Cooling system leak


  #1  
Old 11-10-07, 04:10 PM
E
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2001
Posts: 509
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes on 0 Posts
Cooling system leak

89 Ford Festiva, carbed, 5 speed, 114k
I went down to check my fluids this afternoon and found my cooling system low. I added a 50/50 mix and discovered a leak as I was pouring the mix in, It was leaking almost as fast as I was pouring it in, about a quart a minute. The leak wound up on the back of the oil pan about a few inches behind a drain plug. I looked in my workshop manual for this car but couldn't find much in the way of exploded views. The leak is under the water pump but I;ve never seen a water pump leak like that and by the time I could get it on a ramp it became dark. Anyone have a suggestion or know where I can get an exploded drawing of my system. I can't find anything on the net.
Thanks
 
  #2  
Old 11-10-07, 04:53 PM
S
Group Moderator
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: WI/MN
Posts: 19,125
Received 1,263 Upvotes on 1,204 Posts
I've seen a water pump leak like that.
 
  #3  
Old 11-10-07, 09:23 PM
M
Member
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Jersey
Posts: 491
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes on 0 Posts
I use to have an '88 Festiva with a 1.3L 5spd.
Replace the water pump and timing belt and let the belt tensioner set the belt tension by itself or the belt will sing if it's too tight.
The timing belt drives the water pump.
The water pump is behind a plastic cover.
If that pump seizes up it will trash your timing belt and trash your engine!
Check your oil for traces of antifreeze(milky look)......that's a bad head gasket.
But it sounds like a bad water pump.

Just a little advice.........my Festiva got close to 50 MPG highway but it was too light for the road and is a death trap!
If you can..........get rid of it.
I couldn't trust it in the rain.
It allways hydro-plained out of my lane even with good tires at 40 mph or higher.
That car scared the heck out of me.
Then one day on my way to work I planted it in the rear end of an Audi...........that was the end of my Festiva.
 
  #4  
Old 11-11-07, 06:56 AM
E
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2001
Posts: 509
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes on 0 Posts
Thanks for the replies. I know that the Festiva isn't the safest car but the car works for me in the city where it runs about $600 a month for a garage space and with this car I can do street parking.
 
  #5  
Old 11-11-07, 05:31 PM
M
Member
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Jersey
Posts: 491
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes on 0 Posts
Oh, in that case it's a perfect city car!
I was using mine over the highways.

It's not a hard job to do but it can be a knuckle buster.

Pull off the right front wheel and remove the splash sheild to get to the cover and water pump.

I think I also had to remove the engine mount.
You'll have to remove the crank pulley. It uses torx head screws. I jammed a socket over the screws instead of buying the torx socket.
 
 

Thread Tools
Search this Thread
 
Ask a Question
Question Title:
Description: