My heat problems continue

[Salty25]

After I read on here about some of the issues and fixes for the heat problem I started looking at the probability my problem was the water pump. When I started the car when it was cold and started feeling the hoses as it warmed up I pretty much new it was the pump.

I felt the hoses get warmer as the engine warmed up. But it wasn't across the hose but it was radiating from the engine. The longer the engine ran the hoses were getting warmer away from the engine, not all at once but like it was slowing moving from the block.

Finally, I allowed the engine to cool down, but not get cold. I then removed a hose that I knew teh water should be flowing from when the engine is running. I started the engine with the hose disconnected. After the engine ran for about three minutes with no water coming from the hose I knew it had to be the water pump.

Originally Posted by pkzochow

How much work is it to replace the pump, I would like to take it off just to see if the fins are there.

I'm not sure about your Sable but the water pump on the Taurus was a pain. There are 13 bolts total holding the pump on. But, it is so close to the wheel well that it was tough to get a ratchet on some of the bolts.

As long as I've been working on cars I have never seen a water pump vain wear flat like this.

[medicmandan]

That was a project I'd rather not do again. Took me about 3 hours to get the water pump out and the new one back in. Old one was in pretty bad shape. The ends of most of the propellers were broken off. The rest was really worn down. Makes me wonder where the pieces ended up. Took quite a bit of creativity and interesting contortionism to get to some of those bolts. I also flushed the heater core. It spewed really nasty brown water and some chunks for 5 minutes before flowing clean.

Doesn't look like there are any leaks from the new water pump either. I'll have to watch it over the next week. Tomorrow is supposed to be cold again so I'll find out if the problem is solved. I'm about out of things to replace at this point.

[Salty25]

Originally Posted by medicmandan

That was a project I'd rather not do again. Took me about 3 hours to get the water pump out and the new one back in.

Look at it like this... It's done.

It was a pain to do but not as bad as some I have done before. Of course not as easy as a Chevy 350 on a 71 pickup.

I'm at the point I'm thinking of just taking it to a shop and let them work on that darn comp code. I'm out of hair to pull.