What's the possibility and can I fix it myself and what will I need to fix it?

ANGELBGOODSP

MEMBER
2000 PLYMOUTH VOYAGER
250,000 MILES

When the engine turns over it sputters like there is a hole in the exhaust, and it spews water in time with the sputter, it looks like from the driver side of the engine. It runs, overheats constantly, obviously leaks water. We thought there was a hole in the radiator because it won't hole antifreeze/coolant. We put water in and it runs fine while the water stays, but as it is spewing out naturally it overheats.

I can't afford to take it out to a mechanic to nickel and dime me to death until they eventually say it's dead get a new car, and I can't afford to get a new car right now. Please tell me there is a prayer of me being able to do this myself and what it is.

1 Reply

CARADIODOC

MECHANIC
33,922 POSTS

Mechanics recognize a lot of little things that can turn into big things when they are ignored. Nickel and diming is the result of the vehicle not being seen by a mechanic regularly. When you finally do take it in of course he is going to find the cause of your current complaint along with many of those things you ignored or didn't know about. If he misses a few things he may find them on the next visit. This is when you get to pay for all those things you normally would have spread out over months or years.

The first thing we need to know when discussing an engine-related problem is which engine do you have? Next, you need to identify better where the coolant is leaking from. Too many do-it-yourselfers replace random parts in hopes one will solve the problem. That is the most expensive and least effective way to approach it. A mechanic will do a visual inspection and possibly a pressure test to identify the cause of the leak. Some engines have water pumps that are driven by the timing belt. That's the case with the 3.0L engine which also has a tube that runs to the driver's side of the engine. There's hoses and o-rings that can leak in that area. If the water pump itself is leaking that is usually accompanied by bad bearings in it and a chewed-up timing belt. It's standard practice for insurance to replace the water pump whenever the timing belt is replaced but many car owners want to avoid the small extra expense, then if the pump fails later they have to have the repair done all over again.