I hope I didn't royally screw up...if I did, I'm really gonna kick myself. Car is a stock 2003 GT with 161K on the clock. Apologies for the length but I feel I need to share the full story to truly figure out what's going on.
I had been smelling coolant in the car for a few days but could never identify a leak anywhere. This past Wednesday, I was on my way to work and got on the throttle a bit hard at one point. As I pulled into the parking lot at work, steam started coming from under the hood right in front of the passenger side. I popped the hood and saw coolant sprayed on the firewall around the intake heater hose (the one going from the intake manifold into the heater core). So that afternoon I went over to the Ford dealer and got a new hose.
I got home that evening and eventually swapped the hose...mostly. I was dumb and didn't know how to work the spring clamp, thinking the hose would expand or something. After changing the hose, I took it for a road test, got on the throttle a bit and of course the hose came off the intake, spewing coolant all over the windshield. *#(!#$! Pulled into the gas station to fill up (3 mile trip one-way) and put the hose back on, then babied the car back home. As I got closer to the house the temperature gauge was climbing and was just below the "H" mark by the time I parked. I got a ride up to a parts store and got a worm-screw type hose clamp and coolant...when I got home, I put the hose on properly with the clamp and filled the car back up with coolant. The next day (Thursday), all seemed good going to and from work...15 mile round trip.
Friday, I drive down to the grocery store, but 8 miles one way. When I came out of the store, I saw a puddle of coolant coming from under the front of the car. I limped it home, parked it, and then popped the hood and saw coolant pouring from where the oil pan meets the front cover.
Have I blown the water pump, or did I crack the block? I know it's hard to truly diagnose but if there's anything else I can look for to figure this out, it'd certainly help. Hoping to avoid a hefty repair bill...or wondering if I'm gonna be car shopping soon. The local shop I go to is backed up for 2 more weeks and I really don't wanna go to the dealership ($$$$).
Thanks.
UPDATE: I was just looking at it and noticed a hairline crack halfway across the plastic hub that the water pump's pulley mounts on.
I had been smelling coolant in the car for a few days but could never identify a leak anywhere. This past Wednesday, I was on my way to work and got on the throttle a bit hard at one point. As I pulled into the parking lot at work, steam started coming from under the hood right in front of the passenger side. I popped the hood and saw coolant sprayed on the firewall around the intake heater hose (the one going from the intake manifold into the heater core). So that afternoon I went over to the Ford dealer and got a new hose.
I got home that evening and eventually swapped the hose...mostly. I was dumb and didn't know how to work the spring clamp, thinking the hose would expand or something. After changing the hose, I took it for a road test, got on the throttle a bit and of course the hose came off the intake, spewing coolant all over the windshield. *#(!#$! Pulled into the gas station to fill up (3 mile trip one-way) and put the hose back on, then babied the car back home. As I got closer to the house the temperature gauge was climbing and was just below the "H" mark by the time I parked. I got a ride up to a parts store and got a worm-screw type hose clamp and coolant...when I got home, I put the hose on properly with the clamp and filled the car back up with coolant. The next day (Thursday), all seemed good going to and from work...15 mile round trip.
Friday, I drive down to the grocery store, but 8 miles one way. When I came out of the store, I saw a puddle of coolant coming from under the front of the car. I limped it home, parked it, and then popped the hood and saw coolant pouring from where the oil pan meets the front cover.
Have I blown the water pump, or did I crack the block? I know it's hard to truly diagnose but if there's anything else I can look for to figure this out, it'd certainly help. Hoping to avoid a hefty repair bill...or wondering if I'm gonna be car shopping soon. The local shop I go to is backed up for 2 more weeks and I really don't wanna go to the dealership ($$$$).
Thanks.
UPDATE: I was just looking at it and noticed a hairline crack halfway across the plastic hub that the water pump's pulley mounts on.
Last edited:
arty:cool.
