Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums General Troubleshooting leaking coolant

as stated in the title my car is leaking coolant. My car is a 1996 Mercury Mistique 2.5L duratech with a MTX. the leak appears to be comming from toward the front end of the car slightly off center towards the left hand side (drivers side). The heater blows hot air still and the engine does not appear to be overheating, in part due to my diligence in keeping the cooling system full. I know that it is not condensation from my ac because my ac does not work at the present time and it of course has the lovely colour that is distinctive of automotive coolant. I obtained possession of the car at 132000 kms and so would assume that if the impeller on the water pump was going to go it would have done so already, but I do not kno or sure, I am just having a little trouble adding things up here and I would appreciate a little help.

thanks

Jeremy

Check the hose that is coming off the radiator, and runs towards the firewall, just to the driver's side of the throttle body. check the clamps and make sure it isn't leaking around there, or at the thermostat area.

Your waterpump may be leaking through the weep hole, as well. With that many miles, and being a 96, AND not knowing if it is still stock, I would replace the waterpump BEFORE anything happens, and also assume that it stops this problem as well.

Replace with only a white plastic or metal impellar, avoice the black plastic ones that shatter.


60-70 bucks and 25 minutes of your time.

Ray

I wish that I was writing for nigerian scam emails, those guys make huge dollers. Sorry I sometime write in that manner when I am getting frustrated and I want to supply as much information as I can to those that I am appealing to for help. As for how much coolant is comming out it is only in drips and then it only appears to be comming out after I have been driving for a while and then park. Then when I go and do something and come back there is a pleasent (and by pleasent I mean not so pleasent) puddle of coolent on the ground beneith my car. If I leave it for extended periods of time there is still the puddle but no more dripps. I am not sure if that is a pertinant piece of information but I included it none the less.

I think that I am just going to replace the water pump as recomended, and if the problem persists I will be back to harass all of you walking contique databases for more information

thanks again

Jeremy

Damn Jeremy, I must say, you have amazing grammer. .


Anyways, the water pump should be replaced first. Usually that iswhere a "dripping" leak will come from. Usually if a hose is loose, cracked, split, missing, etc... the "drip" will be more like a "squirt" (coolant in the hose is under pressure) as I have found out over the years. Can you isolate the area any further, perhaps, the radiator, block, or coolant resevoir??

VICTORY!!!!

well I replaced my water pump, it does appear that it was the culprit, behind the leak, that being said it was one of the ones with the white plastic impeller, so it must just be one of those things. Thank you all for the advice and I am sure that next time I have a problem I will be sure to write another redundant question, and until then I will keep my fool mouth shut seeing as I really have no constructive advice to give other people. Once again thank you all

Jeremy

No constructive use?? You can write me a letter for my boss asking for a raise!!

Glad the WP is fixed and you are on the road again. Glad we could assist you, Jeremy!

Oh, yeah, welcome to CEG!

Lots of waterpump probs lately, summer season ?

glad i got mine taken care of before it got too hot.