what engine, how many miles, any history of overheating (based on all of these coolant related items being replaced), etc.?

Are you absolutely certain the T-stat is the correct one and it’s installed correctly? (Depending on model, engine,)

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**Author:** ![hellokit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/6a8cbe/32.png) [@hellokit](https://community.cartalk.com/u/hellokit)\
**Post date:** [July 18, 2008, 4:37am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/trying-to-find-the-problem/16862/3 "2008-07-18T04:37:19Z")

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The radiator hose will get hard from the pressure from a cylinder head, or gasket, leak. Have a shop check it for a bad head gasket or cylinder head.

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**Author:** ![rayray5](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e68b1a/32.png) [@rayray5](https://community.cartalk.com/u/rayray5)\
**Post date:** [July 19, 2008, 8:23pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/trying-to-find-the-problem/16862/4 "2008-07-19T20:23:39Z")

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the lincoln is a conntinetil it has a 3.8 with 130,000 miles i 'm not sure if it has a history of over heating i just bought it .

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**Author:** ![NYBo](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/nybo/32/17281_2.png) [@NYBo](https://community.cartalk.com/u/NYBo)\
**Post date:** [July 19, 2008, 10:18pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/trying-to-find-the-problem/16862/5 "2008-07-19T22:18:33Z")

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Test for a failed headgasket. All too common with the 3.8L of that vintage, IIRC.