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Waterpump knowledge

9

97vulcan

CEG'er
Joined
May 22, 2007
Messages
456
Location
Wisconsin
Is there anyway to tell by looking at the water pump body in your car to see if it has the revised impeller?

Thanks,
Adam

BTW: its a 98 CSVT :)
 
yes.. there is.. albeit you have to look at the inside of it. :D :D

In short: you have to remove the impellar housing to see.. period.
 
In my opinion, if you don't know the history of your water pump, consider it a maintenance item and replace it. $70 and an hour of your time is cheap insurance.
 
Desiato said:
In my opinion, if you don't know the history of your water pump, consider it a maintenance item and replace it. $70 and an hour of your time is cheap insurance.
Click to expand...

That's if you've never done it!
 
from what I have found the switch over was in late 99 ... so a 98 would have the black impellar ....
 
How many miles on it? If more than 120K, chances are it has been changed. On the other hand, if it has been changed at 60K, you probably need a new one if they replaced with a black impeller.

So, change it to be safe. :laugh:
 
Try to find a metal impeller one by Delco, I think Autozone has one as well, and Beck/Arney parts brand, if I recall...
 
BrApple said:
from what I have found the switch over was in late 99 ... so a 98 would have the black impellar ....
Click to expand...

My early 98 (4/97 build date) had a white plastic impeller. I installed a stock replacement water pump at 85,000 miles have had no problems since (230,000 miles currently).

I changed the water pump for drill and found a loose stainless steel restrictor plate so it was a needed repair, but a broken impeller was not an issue.
 
My '99 Mystique was built in December 1998, and I'm assuming by then Ford had changed to the white impellar, since I've run over 231,500 miles on the original water pump. However, I have a self imposed "red line" of 3,000 RPM on my engine, so I've subjected the impellar to much less stress than most people. When I asked my mechanic about replacing it years ago, he said he had seen only one 2.5 L Duratec engine with a failed water pump, so he advised againt messing with it.
 
Beachboy said:
My '99 Mystique was built in December 1998, and I'm assuming by then Ford had changed to the white impellar, since I've run over 231,500 miles on the original water pump. However, I have a self imposed "red line" of 3,000 RPM on my engine, so I've subjected the impellar to much less stress than most people. When I asked my mechanic about replacing it years ago, he said he had seen only one 2.5 L Duratec engine with a failed water pump, so he advised againt messing with it.
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Ahh.. so.. he's worked on one Contour, then... cool!
 
It's hard to keep an SVT below 3000 RPM:cool: It's easy with an Automatic Trans, like my Mystique. My waterpump did fail, at 79,000 miles, causes overheating, best avoided..

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That's basically how the water pump failed on my 95. It's such a cheap and easy item to replace, I think it's a very good idea to replace it.

A Ford tech that I talked to, whom actually worked on Contours back in the day, confirmed that he's replaced "hundreds" of water pumps on Duratec Contours.
 
Beachboy said:
However, I have a self imposed "red line" of 3,000 RPM on my engine, so I've subjected the impellar to much less stress than most people.
Click to expand...

:confused: Why? The joy of these cars is how fun they are to drive. I think that keeping the revs that low would really bite into the "fun" factor. Yes, I use mine as a daily driver, but I still like to have some fun with it once in a while.

Plus, I'm not sure I could merge under 3000k around here. The entrance ramps just aren't long enough to safely perform that type of acceleration...
 
not to mention your secondaries haven't... "ever"... opened? I can't IMAGINE the carbon buildup and performance robbing that is going on.

I am not just talking about "speed" performance, either... gas mileage is likely lower than it could be because of this, as well.
 
Thanks for the tips guys. My car never overheats, as in the needle going into the red area, but it does from time to time touch the "M" in normal. Is this acceptable on a 98 SVT? BTW my build date is 05/97. :)

Adam

And 136k on the odo.
 
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