Water pump failure leads to dead engine

[‘14ExSport]

A Ford ESP starts on the 'In Service' date of your Explorer. Buying a 4 year/60k will only extend the factory warranty by 1 year/24k miles. I lease my vehicles for 3-4 years and will get a 4 year ESP on the longer lease to cover the extra year. I think the exception is if you buy the ESP AFTER your factory warranty has expired because then it is considered a 'pre-owned' vehicle and the rate will be higher.

Peter

Hmmm..... I purchased the vehicle used (private party) at 72k miles with premium care ESP up to 75k miles (just had to pay $100 transfer fee). Before it expired, I extended that same premium care plan for an additional 4 yrs/60k. The premium care covers quite a bit from the research I’ve done.

Do you think I’m ok as far as coverage or should I look into something else? I’m still within time to at least change the coverage I believe (not sure though now that there has been a claim with the water pump).

 

[‘14ExSport]

Great idea I’ll definitely do that periodically warranty or not.

I just don’t understand how the failing water pump leaks into the engine and can destroy it so quickly. How is that even possible? And why wouldn’t it have leaked into my engine like others instead of onto the ground like it did? I’m fairly mechanically inclined (not an expert by any means, but I do have a mechanical mind) and it just doesn’t make sense to me. Isnt the only place coolant can enter the engine at the head gasket?


Sorry, lots of questions.

 

[Turdle]

Great idea I’ll definitely do that periodically warranty or not.

I just don’t understand how the failing water pump leaks into the engine and can destroy it so quickly. How is that even possible? And why wouldn’t it have leaked into my engine like others instead of onto the ground like it did? I’m fairly mechanically inclined (not an expert by any means, but I do have a mechanical mind) and it just doesn’t make sense to me. Isnt the only place coolant can enter the engine at the head gasket?


Sorry, lots of questions.

This picture shows the internal timing chain driven water pump and the direct path for coolant to take to get to the oil pan.

http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autobloggreen.com/media/2008/08/zz7a5ad63a.jpg

 

[‘14ExSport]

This picture shows the internal timing chain driven water pump and the direct path for coolant to take to get to the oil pan.

http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autobloggreen.com/media/2008/08/zz7a5ad63a.jpg

Ok I’m starting to understand. So under normal/ideal circumstances the weep hole would function correctly and expel coolant to the exterior of the engine, but it COULD in some cases not leak from the weep hole and instead leak from a seal on the water pump directly into the engine oil. Is that correct?

 

[blwnsmoke]

Ok I’m starting to understand. So under normal/ideal circumstances the weep hole would function correctly and expel coolant to the exterior of the engine, but it COULD in some cases not leak from the weep hole and instead leak from a seal on the water pump directly into the engine oil. Is that correct?

You got it exactly. Seal on both sides, if it fails internally, it goes in. If it fails externally, it goes out the weep hole.

 

[Sixonemale]

Looks like I get to add to the statistics of this threads......more details to come later this week.

2011 Explorer XLT 115k miles. It appears the water pump failed, filled the crank case with coolant, and wiped out the bottom end (& possibly more). I was told there were also multiple cam codes as well.

Prior to my wife's excursion to the orthodontist yesterday, there were no visible leaks, correct coolant level, correct oil level, no apparent moisture in crank case.

Now I need to determine to fix at the dealership, trade as is & buy a replacement car, or buy a replacement car & fix it myself as time permits.

Yes it is a stupid design, but it is still a mechanical item. S-Happens...

I'm struggling as to how Ford would not be responsible for replacing the entire engine. Sure it's a mechanical item, but typically when an external water pump fails the temp gauge goes up as a clear warning and you pull over before the engine is overheated. This results in about a $400 repair vs replacing the entire engine due to an internal water pump failure with no warning for $7,000 or so. No one in their right mind would drive their Explorer if they knew water pump was beginning to leak into the crank case.

What's even more frustrating is that there was no warning of any sort. At a minimum there should be some sort of sensor on the overflow tank so that when it empties quickly you have an opportunity to pull over, or even better a sensor in the crank case if possible.

 

[‘14ExSport]

Being 4/60, I am assumi


You got it exactly. Seal on both sides, if it fails internally, it goes in. If it fails externally, it goes pout the weep hole.

VERY interesting and very informative thank you. I guess the moral of the story is check coolant level and inspect oil often.

 

[peterk9]

Hmmm..... I purchased the vehicle used (private party) at 72k miles with premium care ESP up to 75k miles (just had to pay $100 transfer fee). Before it expired, I extended that same premium care plan for an additional 4 yrs/60k. The premium care covers quite a bit from the research I’ve done.

