Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums General Troubleshooting Water Pump?

My temp gauage fluxuated all morning on my way to work and I stopped on the side of the road when it was pegged. I know the most likely culperate is the water pump and I have read the how to on the home page for the water pump replacement but my question is, that how to was for 6 cylinder cars, is it the same for the 4 cylinder contours? Thanks for any help that may be given!

The water pumps on the four cylinders don't seem to be as troublesome as those on the six cylinders. If your temperature was fluctuating widely, I suspect the problem is not with the water pump. There are a lot of things it could be, including the thermostat and the electronic temperature sender. At one time the gauge on my zetec was fluctuating drastically, and the problem turned out to be the sender. The temperature itself was staying constant, but the gauge was bouncing around like crazy. If you're lucky, that will be the case. It's a cheap and easy fix. Replacing the water pump on the zetec is neither cheap nor easy.

One sure method, still, is to see if you have heat from the vents while the car is hot.
(if it truly is the WP, it will be REALLY hot just idling it for 5 minutes.. don't drive it anymore until you have VERIFIED that it isn't the wp.. )

let the car get warm, turn on the heater.. if it blows cold, its the WP, or the hoses directly in the vicinity. (something before the heater coil.)

Ray