Burning Coolant -_-

[Fordlover96]

Hey, long time no see. I haven't really had to come on here that often due to the fact that my car had been doing fine up until this point. 2 weeks ago my heater hose blew. Fixed that. Last week one of the little coolant hoses that runs to the throttle body blew. Fixed that. Now, I have a bigger problem. The car is still loosing coolant and after looking around, and smelling around, I discovered that coolant is dripping from the front of the engine onto one of the catalytic converters. More specificly, right here;



This means my waterpump has gone bad, doesn't it........I really hope it isn't the waterpump but I have a very strong feeling it is. I think I might really have to start considering getting a new car. I can't not have a car for days, I have school and work. But I don't know.

On a side note, I also noticed this really odd "scratching" noise this morning. I think it is another sign that the waterpump has shit the bed. The video doesn't do it justice but here it is.


Thanks so much you guys.

 

[TimboSHO]

With the engine off, wiggle the water pump pulley. If it's loose, it's bad. Also, you might be able to look up from the bottom and see antifreeze on the bottom of the water pump if that's where it's coming from. Usually it will come out of the small 'weep hole' on the bottom. It could also be leaking from the transfer tube o-rings, but I've never seen them leak unless they were worked on. I bought a car with a bad freeze plug up front as well. No fun. If might be worth taking it to a trusted mechanic just to see if they can pinpoint where the leak is. If you can find someone familiar with the SHO, it's only a few hour job (unless you do the whole front 60K). I remember doing my first at my mom's condo parking lot in about 4 hours with minimal hand tools.

 

[rubydist]

If it wiggles like Timbo suggests, then the bearing is bad. However, it can have a bad seal and leak while the bearing is still good. And, as he suggests, it could be leaking from the o-ring in the crossover tube or the o-ring behind the pump as well.

In any case, replacement of the waterpump seems in order.

 

[Fordlover96]

Other than the hideous smell, do you guys think there is anyway I could drive it a couple more days until I have a free day from school and work?

 

[jayro]

Other than the hideous smell, do you guys think there is anyway I could drive it a couple more days until I have a free day from school and work?

Maybe or maybe not. If the pump completely fails you could end up overheated somewhere.

Also, It is a pretty common issue when the water pump starts leaking it will drip on your CPS which will cause the sensor to overheat and fail.....also leaving you stranded.

How lucky do you feel?

 

[Fordlover96]

I guess I'm gonna just have to borrow the family car until I get this fixed. And since I'm gonna be in there I might as well do the front 60k....*sighs*. Luck? That's something I ran out of a long time ago.

 

[pjtoledo]

loosen the belt a bit. that will pull less on the pump shaft and allow the worn seal to work better.
won't stop the leak completely, but it can slow it down.

Perry

 

[Fordlover96]

I can't loosen the belt anymore than it is. The ATX has an automatic serpentine belt tensioner. Good idea though! haha

 

[itwonder]

Personally, I would not do a full 60K unless it is way overdue or you spot an oil leak around one of the cam or crank seals. It's a lot less time to just change the WP than it is to do a full 60K. Brand new Aisin (Made in Japan) water pumps are still available through Autozone; sold under the Duralast brand. It comes with a new housing and pulley too; pn CWP-743. You need a Felpro ES70425 water pump gasket kit to go with it. After I had a infant mortality failure on a Cardone rebuilt water pump, I prefer to eat the cost difference for the assurance of brand new one.

 

[Fordlover96]

My SHO has never had the 60k so it is over due. And it does leak oil from somewhere onto the catalytic converters so I might as well be time for the 60k. I did finally have a stroke of good luck though, I had bought a brand new Cardone water pump and the related gakset/orings thinking that I was going to be the 60k sometime in the near future. Now I just have to find time to do it.

 

[sperold]

I bought at 95 with so much "stop-leak" in it that it sealed a massive water pump leak. As time went by (and dilutions or pure water whenever anything needed done) the waterpump leaked and after about a month would leave a puddle on the ground if stopped for 2 minutes.

The crank position sensor never missed a beat despite being soaked on a daily basis.

And the pump held together during that time as well.

I would drive it and check the coolant level every night (after a cool-down period) at the radiator (not the overflow tank).

 

[rubydist]

I tend to agree with sperold on this one - I think that a leaking waterpump may hasten the demise of a soon-to-be-failing crank sensor, but the crank sensor is likely hotter by being in contact with the front of the block than it is from the coolant leaking on it, so I don't think it has a whole lot of effect (unlike the general consensus on the forum).

 

[pjtoledo]

I can't loosen the belt anymore than it is. The ATX has an automatic serpentine belt tensioner. Good idea though! haha

my bad, I'm strictly an MTX guy.