Thursday, June 2, 2011

How expensive is it to fix a water pump on a 1997 for Contour?

I bought the car for $500 and am looking to spend the least amount of cash to keep it running. Recently, the temperature gage has been spiking and falling, and the last time I had my oil changed, the mechanic said that the water pump was leaking/failing. As of right now, after approx 15min of driving the car, I open the hood only to find that nearly all of the coolant has cooked itself down to some orange sludge.



So, I ask of you two things: Is this a problem with the water pump or something else? Second, how expensive would this repair be? If it's expensive, would it be more economically feasible to save the cash I would spend on fixing it and spend it on a new(er) car?How expensive is it to fix a water pump on a 1997 for Contour?
water pump don,t make sludge. sounds more like a head gasket.