Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums General Troubleshooting Contour Overheated today; heating system works fine

1995 Contour LX/V6/auto
159K KM
EEC-IV Codes: 117, 172

- hot day (30-35�°C, very humid)
- first occurence of overheating
- after 30 min drive, coolant was boiling/steaming
- most of the coolant evaporated
- intermittent CEL, new code 117
- heating system works, air is very hot
- oil level @ max line, change is due
- existing issue: temperature guage doesn't work, stays all the way to the left
- existing issue: intermittent CEL, existing code 172
- existing issue (escalating): catalytic converter is vibrating when lightly engaging throttle
- existing issue: squeeking sound originating from back seat area of car that lasts for 5-10 seconds after ignition (intermittently)
- unsure if waterpump has been replaced

As I arrived home today after about a 30 minute drive (20m @ 120KM/hr freeway, 10m city), I noticed the smell of hot plastic and the fan was very loud.

I made it home before breaking down and found that the coolant in the reservoir was boiling. It had been above the min level as early as a few days ago, but when it finished boiling, there was almost none left. While it cooled down, I checked the CEL; new code 117 was found in addition to 172 which I've had for months.

I filled the reservoir with a universal Prestone coolant and took it for short test drive. Nothing out of the ordinary occurred, but I did notice that the fan was very loud, but that may have been because it's a hot day. No CEL's.

I have researched the issue here, but most other overheating issues involve a dysfunctional heating system or multiple EEC-IV codes that I'm not getting.

I am open to advice on how to proceed, and especially open to ideas on how I can tell if further damage has been caused.

Thanks.

That sounds just like a water pump failure to me. Your heater can still function and coolant will still flow, but only because of "siphon" power which is...lacking. The water pump impeller is plastic, but I have never heard of smelling the plastic burning...

Well, I let it cool for a couple of hours, cleared the EEC-IV codes and went for a longer drive. The 172 code returned, 117 did not. I didn't push the car hard, maybe 100 KM/hr for a few minutes. Total driving time was perhaps 20 minutes or less.

When I turned off the engine and took a peek, the coolant reservoir wasn't boiling this time, however I could hear a "gurgling" sound as if a fluid was boiling, coming the engine, maybe close to the air filter. I couldn't pinpoint it.

I'd like to be able to drive to work tomorrow as there's a garage that I like to go to close by, but it seems as if that would be a bad idea. Taking the bus to work tomorrow and picking up a water pump on the way home sounds like a better idea.

Try to get a metal impeller pump, I used a Delco. The original pump is black plastic, you may find the impeller is loose on the shaft and cracked into 2-3 pieces. The "white plastic" impellers may be ok as well. Good luck with your repair. You might want to replace the temperature gauge sensor, which is right behind the waterpump housing. Maybe the wire is just pulled off if you are lucky. Then you can monitor the engine temperature. (On my Mystique the sensor had shorted, which pegs the needle to the hot side.)

I did not just read 30 minutes of driving on an overheated engine.

Likely a shattered impellar as everyone said already. I hate talking the wrong anticipation.. but your engine most likely took some damage. Er.. I want to say more than likely.. but that's not my area of expertise.

Hope all goes well!

When the water pump fails, the heater will NOT blow hot.

Check for a stuck shut thermostat.

The heater feels as if it's blowing hotter than normal, actually. Of course, it was also very hot outside.

Could it be that the water pump is damaged but marginally effective, so that the fluid is still moving, but not fast enough to effectively dissipate heat? But then, the heat did come on immediately.

I also wondered if it could be the rad that's not working correctly.

What scares me about all of this is that I don't know how long this has been an issue -- if it was a little cooler outside, I may not have noticed anything. Have I been damaging my engine over the last few weeks? If my engine is running hot, that must also impact the transaxle, no?

But then, I had thought recently that my tour's performance was stronger than normal....

Added:

If the issue is a stuck shut thermostat, would the coolant hoses be extremely hot to the touch? Would the fan be on frequently?

Something is restriced but it is still pumping. Start with checking the thermostat.

I took another a look this morning and found that the heating system functioned for around two minutes and went cool this time. I didn't feel pressure in any of the hoses entering/exiting the reservoir and there was no signs of the fluid moving. I also realized that the hoses may only be hot because of the engine.

I took the bus to work this morning and will pick up a new water pump and temperature sensor on my way home.

Thanks to all for the advice/insight.