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.
