Water Pump failure?? HELP!

Cbussilver01es · Post by **Cbussilver01es** » Sun Nov 25, 2007 4:09 am

Ok so I had posted a couple of months ago about coolant that I saw dripping from "somewhere" from my car, Somehow it worked itself out and I saw no more coolant. Fast forward to today and 3:30am. I Started my car up and let it warm up since the weather was in the low 20's. After letting the car warm up and driving about 7 miles back home, I pulled to my house and noticed that my car was smoking really bad, and I popped my hood and there was coolant on the roof of the hood and spewing from somewhere close to the Stat and Water pump area. ,My cooling fan wouldn't shut off and then I lost heat in my car. Does this sound like a water pump issue or something worse? I wish that I could have saw where it was dripping from but at 3am w/o a flashlight limits you to what you can see... any help would be appreciated.

Wizzard~Of~Ozz · Post by **Wizzard~Of~Ozz** » Sun Nov 25, 2007 9:01 am

I thought the water pump was located behind the timing guard.. Sounds more like a hose rupture to me.. Daylight should help.. I had a hose pop off on my old sundance.. spewed everywhere..

Wenuden · Post by **Wenuden** » Sun Nov 25, 2007 10:52 am

coolant that high up in the bay is probably a blown or torn upper rad hose. while you're in there, replace the thermostat, since high water temps can cause them to fail sooner than normal, plus they're only like $8.

60trim · Post by **60trim** » Sun Nov 25, 2007 12:35 pm

Its a hose or even a cracked T-stat housing.

Cbussilver01es · Post by **Cbussilver01es** » Sun Nov 25, 2007 12:42 pm

Wizzard~Of~Ozz wrote:I thought the water pump was located behind the timing guard.

It is, but you can see the outside edge of it right below where the Thermostat is. I just checked the upper hose, and everything appears to be fine.

I can see coolant all over the front control arms and on the oil pan too, but I cant pinpoint where its coming from. When it was smoking, it was smoking pretty bad and the majority of smoke was coming from the a/c Compressor and right behind the passenger side headlight.

Wizzard~Of~Ozz · Post by **Wizzard~Of~Ozz** » Sun Nov 25, 2007 12:56 pm

I can see coolant all over the front control arms and on the oil pan too, but I cant pinpoint where its coming from.

Ha, when I had spewing AF, it was all over my windshield (came up through some vents since I was on the highway)..

Probably the easiest way to find it is to make sure it has some liquid (water is fine since you'll probably be dumping most of it out.). and fire it up, then watch. If it doesn't leak right away, then it isn't the water pump. If it starts leaking @ temp, then it is from the thermostat to the rad, or a return line (thermostat opens at temp and exposes the waterpump / block fluid to the rad.)

Coolant leaks are pretty easy to find, Sometimes, they just jump out at you..

Post by **occasional demons** » Sun Nov 25, 2007 3:29 pm

Your heater hoses (metal tubes) connect to the water pump area also. there are two short rubber pieces that connect them. One is a formed 90* May only be a dealer item? I would check those too. Prolly easier to jack the front up and put on stands to get a good look as they are buried under the intake mani. Best of luck.

Cbussilver01es · Post by **Cbussilver01es** » Sun Nov 25, 2007 5:59 pm

UPDATE: Found a hairline crack in the hose coming from the heater lines going back into the Thermostat. Replaced the hose and appears to be no more coolant dripping so that might have been the problem since the car wasnt really overheating, only thing is now I have no heat so I might have to replace the thermostat...

60trim · Post by **60trim** » Mon Nov 26, 2007 1:27 am

Glad to hear you found the problem. Replace the T-stat and you should be fine. Do a flush while your at it. I like to do a 60/40 combo. 60% anti-freeze with 40% distilled water. I have great heat and sits right above the second hash. This is on a turbo car too.

Post by **occasional demons** » Mon Nov 26, 2007 9:07 am

You may also have air trapped in your heater core from running low on coolant. Unless your temp gauge just isn't moving off cold.

If the gauge reads normal let it cool and break loose the line where they go to the firewall to be sure there isn't any air trapped just wiggle it off enough to let some coolant out. An air bleed in the head would have been a nice feature.

Cbussilver01es · Post by **Cbussilver01es** » Mon Nov 26, 2007 6:10 pm

I'll go out and see what I can do sometime soon, since it has been raining here all day

. I hope that its something that I can fix without having to spend money. I drove around the block and I had heat in the beginning and then it just went cool. No overheating, and the temp gauge is reading normally, so I'll do what you guys suggest and see what happens.

Cbussilver01es · Post by **Cbussilver01es** » Wed Nov 28, 2007 11:32 am

**Another update**

Ok I did what you guys suggested and its still acting funny, When I drive my heat goes from hot to warm to hot again, but when I completely stop, it goes back to being cold again, the Temperature gauge is reading normally so Idk what the deal is?

aperson · Post by **aperson** » Wed Nov 28, 2007 7:51 pm

Sounds like air in the system. to me.

Post by **occasional demons** » Wed Nov 28, 2007 9:27 pm

Did you get a new t'stat yet? If you haven't get one with the air bleed in it. Or you can try breaking it loose and let any air out of the head. then tighten it down. as long as the o-ring isn't original you should be fine, but I would still get a new one anyway. not worth risking it. If you haven't changed it yet just fill the system with the neck off till the coolant is to the hole then install the t'stat/neck and finish filling, that way there is less air to get out.

Cbussilver01es · Post by **Cbussilver01es** » Thu Nov 29, 2007 4:45 pm

occasional demons wrote:Did you get a new t'stat yet?

Yea I actually just bought one today but havent installed it yet. (its cold as a mofo) Hopefully thats all it is. Im hoping if I drain the system again and install the new t'stat I should be back in business!

Cbussilver01es · Post by **Cbussilver01es** » Sat Dec 01, 2007 1:46 pm

Update:

Changed Thermostat, and nothing changed, the heat is hot/warm when I drive and cold when sit at idle so yea Im clueless. Anyone have any ideas at all?

Paul56 · Post by **Paul56** » Sat Dec 01, 2007 7:45 pm

Cbussilver01es wrote:Update:

Changed Thermostat, and nothing changed, the heat is hot/warm when I drive and cold when sit at idle so yea Im clueless. Anyone have any ideas at all?

When it is completely cool and you remove the pressure cap (radiator cap) do you see coolant inside?

Do you notice a difference in the level of the coolant reservoir between completely cool and engine up to operating temperature conditions?

Cbussilver01es · Post by **Cbussilver01es** » Mon Dec 03, 2007 12:27 pm

Paul56 wrote: When it is completely cool and you remove the pressure cap (radiator cap) do you see coolant inside?

Do you notice a difference in the level of the coolant reservoir between completely cool and engine up to operating temperature conditions?

When its cool I notice a little bit of coolant but nothing substantial, and no I dont really notice a difference in a difference in the coolant reservoir.