Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums General Troubleshooting car won't start...is it dead?

Hello. Here's my saga.

Have a 98 Contour SE 2.5L, just over 160,000 mi. on it.

I've had this car for long time and it's been extremely reliable. Unfortunately, I'm afraid it's time has come.

Help me if you can.

Story/Symptoms:

Driving from Cleveland to Chicago about 2 months ago and car starts overheating on highway. Shuts off and have it towed to parents house. Father replaces a belt and something else under hood for like $15. Can't remember what it was exactly, but the piece that the small belt turned on had become stuck. He replaced the piece and it worked fine for about a month.

I rarely drive it since I live in Chicago...usually just let is sit on the street.

Was driving around town about 1 1/2 weeks ago and it started to overheat again. Shut off. Opened hood and nothing seemed awry. Added coolant (light had been on) and some oil (was low). Started up (very rough) and got me home. Temp started to move very fast but it got near overheat point again and then it started to move towards normal.

Wanted to let it sit, but had to drive it again a couple times in past week. Started very very rough each time I drove it(idles rough for about 30 seconds and white smoke comes from exhaust) but after a minute it would run fine.

The temp would usually move up quickly but would stop a little past 50% mark. Also, heat will blow hot air for about 15 sec. and then blows out cold air. Everything mentioned is in city driving.

Sat it on street...let sit for a couple days...came out to start it and let it run...started rough as usual, but it then idled fine for about 5 min. and temp was normal.

Came out to start it yesterday and it wouldn't start. Cranking...but it won't turn over. Tried again today and did the same thing. Cranks and cranks and almost turns over, but it won't.

Any ideas on a simple fix, or should I consider junking it?

a) sounds like you're waterpump is gone...
b) you kept running it to the overheating point... probably destoryed the engine... but I may be wrong.

yes, running it till it shut off was very bad. On the highway, i didn't realize it was overheating until last second...started to get off on exit ramp and it died. Second time, my gf was driving the car and she didn't realize/care that it was overheating.

Maybe I'll finally learn my lesson. I killed my first car (89 Firebird) by letting it overheat.

It won't happen again.

Thank god Chicago has public transportation!

you might of blown the head gasket check your oil and coolant. if your oil is milky it's a blown head gasket. if you see white chunks in your coolan it can be a blown head gasket too. but the again my toyota has a blown head gasket i didnt have milky oil or white chunks in my coolant. have it checked out by your local mechanic. good luck.

Please change the waterpump, after getting it running. They fail because the black plastic impeller breaks. That may have been the "small belt" your father replaced. The engine on my 1998 Mystique had been overheated. I put the pump in and it is still running good, but it did run well when I looked at the car and bought it cheap. You may have flooded the engine with gas and that's why it won't start. Battery may need a recharge. Check oil, if a burnt smell, overheated, if milky, blown gaskets probable. Hope you can save it, most "affordable" used cars don't drive as well as the Contours with the 2.5.