Just got my first Festiva, weird noise under hood

[1990festiva]

Last Thursday I bought myself a 1990 Festiva L 5 Speed for $500 dollars. Shows only about 84k on the odometer. Got this to use as a daily driver, because up to now i have been driving my 1958 Edsel Ranger as my daily driver, and that just has not been working out, as it gets 10 MPG and cant fit in any parking spots downtown. I know it sounds crazy, but I had to have the Edsel, and couldn't afford a second car until now.

Anyway on to the important matters. I have this weird squeak under the hood while the engine is running and i think it is coming from the water pump. I have decided to replace the water pump as i can get a rebuilt one for $25. However I am unsure how to easily get the water pump out. I had someone tell me that i have to disconnect the motor mount and lift the engine up to get at the pump, but there has to be a better way. Anyone have any suggestions on what i should do?:help:

Edit: This Festiva has no options at all, not power steering, not Air conditioning, nothing, so none of that stuff is in the way

[GenevaDirt]

welcome to the site.....please add your location so we can help easier. Plus this should have been in the repair section so I will move it for you. I am sure you will get your answer quickly.

[Damkid]

i don't beleive the motor mount needs to be removed to change the water pump, its been so long since i've worked on a B3 i honestly cant remember

[TominMO]

Welcome to the site. Sooooo....you have an Edsel and now a Festiva. Sounds just wacky enough for you to be a regular guy. Any pets? Maybe a chimp, or an iguana perhaps?

Water pump should be pretty straightforward. Might want to do the timing belt and tensioner too, while you're in there, unless the belt looks really good. That does get a little more involved tho. But even if the belt breaks, no big worries since it's a non-interference motor.

Most common oil leak is the valve cover gasket. Easy and cheap to do. Since you just got it, I'd recommend oil/filter change with seal conditioner/stopleak and fuel system cleaner too, just on general principles. And check plugs, wires, disty cap/rotor. And get a Haynes manual from the McParts store; Advance is pretty good about stocking them.

[1990festiva]

Yeah my friends all think I'm insane, But I KNOW I'm insane, so that's ok. I already replaced Distributor cap and rotor, and the air filter. Going to change the oil once i get a new container to drain the oil in, as i broke my old one in half when i dropped the rear differential from the Edsel on it. (Those things are crazy heavy!) So i should be able to get it out without moving the engine? That is good news to me, as I don't have a garage to do this in.

[Evil D]

Props for driving an Edsel as a DD....that's pretty hardcore :lol:

Also, where the hell do you guys find these 84k mile Festivas for $500??? I threw down $850 for mine with 161k.

Oh and i have a crazy squeaking but i'm pretty sure it's just the belts/pulleys.

[1990festiva]

I found mine on craigslist. $500, no holes or noticable rust, 4 new tires, full tank of gas and a $200 cd player in the dash. They are there if you look, but i had to look for about 2 months checking everyday until I found mine though.

Though honestly, I am the guy who found a 1958 Edsel before the Festiva, so I might just have great luck finding cars.

[Evil D]

Yeah i already have another one lined up for $600....i think i'm gonna have a problem here :lol:

[baltzersen82]

good buy u will never regret it

[ShagFestiva]

My car had a crazy squeek also...but it was the timing cover rubbing on the belt. It went away eventually.

[Mike McKown]

Before you go ripping everything apart, I'd confirm it was the water pump making the noise.

As suggested, it could be the pump/alt belt or a timing cover rub. Bad alternator bearing. If the pump isn't leaking water, I'd hold off until you can confirm what the noise is.

[1990festiva]

How would i go about finding out if it was the timing belt rubbing or the fan belt instead of the water pump?

[1988redfordfestiva]

well u might as well have the alt check and replace that belt while your at it so u know if your alts putting out the right amps i had to change mine and i bought an autozone one with the lifetime guarantee so if it goes bad i get a new one free of charge i also recommend using acdelco spark plugs in your engine one thing i learned never use champion there garbage my engine didn't like them

[scitzz]

Sounds like a good excuse to upgrade your engine, and throw in some turbo!

Just kidding, I did that for Greg

If you have no acc, then the water pump is a piece of cake. A haynes manual (A must have for most, especially if you have to ask questions ) details the job fairly well. I did my timing belt/water pump last night in under an hour of labor time. That did not add the almost 3 hour delay my wife ran into getting the new stuff, another post....

Sounds more like a belt to me, though. You COULD remove the alternator belt, really simple, and crank the engine for a minute, and see if the squeak goes away...

A bad water pump will usually leak from the "weep hole," also, if you feel both upper and lower radiator hoses, after the engine warms up, and both feel hot, the water pump is prolly fine....

Welcome to the site, and ownership of a killer little car!

[Mike McKown]

How would i go about finding out if it was the timing belt rubbing or the fan belt instead of the water pump?

If the timing belt is rubbing the plastic cover, you can sometimes feel it by holding your hand on the belt guard or applying hand pressure in different places on the cover.

Pour a little water or spray some harmless liquid on the belt while the engine is running. If the noise changes, you've likely found the problem.

Can't say this in every case but my experience, a water pump will leak before it makes noise. Alternators can make a lot of racket and still charge okay.