Water pouring out behind the water pump?

[papahepcat]

Oh my '91 Explorer, coolant started pouring out from behind the water pump. I was thinking the water pump has failed, but it seems like a lot of water for coming out of a weep hole. Is it just a gasket? I already ordered another pump and bought a gasket.

What else is right there? Whenever I try to put more water in it, it literally just pours out of there. Not a trickle or drip. It's like something is just open there. Should I be worried about something else? WHen I put the cap back on, it seems to slow down a bit. But man, it really comes out of there.

We had a decent freeze a couple of weeks ago, and this cropped up about a week after that. Could it be related? Is there a freeze plug right there?

 

[dogfriend]

It is probably coming out the weep hole. A lot of coolant can come out when the pump seal goes.

 

[corkey]

if it got cold enough and there was just water in it, it could have broken something, when water freezes it expands,
so much it can split a block,,

 

[ragajungle]

The only way to know for sure is to roll up sleeves, pull the water pump and take a look. You can also check the oil to make sure it hasn't mixed..

 

[papahepcat]

Another guy looked at it today (happened to be a mechanic at the local Ford dealer) and said it was a freeze plug. I didn't realize there was one next to the water pump,

 

[huntman58]

Freeze plug in the head on the front side above the water pump. Not easy to get to or see with all the extras still bolted to the front of the motor. Use a flash light and inspection mirror you might see it that way with out tearing things down first to make sure that’s what and were its leaking from. It would be behind and above the water pump but above and behind the AC compressor and power steering pump also so not easy to see let alone get to.