OK, here's what's going on with my '96 2.5L Mystique..
I was driving the car to work, which is about 3 KMs from my home and when I arrived I noticed the temp gauge going into the red. I shut down and checked the coolant and saw the overflow bottle was full so decided to let it cool down. It being winter here, it cooled down fast so I drove the car back home (gauge went to the L just as I got home), I also noticed there was no heat(it's cold outside).and took a look at it after it cooled down again. Belt was broken so I put a new belt in and started the engine. Gauge went to the L within 15 or so minutes of idling and NO heat. Replaced the thermostat. Same thing. So I replaced the waterpump with one from the wreckers. Looking into the inlet part of the pump, I noticed the impeller on my old one was black (didn't see any shattered vanes or cracks but bearing felt loose) and the one from the wreckers was white. Same problem. Took the car to the mechanics and he flushed the system, changed the thermostat and temp sensor and charged me $280 after he said he couldn't figure it out. I asked if the waterpump was working and he said yes. Said it might be a head gasket leak but he couldn't say for sure. There's no white exhaust (other than normal condensation. It's COLD out), hand under exhaust pipe gets a bit damp but doesn't smell of antifreeze, no sludge in the oil cap. Took it to another mechanic and he said the same thing. He said pump was fine as he felt the upper radiator hose get hot after the thermostat opened. Once I got home and let it cool down, took out the thermostat and put the housing back together and then I pulled off the heater hose that comes from the bottom of the pump and started the engine. No flow or VERY little trickle coming out at the other end. I blew into the hose going into the waterpump and a stream of antifreeze shot out the other heater hose. I'm thinking the mechanics are idiots. Neither did a compression or leak down test.
So I have no interior heat, car overheats within 3 KMs, no steady stream coming from heater core hose when running. If I idle, gauge hovers around the A L part. If I drive it it will go higher. Before the belt broke, it never went past halfway on te temp gauge.
Is it the water pump for sure? Blown head gasket? Any other way to tell if it's actually the water pump?
Thanks in advance. :-)
