Whats more likely a water pump or head gasket?

[mustangshane]

Last night driving to the store. About 80 degrees outside. My Mustang starts running really hot. Not quite in the red, but darn near to it. Get it to a lit parking lot and find antifreeze all over the front of the engine. Everything is too hot to touch. So I get it home running the heater to try and pull some of the heat off the block. When I get there all the antifreeze is dried up. But its still running just as hot and I cant pull the cap to see if the coolant is flowing. So what do you guys think it could be. I'll be doing a full check tonight and should know whats going on. There are no leaks in the system and no antifreeze any where else. Or could it be a stuck thermostat?

 

[OnyxCobra]

A stuck thermostat wouldn't case a leak i wouldn't think unless it built up enough pressure to pop something. Usually when a head gasket goes your car makes a lot of white smoke. I'd probably start at the water pump.

 

[mustangshane]

It looked like it blew out of the overflow bottle. So a stuck thermostat could do that.

 

[Ryno8705]

If there is coolant all over the front of the motor I would guess water pump. They are designed to piss coolant when the bearing gets too hot--a sign the pump is shot.

 

[mustangshane]

That is true but it wasn't leaking from the water pump when I got home. Everything was dry after driving it about four miles home.

 

[Javi]

if you need a water pump shoot me a pm.

i have one brand new FORD piece, that i wont be using.

 

[mustangshane]

if you need a water pump shoot me a pm.

i have one brand new FORD piece, that i wont be using.
[/quote

if you need a water pump shoot me a pm.

i have one brand new FORD piece, that i wont be using.

Will do. But I'm leaning toward a Thermostat right now. How much for the pump if I do need it?

 

[Javi]

sent you a pm

 

[CC'S95GT]

wait for it to cool down, refill and look for leaks. Blown head gaskets don't always blow to the tail pipe. ck your oil for coolant, and coolant for oil. Look for the lower radiator hose to colapse when you rev the motor. If the t-stat is sticking the upper rad hose will be cooler that the bottom.

 

[LAFENATU]

Therm is stuck.

 

[mustangshane]

wait for it to cool down, refill and look for leaks. Blown head gaskets don't always blow to the tail pipe. ck your oil for coolant, and coolant for oil. Look for the lower radiator hose to colapse when you rev the motor. If the t-stat is sticking the upper rad hose will be cooler that the bottom.

The overflow still has coolant in it. I beleive the system does as well. I do need to check the oil for coolant. There wasn't any oil in the coolant. The upper hose was hot but that could have been from heat transfer under the hood.


Javi,

Thanks for the PM!

 

[Javi]

No problem man, let me know.

 

[LAFENATU]

I had the exact same situation as you.

Thermostat is stuck dude. ~$8-10 fix.

 

[mustangshane]

I had the exact same situation as you.

Thermostat is stuck dude. ~$8-10 fix.

I believe you! I get that same feeling about this!!

 

[2slo95fiveoh]

If you have the extra cash, you may want to consider replacing the Water Pump while you are replacing the Thermostat..
Heat is a big factor in parts failure, and if your cars W/P is original, i would look into replacing it anyway.

 

[94 Sn-95GT]

You still need to find where the coolant came from. Coolant outside the engine means leak somewhere. Or you blew the cap off the over flow and got everything soaked. in which case your over flow lid would have been off.

 

[mustangshane]

Well guys it was the water pump. I replaced the thermostat and started to top off the radiator. I heard coolant tinkling on the ground. I got out my flashlight (because it was night time) and saw it pouring from the front around the harmonic balancer. I pretty mch knew it was coming from the lower weep hole at that point. Because I was parked on a hill the radiator didn't empty and that was why I still had coolant in it. Crazy stuff!

 

[LAFENATU]

Wow..

Your therm wasn't stuck at all huh?

Mne did the EXACT same thing...my pump was fine..my therm got stuck.

 

[mustangshane]

I know really weird! I would have laid money on the therm being bad. But, this is why I'm not a betting man.

 

[2slo95fiveoh]

Then it looks like my preventative maintence suggestion was actually the cause of the problem! Glad to hear you got it figured out...
Cars can be a real Bit*h sometimes...