Just bought a Cougar V6.

K

Kithorian

New user
Feb 19, 2015
2
0
Manchester
Hi all, I have just bought a W reg Cougar V6 with 60k miles on the clock and full service history. The car has been really well looked after and is in amazing condition for the age. It has only just had a service.
The car drives really well and I can't see any issues what so ever however one thing that has me concerned is the amount of steam coming from the exhaust. I know it is cold right now and its normal to get steam from the exhaust when you first start on a cold morning but mine is still giving out plenty by the time I get to work after an hours drive. This can often mean something pretty bad like head gasket but I have checked coolant levels and oil and everything is totally normal and as I say the car runs great.
A friend of mine has said this can be normal in some cars especially cars with big engines in winter but I was hoping one of you cougar experts would put my mind at ease please?
Gotta say I do love the car though! :)
 
Another Manc joins the fold, welcome to the club---as said before its completely normal.
where in manchester are you ?
 
Thanks for putting my mind at ease everyone, feel much better now. lol.
I bought this car from a lovely old fellow who was the original owner from new and had kept it in a nice big dry garage its whole life so it doesn't have the usual rot that I keep seeing is a problem on Cougars these days. He religiously cleaned and waxed the car and spared no expense on maintenance. End result its probably one of the best condition Cougars on the road right now. The car is completely standard and I intend to keep it that way. I was not looking out to buy a Cougar to be honest but this guy lives near me and had it advertised to sell locally so I walked around to have a look and was so impressed with it and the guys attitude that I bought it there and then.
Now I am no mechanic, far from it, computers are my trade and I have never done any of my own car maintenance myself but luckily I have a really good mechanic who has been looking after my cars since I past my driving test 13 years ago.
I will be making sure to have the car maintained just as religiously as the original owner thanks to my mechanic.
I just wish I had a garage to keep it in, feel sorry for it being sat out in the elements now.
I am in didsbury to those that wanted to know where I am.
 
Didsbury, not far from me in partington.
They are a friendly bunch on here and only too willing to help if ever you need it,if you become a member you will have access to everything you will ever need to know about cougars plus we regularly have fix and swap meets (mfsm) and visits to shows
 
Welcome aboard mate, I too recently purchased a V6 cougar and noticed the steam so that also has put my mind at ease also.
 
As said, larger engines do tend to condesate more colder temperatures. It "could" (note emphasis!) be a sign that the catalysts aren't particularly healthy but by and large it's just lumped under the category "one of those things...."
 
all my v6 duratecs (st24,st200,st220) all have condensation steam from backbox,its a common trait.
big massive white clouds coupled with the tick of death is head gasket.
 
Just checking in to say that I have owned both a Zetec and a Duratec, and both have been cloud-making machines on cold mornings.

Unless you're losing coolant, you're totally fine. According to Ms. Mako (who used to work for Ford when the 2.5 V6 Duratec was introduced) they are particularly wet engines for some reason. She has suggested it's because of the aluminium construction - the Rover K-series is the same - because of the metal's thermal profile.

I'm not smart enough to know if that's true, but it seems to make sense.
 
I posted about this problem a little while ago, apparently it is normal.

If I where you I would but your coug away and leave it for a few years. Low mileafe future classic and all that.

Tell me its Green as well?
 
Sod that, what's the point in owning a great car and not using it? They're never going to be worth silly money so we may as well enjoy them before the dreaded tin worm takes them away from us.
 
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