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Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 2
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OP
Junior Member
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 2 |
Yesterday, my car lost its AC and heat, then started to redline (overheat). I took it to the shop this morning and they said they need to replace the water pump and thermostat to the tune of $574! Seems a little steep to me...is this reasonable? also, is this a typical problem....among the tons I've had with my ford contour SE V6, manual transmission, with 80k on it?! 
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Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 818
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Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 818 |
Welcome to CEG. Yes, the water pump is a problem with the Duratec because of its plastic impeller, which eventually comes apart. The more anal members change pumps every 30K miles. The pump sold by Autozone has a metal impeller and is said to be more durable. Finally, the price quoted seems pretty high; if you're handy with tools you can change the pump yourself--it's one of the few accessible things under the hood. Good luck.
2000 Contour SE Sport T-Red MTX, Mystique rear dome light, Blau Florida cd.
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Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 1,537
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Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 1,537 |
Actually,
$574 for the pump and Thermostat is not high at all.
I did mine about a month ago.
It took me 6 hours to do it.
Cost of parts is about...
$69.99 + shipping for Pump
$10.00 + shipping for Pump Belt
$10.00 for Thermostat
$12.00 for 2 gal of Prestone
======
$101.00 + shipping costs.
6 hour labor @ $65 hour = $390.
This adds up to an easy $500.
There are some people here that have had it done at DEALERS at a cost of $800+ !!!
Pete...
Pete... 98.5 SE Sport Duratec ATX (P66L) Black Clearcoat on Greystone DOB 11/21/1997 DOP 12/25/1997 PIAA 510 Super White Driving Lights SVT CAT-BACK EXHAUST (No Resonator) DiabloSport Chip (LPQ4) - Engineered To Raise Hell Too many other mods to list... Sounds sweet, runs quick... Crazy Horse Dyno @ 121.4 WHP/129.6 TQ
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Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 2
Junior Member
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OP
Junior Member
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 2 |
Thanks for replying so quickly! Is $65 a standard hourly wage for labor? I'm in maryland.
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Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 5,805
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In 9 out of 10 cases the plastic impeller fails because the s/steel 'cone plate' in the rear part of the w/pump housing comes loose and the impeller hits against it and breaks up.I'd suggest you check this as just changing the pump alone(as some of the aftermarket pumps do not have the inner housing)will only cure the broken impeller not the cone issue.
V6 MTX
'Don't p**s up my back then tell me it's raining!!!"
'Its only nuts & bolts!'
'If I build it,fix it,upgrade it or modify it...MAYBE they will come....!
Haines Motor Sports Inc,
Dealer for 'Quaife America' & 'Autotech Sport Tuning'
SOLE USA Dealer for the American Axle 'AUSSIE BAR'...
Get a Turbo for you Zetec from HMS Inc...by 'The Demon' ...www.DemonDynamics.co.uk
..don't talk about it DO IT !!!
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Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 291
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you can do the water pump yourself. you can actually see it and touch it with out having to remove the engine!!! buy the life time pump with the metal impeller and save your box and reciept. you will need it. if you ran it hot, you may soon need to replace your oil pan gasket as this part is gets soft with to much heat and starts to leak.
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Joined: May 2000
Posts: 4,042
Moderator
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Joined: May 2000
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Shouldn't take you longer than 2.5 hrs to change the pump, thermostat, and flush the system.
As Terry said, make sure the cone or the metal guide plate that's inside the housing isn't loose. If it is, you've got a bigger problem on your hand.
John
'98 SVT - modded
-15.01@91.8
'95 Suzuki GS500E
-faster than the above
---wanting a Speed Triple or Superhawk badly
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Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 275
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Posts: 275 |
JVT, you took the words right out of my mouth!
No way it should take 6 hours! The waterpump on the V6 is easier to change than the sparkplugs!
95GL25
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Joined: May 2000
Posts: 4,528
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GOt to agree the WP was super easy for me. Took like 2 hours because it took so long to flush the coolant. I'm no mechanic but it was easier than the damn plugs. Thermostat is 2 bolts reach in the line and replace. I could have done it faster but I like to take my time. $70 for pump, $7 for coolant and $8 for thermostat.
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