Bad water pump and possible other damage?

[Waffles]

Ok, here's the story. My 96 Cobra was suddenly overheating Friday. After it cooled, I gave it another shot and it just overheated again. I had a friend come out and haul me home. (One thing to note is that, when I was stopped letting the car cool, I checked the oil and added a quart.)


Being a poor man, I start cheap, so I decided to replace the thermostat first. When I pulled it into the garage this morning, I noticed a tapping from under the hood. I checked the oil again and it was another quart low. I became concerned and added another quart.

After replacing the thermostat, I went for a quick test drive which yielded high temperatures within a matter of a few minutes, but the heater blew no heat. The reservior was empty, and my buddy suggested that maybe when he turned the heater on, it sucked all the coolant into the heater core causing the engine to overheat again. So we filled the reservior and let the car idle for a few minutes. Within 2-3 minutes the water pump was bellowing steam. Turns out there's a port on the snout of the pump to do exactly that when the seal fails. Ok, so now on to the water pump.

Except when I went back into the garage, I noticed that on the floor there was about 1/4 cup of oil. I checked the oil and it was another quart low.

There does not seem to be any oil in the coolant, or coolant in the oil. There is some condensation in the exhaust but it doesn't smell like anti-freeze. I can't seem to pinpoint where the oil was dripping from.

So, ideas? Suggestions? Help?

[Goober]

head gasket? Turning on your heat wouldn't force the coolant to your heater core.

[PaulFiveOh]

Check your rear main as well and all around the timing cover and where the distributor drops in.

[92BlackStang]

head gasket? Turning on your heat wouldn't force the coolant to your heater core.
thats what i think it is or bad water pump

[cstreu1026]

Check your rear main as well and all around the timing cover and where the distributor drops in.

No distributor...is a mod motor.

[PaulFiveOh]

No distributor...is a mod motor.

Fail for not reading :D

[PonymanfiveO]

This thread is in the Modular section ding dong.:punch:

[PaulFiveOh]

I never navigate that way....

....What can ya do! I all ready said I was an illiterate mountain billy boy!

[graysonracin]

Sounds like it could be a head gasket, check the passenger side rear of the head. Also you could have an air pocket after replacing the t/stat. I would also check the cooling fan to see if its coming on, although it shouldnt run hot within a couple minutes. Just some things to check, maybe youll be lucky .:bigthumb

[99Slobra]

really really really hard to pop a headgasket on a mod motor n/a.

Sounds like you have a huge airbubble in the block somewhere..

[cstreu1026]

They do make a special tool for filling the cooling system on these things. You can also try elevating the front end so that coolant overflow is higher than the engine that way the air works its way out.

[Waffles]

thats what i think it is or bad water pump

The water pump is definately bad. There is a small port on the top of the snout. Haines manual says if the seal goes, it spews out that port. It does.


Sounds like it could be a head gasket, check the passenger side rear of the head. Also you could have an air pocket after replacing the t/stat. I would also check the cooling fan to see if its coming on, although it shouldnt run hot within a couple minutes. Just some things to check, maybe youll be lucky .:bigthumb

Fan does come on. The heat problem I think will go away with the replacement of the water pump. Or at least I hope so. The oil is my big concern. I couldn't find where the oil was actually leaking from, just that it's losing oil and there was a puddle under the car. Also, the exhaust isn't particularly blue or smokey.

Also, the engine seemed to run strong when I drove it. I didn't push it hard and don't know if that matters, but other than getting hot and the puddle of oil, you'd never know anything was wrong. Oh, I don't know if I mentioned it, but the oil pressure shows good.

[Waffles]

really really really hard to pop a headgasket on a mod motor n/a.

Sounds like you have a huge airbubble in the block somewhere..

That's the first comforting thing I've heard lol. I hope you're right.

[bobtsgt]

after you do the water pump swap jack the car up like Cam said while filling the system. Also turn the heater on full blast to open the valve for the core. I usually squeeze the radiator hoses while filling. Then once full drive it around a little. Come back and top it back off. On about the 3rd time you should be full. Sounds like the fail safe on the pump did its job to let you know there is a problem.

As for the oil leak there are quite a few places to look. Drain plug, oil pan, oil filter and oil filter plate,timing cover, front main seal, rear main seal, valve covers.... If you can put a piece of cardboard under the car and see where the oil is exactly leaking from. Then trace it back to the source and let us know what you find.

[Waffles]

Think the oil is just a coincidence? Or is there a likely relationship to the overheating?

[99Slobra]

coincidence i'd wager...

Get the front of the car up on ramps and then take out the fill plug on the coolant crossover tube and fill the car up from there. Its the highest point and will help air make it out.

It will take a little bit (read hours) to do this properly.

[bobtsgt]

probably not due to the overheat. Just a seal or gasket that was on the edge and the extra heat pushed it over the limit.

[Waffles]

That's very encouraging, I've been terrified the problem is something terrible. So I guess this evening the plan is to go ahead and swap out the water pump, then spray off the engine and look for the oil. Thanks for all the input, but keep it coming if anyone else has any ideas.

[bobtsgt]

good idea. Just take your time and eliminate one thing at a time.

[Waffles]

Well, changed out the water pump. Went pretty easy. Filled and bled the system pretty quickly. No more heating problems.

Also, no new oil. Could heat have caused something to tweak just enough to lose some oil and then resealed when it cooled?

[2-8-1]

Could it possibly have gotten hot enough to force it out of the PCV or something odd like that?

[Waffles]

It definately got hot. I can't answer the other part.

[FMGT1999]

Glad to hear that you got it worked out, I hope that's all it was.

Kyle

[Waffles]

Thanks and yeah, I hope so too. Didn't lose any oil between the shop and home.

[bobtsgt]

Well, changed out the water pump. Went pretty easy. Filled and bled the system pretty quickly. No more heating problems.

Also, no new oil. Could heat have caused something to tweak just enough to lose some oil and then resealed when it cooled?

anything is possible. With the metal expanding and contracting its hard to tell. I'd still watch it for a week. Put your card board under it every time you get done driving it and see if it comes back.

[Waffles]

okay, I think this is bad. today I'm a quart HIGH. Tell me if I have this right, but that means either oil was not draining back to the pan quickly enough or coolant has leaked into the oil.... right? There appears to be no coolant from the oil on the dipstick. I'm having the oil changed now, and they're gonna save the oil so I check it out.

Am I right on this? Just trying to make sense of it.

[bobtsgt]

its a possibility. When you drain you will tell. Coolant will float on oil put. But using the dip stick to determine that won't help. In the past days how much oil have you put in V.S. oil lost due to dip stick readings?

[Waffles]

Well... they drained the oil and while it was dirty, it didn't feel gritty or have any antifreeze in it. I guess I'm just going to drive it easy for a few days and see how she does.

[FMGT1999]

That sounds like that right thing to do for now, wait and see if you have any more issues and go from there.

Kyle

[bobtsgt]

sounds like you may be in the clear. when you check your level next check it hot and cold.