Hi, a little help on a 96 zetec contour with auto transmission, please! my son's girlfriend drove in a sizzling hot contour, said it had no power even before it got hot. to me it sounded exactly like it had jumped a cog on the valve timing. I checked the timing and it is fine, I don't see any leaks around the water pump, no check engine light on.no white exhaust smoke, no bubbling back in the reserve tank.She didn't know the history of the car, it was her mother's. I did see a new temp sensor on the thermostat housing.do you think i'm looking at several different problems?water pump and something else? it's been a while since I've pulled a water pump off one of these, but I do remember it was a pain. any advise would be appreciated
. Start the car. Turn on the heat. Is it hot or warm? Hot = thermostat stuck on closed. Warm = broken water pump. Check engine oil level and coolant level.