Car is struggling on starting sometimes

[Dirty]

A few weeks ago my car overheated on the highway, to the point of cutting off. I had to coast it into the emergency lane and get AAA to scoop me up. After replacing the water pump at my buddy's shop, I took the car out for a spin and noticed it missing a few times. Took it back to the shop and we realized the plug wires were nearly disintegrated from getting so hot and the wire caps melted on to the spark plugs. We then replaced the plugs and wires and everything seemed fine.

A few days later, I noticed a really rough idle after starting the car up. That became fairly consistent. Then it started to not crank at all. After a while it would finely fire up, but a few times the car has not started on multiple attempts.

Any idea what could have gotten so hot that is now acting weird like this?

[slider2828]

Check your wiring and get a compression test..... You overheated to where wires melted, I wouldn't doubt your start and alternator wires not looking good....

Get compression test as well.

[Dirty]

After finally getting it started, I'm suspecting a blown head gasket now. The car was puffing out white smoke for the first few minutes of idle and it smelled funny. :(

I may just try to sell it as-is.

[D.Adams]

i did the same thing years ago in one of my 240's .. I did the water pump / radiator / t-stat and still didnt run rite. I tore the motor down and found out i had a cracked block.

do a compression test. you could of warped the head / blown the H/G or even worse..

[Dirty]

Def. head gasket. Checked the oil today and it looked like chocolate milk on the dipstick.

Now I don't know if I want to fix or just sell the car as is.