Do you think I’m ok as far as coverage or should I look into something else? I’m still within time to at least change the coverage I believe (not sure though now that there has been a claim with the water pump).

In that case you should be okay since you added to the original ESP.

 

[blwnsmoke]

Keep what you have.

 

[steelers06steelers]

I have a question here, the water pump is behind the timing cover, so even if it leaks out the weep hole is it not still going into the oil? maybe I am not picturing this correctly but every weep hole ive seen is right on the input shaft, which is behind the timing cover, so how can it weep onto the ground?

 

[aypanthony]

I have a question here, the water pump is behind the timing cover, so even if it leaks out the weep hole is it not still going into the oil? maybe I am not picturing this correctly but every weep hole ive seen is right on the input shaft, which is behind the timing cover, so how can it weep onto the ground?

You can see the location of the weep hole in this video.

 

[aypanthony]

You can see the location of the weep hole in this video.

Another video. at about 1:12 in the video, he runs the engine and you can see coolant coming out the weep hole.

 

[whimsey]

Does this internal water pump failure also inflect 2.3 EB engines or only 3.5 & 3.7 engines?

Whimsey

 

[steelers06steelers]

got it thanks. this seems like a common issue. kind of has me worried... I think I will sample my oil at every change.

 

[peterk9]

got it thanks. this seems like a common issue. kind of has me worried... I think I will sample my oil at every change.

I'd agree it's an issue but not that it's common.

Peter

 

[thefranchise713]

Ehh... I'd call it common. Not an absolute guarantee of failure, but definitely common.

Many are speculating that changing the coolant more frequently may save the entire system, but does anyone have some logic behind that theory? (I honestly would love to learn and know.)

 

[Forddealz]

I'd agree it's an issue but not that it's common.

Peter

Hundreds of thousands of Explorers, Edges and others have been sold with this type of engine design... probably millions in all these years. This has been affected in like 100's or so trucks so there is not recalls or anything of that sort. Kind of a bad apple.

 

[Sixonemale]

Ehh... I'd call it common. Not an absolute guarantee of failure, but definitely common.

Many are speculating that changing the coolant more frequently may save the entire system, but does anyone have some logic behind that theory? (I honestly would love to learn and know.)

I too would call it common, especially if you look at how young this generation of Explorer is, and the fact that probably less than one percent of all 5th generation Explorer owners post in this forum. I know other Ford vehicles have had this engine over the years, but as I've said, the one MKX in my immediate family owned had this problem at around 50,000 miles and the Edge owned by another family member had coolant escaping somewhere, but it was sold before we ever found out where the coolant was going. I have also said in the past that many Explorer owners have owned older generation Explorers and quite a few are used to owning their vehicles into high mileage at a reasonable maintenance cost. So if this really does turn out to be a common problem I believe Explorer owners will be more vocal about this issue because of their previous conditioning with reasonable maintenance expectations. A seized engine without warning due to failed water pump is unacceptable by any standard.

I also can't help but think from the photo below how the 3.5L EB engines will perform in regard to water pump failures. From the design below it would seem that the water pump will receive a lot torque on hard accelerations and what seems to happen on some failures is that the spindle bearings become loose. Time will tell.

 

[Tsuga]

Hi all!
New ford owner as of October ‘17 and new to this forum.

My 2014 Ford Explorer Sport with 75k Miles Is currently at the dealer for a coolant leak. It started slow and then suddenly started dumping coolant pretty quickly. I just heard back that it’s the water pump failing so I’m sure it will be covered by Ford Premium Care after they send pictures to Ford. (I just extended premium care last month for 4 years/60k Miles thank God!)

Anyhow, just wanted to share my experience with the water pump failing and the symptoms I experienced (leaking coolant).

Also, am I understanding it correctly that the water pump is internal on the ‘14 explore sport or did I misread that?

Hi,
How did you know there was a coolant leak? Did it leak out externally and visible on the ground? Thanks. Glad to hear that you got the ESP for another 4 years. I just recently got another 3 our 13 Sport also.

 

[steelers06steelers]

I agree with sixonemale comments above. I am on my third explorer because of the reliability and ease of maintenance from the good old 4.0. I keep my vehicles well past 100,000 miles so this is a concern for me. it seems there is no rhyme or reason to the failures, could fail at 40,000 miles, 70,000 miles, 115,000 miles, whenever, with no external warnings in some cases. so even with the best care and maintenance I could loose my engine with no warning at any time. not good. I may not have purchased this new explorer had I done better research. I hope I don't regret it.....