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Water pump and related

ZeroHour

Mod/Salad Tosser
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Joined
Feb 7, 2005
Messages
2,275
Location
Eastern PA
So back in Early December my temp gauge pinned itself past hot. Car isn't overheating...

The belt drive on the driver side of the motor sqeaks. I has a belt with less then 4k on it. And last night I put on a new tensioner. It still sqeaks!

I'm guessing the waterpump is on the way out...Any other opinions?

Also how do you change the water sensor and what is the part? All I keep finding is thermostats and I know that's not what I'm looking for. Also I'm not sure how to remove the sensor/wire. I tried following the wire back, but it seems to just bundle into more wires. (???)

And it looks like my sensor has popped out, it has alot of play in it. If I push on the back of the rubber cap for the sensor, it pushes back out. :shrugs: Help!
 
Whatisthis.jpg


Okay now that I know exactly where the engine temp sensor is, what is the one I have circled? The brass-type nub on mine moves in and out. Not sure if it is suppose to do that.

And if I'm understanding the link correctlyt, the temp guage in the dash is not actually measuring the water temp. Is that right?

Also where can you order the engine type sensor? As mentioned I keep finding thermostats...
 
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You won't find one in the engine bay because they are in the dash. The evaporation core is what cools the air conditioning. It is cooled by the refrigerant that is circulated through it and it in turn cools air that is blown across it into the passenger cabin.
 
hmm I've been under the dash and never found it either. lol But good to know. Thanks!

Does anyone know what the brass-type fixture is that I circled in the picture?
 
hmm I've been under the dash and never found it either. lol But good to know. Thanks!

Does anyone know what the brass-type fixture is that I circled in the picture?

That is the sender for the dash temp guage. It measures coolant temp for the display.

The ECT, shown to its right, also measures coolant temp, but only sends its signal to the computer.

The sender unit should not have any moving parts. Replace yours. Available from PartsAmerica chains (CSK, Advance, etc.) as the GP Sorensen TSU226, Niehoff TS83971, or the Standard TS388.

Steve
 
That is the sender for the dash temp guage. It measures coolant temp for the display.

The ECT, shown to its right, also measures coolant temp, but only sends its signal to the computer.

The sender unit should not have any moving parts. Replace yours. Available from PartsAmerica chains (CSK, Advance, etc.) as the GP Sorensen TSU226, Niehoff TS83971, or the Standard TS388.

Steve

Okay so I need to replace the one I have circled with the question marks to make my dash gauge work, correct?

Right now I'm on the verge of being confused to all hell.
 
the one you have circled is the one that your temp sensor runs off of. (guage in your dash)

feel it. if you can move the little post that sticks out of it, you bumped it too hard and broke it. if you are overheating, replace your waterpump with one with an aluminum impellar. if it keeps overheating, run the car without a coolant reservoir cap for a few miles to push the air out of the system. i had that problem before when i changed the reservoir.


EDIT: i should add i had the same problem and replaced it and it worked fine then. make sure you get one that reads correctly too though. it was like 7$ from ford if i remember, just dont forget that your gonna lose coolant all over when you change it so do it fast, and dont do it when the engine is hot. locktite is probably not a bad idea, since the old one had locktite on it when i took it out.
 
Okay so I need to replace the one I have circled with the question marks to make my dash gauge work, correct?

....
Correct.

Previously posted in the old forums in a thread started by Snafuflux.

"The coolant temp gauge sender is the bronze (??) looking thing below the "Co" from the word coolant. ...... If..you do it real fast, unscrew and then plug (and screw) in the new one right away, you probably can get away with not having to drain the cooling system (according to Haynes). Haynes suggest to release the pressure by removing the coolant tank cap and then reinstalling the cap back (when the engine and coolant is completely cool)."

Hope this clears the confusion. If not, send it in. ;)
 
Okay so now that I know what I need. (lol)

Where can I get it, and what would its actually name be? I checked partsamerica.com inventory with no luck. I'm probalby not calling it the right name.
 
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Yeah I found it after looking in electrical and guages. Thanks!

I'm gonna try to pick on up and put it in tomorrow.
 
Hey Just a couple of notes..Napa and advance do not usually car this part...both places had the engine coolant sensor and not the coolant sending unit. This project is gonna be put off until next weekend. I am off to school tomorrow.

Oh and I'm wondering if I should just drain the system? One post said I'm gonna loose alot of fluid and fast, and then the other one said I shouldn't loose alot! I already have 8 quarts(2gal) of prestone 50/50 in reserve. Not sure how much I would lose/collect for possible reuse. The coolant was changed before I bought the 2 1/2 years ago, but its only managed about 10k in the time. Its still clean as hell so I can probably reuse it. So to sum up my over type, stop any futher

1) How much coolant will actually leak out if I only take the gauge right out?

2) How much coolant does the contour require? and what type (50/50?) In the how to on the main site, it mentions Dexcool, I thought this was a GM coolant thing?

3)if I drain the system do you think I should check the waterpump? I could always pull it off and put it back on. Cause I am not sure if the waterpump was ever replaced.

4) Where can I garauntee a metal impeller? I'm fairly certain napa/advance have plastic replacements. But I can't imagine my car making it another 60K, which would be the time it would need a another waterpump if I put a plastic one in it now.

5) During waterpump removal, do I need to take apart the thermostathousing to move hose and make clearance? It looks like I might. And any gasket, or is it just a ring on the t-stat?
 
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"How much coolant does the contour require?"
I believe it is 9 quarts so your 8 quarts should be more than enough as not all will drain out.

"and what type (50/50?)"
If you have 50/50 you don't even need to mess with diluting it.

"if I drain the system do you think I should check the waterpump?" Actually, if I were you, I wouldn't even drain the system as you have only gone 10k mile.

Change the WP if you are not sure if it has been replaced.

" Where can I garauntee a metal impeller? I'm fairly certain napa/advance have plastic replacements. But I can't imagine my car making it another 60K, which would be the time it would need a another waterpump if I put a plastic one in it now."
White plastic is as good as metal. Napa does sell white plastic impeller ones.

Metal impellar from Autozone.
http://www.contour.org/ubbthreads/s...132376&page=0&view=collapsed&sb=5&o=7&fpart=1

Edit. Napa WP (554091 with gasket or 1251910 w/o) or Autozone. Pretty much the same price about $70.

Don't forget the gasket too about $3(if WP does not come with one).

And you would want a new WP belt (about $12). Dayco 5030268.
 
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Yeah I have a advanced/napa where I live and I did check their sites for the images and they showed plastic impellars. Autozone is like a 40 minute drive from where I live...

I have a New dayco belt on from last winter cause the old was was dried and started sqeaking.

Any clue as to taking that t-stat housing apart? I looks like it might be in the way.

if I don't drain, won't I loose alot by taking the wp off?

Any areas I should watch that I don't get antifreeze on?

Oh and thanks tony! haha You're a big help
 
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