Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums General Troubleshooting Having major problems..

Ok..I have a 95 Contour GL Automatic 4 Cyl Car. Its been leaking antefreeze for over a month now and was coming from the waterpump..which many of you probably know..is tied in to the timing belt. I was to get them both replaced ysterday. BUT, on Christmas Eve I was on the interstate going 70 MPH when all of a sudden my car started sort of skipping..it went down to about 40 and I pushed on the gas and it wouldnt go any faster..just stayed there. I pulled over and turned the car off..and then it wouldnt turn back on. It was not overheated or anything. I eventually lost most power in my car b/c my lights were going dim and my CD Player was not turning on. I towed it to a mechanic and he told me the water pump most of just broke when snapped the timing belt which did something to the driveshafts and bent the valves. Eiter 8 or all 16 of them. He said with that and a timing belt and a water pump would cost almost $2200. Does all that sound reasonable and did he give me a reasonable explantion? Do yall think thats what really happened to my car? Any help would be much appreciated. THANKS!

how many miles are on the car? Cause it sounds like the timing belt went out, and the mechanic wants to replace the water pump at the same time because its causing the timing belt to fail early.

Well..its actually vice versa. I was going to change the timing belt to go ahead and do it while I was going to change the water pump b/c it was leaking and they are both tied in together. There is over 120K miles on it. From what I've been told by the mechanic..the waterpump breaking cuased the timing belt to go out..but I dotn know.

I keep getting grey on this but I thought the water pump was behind the timing belt but not driven by it. Likely a coincadence since both are pront to go by 120k.

I doubt that the valves are damaged since that is extremely rare.

From what I remember, the water pump is driven by the timing belt on the 95 thru 97 Zetec, and not on the 98 and newer Zetec.

It is highly unlikely that the valves have been damaged as this is a non interference engine. The valves are not supposed to clash with the pistons if the timing belt breaks.

I'm not sure how the engine would keep running but with poor power if the timing belt broke. That kind of loss of power with the electrical system failing sounds more like an alternator or battery problem that led to your stalling.

Until you mentioned the electrical problems, I thougth it sounded like a plugged exhaust which has been sort of common on those with high miles. The cat in the exhaust manifold comes apart and plugs up.

I recommed you get a second opinion from another shop. Valve damage from a broken timing belt would be extremely unusual on that engine.

unless your engin has become warped there is no chance that the valves would hit the piston apon a timing belt brake. the place u took your car to are trying to rip u off.

If your water pump jammed up and immediately broke your timing belt, wouldn't the car stall right away? More likely, it caused it to jump a couple of rungs, and screwed your timing up something awful. Was there any noise involved? If the pistons crashed into your valves, or any other trauma sufficient to bend them had occurred, you'd have definitely heard it.

When you mention that you started to lose electrical power, was that from trying to start the car up again, or did stuff start to dim before it stalled?

ALWAYS get a second opinion when it comes to major engine distress.

I really didnt hear anything when it happened. The car just started skipping from 70 to about 40 and wouldnt go over that after flooring it. I started losing power when I wanted to start the car back up again. I realyl dotn know what to do because the car dotn start and Ill have to tow it everywhere.

You really need a second opinion. It will be well worth the cost of the tow if the guy is wrong. I think he probably is.

You guys were right..I told him and he said "your right, I looked at the wrong car in the book". All I need now is my timing belt and water pump changed and the car should start..I hope. Thanks guys!