Do water pumps suddenly die or get weaker and weaker?

[contour1996utah]

Do water pump suddenly dies or gets weaker and weaker? I would appreciate if some can read this interesting troubleshooting I have been going through and help have a clue of what may be going on.

I have been trying to trouble shoot a coolant heating problem for several months now, on my 1996 Ford Contour GL 4 cylynders, manual 80000 miles. Previously I had been advised to look in the fan switch, but that is not the problem.

The temperature gets very close to red zone and I can smell coolant:
- about a minute after exiting a freeway, or
- climbing 8 grade in 2-3 speed as I often do in Utah

The temperature drops to normal if I turn on defrost or air conditioner (I know they turn on the radiator fan).

I thought that with the winter would have shown a difference, but now that we dropped from the 90s to the 40s I see about the same behavior).

If I run the engine parking, the fan auto-turns on at some point, and before what the gage hits going uphill.

The temperature is fine when doing city driving on flat.

What have I already done:
- cleaned radiator
- changed thermostat
- changed tehperature sensor

Obviously the water pump works, there is no leak, and I am wondering if that is the problem.

So:
- do water pumps suddenly die or can get weaker and weaker?
- any other suggestion as to what may be going on?

Thank you so much! Stefano

 

[Tony2005]

"Do water pump suddenly dies or gets weaker and weaker?"
Can happen both ways. If it cracks and "explodes", then it dies suddenly. If it cracks and spins around the shaft, then it could go weaker and weaker.

" Previously I had been advised to look in the fan switch, but that is not the problem."
How did you determine it was not the fan switch. There should be low speed and high speed relay. Need to check if either is working.

"The temperature drops to normal if I turn on defrost or air conditioner (I know they turn on the radiator fan)."
This would suggest that the relays might not be working. If you can't figure it out and want to do a temporary fix, try moderndino's fan fix.
http://www.contour.org/ubbthreads/s...er=1282830&page=&view=&sb=5&o=&fpart=all&vc=1

" changed tehperature sensor"
Sensor or Sender? One is called the Engine Coolant Temp Sensor (to PCM) and one is called the Temperature gauge sender unit (to gauge)
http://www.contour.org/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=&Board=trouble&Number=1231746&fpart=1&PHPSESSID=

 

[FavoriteMystaque]

To test fans, try procedure I made Fan, scroll down, might need owner's manuial to locate relays. If it overheats with a/c in use (fan running) I would change waterpump and the head gasket. Someone here(Tony?) has a procedure to check the head gasket.

 

[Tony2005]

.... If it overheats with a/c in use (fan running) I would change waterpump and the head gasket. Someone here(Tony?) has a procedure to check the head gasket.

Do the El cheapo headgasket leak test.

1) Fill coolant to the brim on recovery tank (leave cap off).

2) Remove all spark plug wires.

3) Remove all but one spark plug and have someone crank the engine.

4) If the coolant bubbles over, there is a leak from that portion of the engine
(or cylinder). If not, go to the next cylinder, and then the next.... (removing spark plug from previous cylinder and install spark plug for this cylinder....)

5) Note, it could be more than one area or more than one cylinder.

 

[saturnspeed_12]

i will say this, my waterpump works about next to nothing at idle, but driving seems to work fine.

but of course ford garage put in wrong coolant, so i have plenty of stuff ruined. not to mention 3 flushes within a year to clear sediment from doing so, and hopefully its clean now. but yes waterpumps can steadily die. may not notice it till it just blows.