My turn - the headache called 'Duratec waterpump'

Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives

Driving home the other night along a county road - doing about 65 when I look down about 10 minutes into my drive to see the temp needle working it's way past the L!!! I knew it instantly - waterpump! Of course, like an idiot, I check to see that AIR CONDITIONING was working rather than the heat! I had about 4 minutes left before home, and only ran the engine for about another 30 seconds (get up to 100, drop it into neutral <MT> and turned it off. When I got home, there had been some spraying from the overflow because the right front wheel-well was wet - no steam though, and hopefully, no major damage.

Yesterday, after a weekend away (the car didn't move!) I fired it up to check for, DUH, heat - and guess what, NEGATIVE! It wouldn't blow hot air after 5 minutes, and then I turned it off for good before it gets fixed. Sounds like a waterpump to me right?

So the questions are...(and yes I have searched!)

- I want to replace it with one that has a metal impeller. BUT, living in Canada, most of the part numbers found on this site aren't valid. Anyone find one over here lately?

- Going to have an experienced mechanic do the work, but he won't have the equipment to do that 'carbon' test, where they put the sniffer around the engine to see if there are any leaks pre-catalytic. Is this a big deal?

- The CEL had been going on and off for about 2 weeks. An O2 sensor is on it's way out - BUT, it came on during the last 2 minutes of the drive home. What could it be?? Worth finding out?

- And lastly, I obviously want the car towed to it's 20 minute destination right?

- Oops, one more quick point - the fluid in the reservoir was TOPPED up pre-overheat, but when I check it yesterday it was at the min line - does that mean THAT much evapt when it got hot, or could I have a leak?

jpb

Does the lack of responses mean that I am dead on in my analysis of the problem???

jpb

I would have it towed. I actually drove it for 20 miles once with the busted impeller but I was pretty desperate at the time.

BAT sells the water pump with the metal impaller

- DON'T drive it...get it towed.
- Are there Napa parts stores where you live? Thats where I got mine (metal one) stateside.
- The amount of coolant level dropped in the reservoir tank is probably the amount the engine spit out.
- You probably didn't do any damage, but check the oil for any coolant contamination. If really suspect, IIRC, a competent shop can put a chemical in the cooling system and sniff for it at the exhaust.

And...welcome to the failed water pump club!

When my waterpump failed I still havent discovered this website... so I probably still have a plastic impeller.

Originally posted by racer1977:

- Going to have an experienced mechanic do the work

Why? This is an easy fix if you can handle a tool at all.
Use this project as a way to get to know your car a little better

When mine failed in my ol' SE, the coolant level varied between practically empty to almost overflowing. At certain points I could hear the engine guzzling the coolant as if desperately trying to cool itself down. It honestly sounded like a frat boy chugging a 2L of keg beer. Then the engine would spit it back out into the resevoir leaving it full again. Definately have it towed. Or do it yourself. I haven't tried it but from what I hear it's not that hard.

Why not fix the WP yourself? It's a no-brainer job that takes less than an hour...

There's a howto, even.

-Lance

You can have it done where it is in about 30 min with some basic tools and extra fluid!

-Andy

Originally posted by Lance Kinley:
Why not fix the WP yourself? It's a no-brainer job that takes less than an hour...

There's a howto, even.

-Lance

Where is the howto? I think I've got the same problem and need to fix it ASAP.

Thanks.

If you could have the CEL scanned I can check the code to see what it is exactly. The water pump can be bought at NAPA, if you have those there and if not, just get it from BAT, along with a new w/p belt

It's fixed, and yes - it was the waterpump. Black plastic, (I assume the original) in two full pieces, fit perfectly together, but destroyed where it joins the shaft. The mechanic (since he's a friend) came over saving me the tow cost, and I only had to pay $50 CDN for the labour. Took about an hour and a half, plus $120 CDN for the Ford updated water pump. Yes I know, you are all going to start screaming about not getting a metal impeller, but I asked about who had it, and the NAPA I called did NOT have the metal version. No one else could tell me for sure, and several other posts talk about the added weight of metal, etc., updated white plastic is ok, etc etc...

ANYWAY, the Ford version is in - I'll let you know how long it lasts! The original went 139000km...

jpb

i had the same problem.. i got the whole water pump from dealer at a discount, $120. about two years ago.... on the V-6 engine i had to take the battery out, battery tray to get the new one in... dont know how i got the old one out without removing the battery and tray, but if i could have paid someone $50 to change it i would have been satisfied..
and i dont think my new one is metal either.....if it ever goes out again then i will go with the metal impeller, but so far this one is working fine......

a lot of the napa morons dont know they have them, they're not in the computer listed with a metal impellar... i just went in the store and asked him to show me every water pump he had for my contour, wala one was metal...

Originally posted by racer1977:
Yes I know, you are all going to start screaming about not getting a metal impeller, but I asked about who had it, and the NAPA I called did NOT have the metal version. No one else could tell me for sure, and several other posts talk about the added weight of metal, etc., updated white plastic is ok, etc etc...

When my waterpump exploded last fall, I had it replaced with a metal pump at a local shop (had it towed there, didn't have the time to do it myself).

They initially ordered the Ford replacement pump, but when they had to take out little pieces of black plastic from everywhere in the engine, the shop owner decided to make the effort to find that elusive metal impeller pump. They called an SVT dealer, and the parts staff there told them to call one of their supplier, and to have them check in every box for the metel impeller. It seems that they have the same part number as the plastic one! The supplier was exclusive to the dealer, so they sold the pump to the dealer, which sold it to the shop. The other auto parts didn't have the metal impeller available - or even listed for that matter.. IIRC the cost of the pump itself was around 160$ CDN.. a little higher than the plastic pump they already had ordered.

Worth it, IMO.. even if it's just for the peace of mind..

You duratec guys have it good and bad.

Good - You can get to your waterpump without ripping half of your car apart.

Bad - You have to replace it a lot more than we zetec guys do.

I replaced mine along with the timing belt. For a professional mech. it takes about 8 hours (according to the mech I talked to). It took me three days of off and on working. I drained the coolant, replaced the gasket. At first the old one wouldn't come out. I put it back in and then decided against it and ripped it back out later. The car got a few internal boo-boos from the waterpump being a bizatch. Anyway. Napa had the new metal waterpump for the zetec for 50 bucks. Timing belt for 15. Not bad. Anyways..

Point is you guys have it bad and good.