First some background - this is a 3.8 engine, 1995 Windstar with a heavily diluted antifreeze (mostly water) in North Texas. This Windstar
3.8 engine already had the head gaskets replaced 45K miles ago.One recent morning, with the temperature (an unusually cold for Texas)
26 degrees, I started the Windstar to warm it up before I took off to work. Immediately the car started as usual but I could hear a loud screeching like belts rubbing which within seconds was accompanied by a ton of white smoke coming from the engine compartment. I popped the hood to check but the smoke was too great to see anything - the screeching/whining continued. Within a minute I heard a snap and the engine seemed to relax as the white smoke started to dissipate. I shut off the engine anticipating that I had just snapped the serpentine belt. Sure enough the belt had shredded and melted the idler pulley. Later during the day, with the temperature in the 40s, a closer inspection revealed a small amount of the belt material on the water pump pulley with signs of friction on the pulley as well - at this time, the water pump pulley turned freely. It doesn't take a seasoned mechanic to hypothesize that the water pump has siezed probably due to ice overnight which caused the whole belt shredding fiasco. All other pulleys turned relatively freely.I went to the parts place, got a new belt and idler pulley and installed. The starter turns but now the engine will not turnover. I inspected under the engine for and signs of antifreeze/water leakage as well as out of the tailpipe as I continued to try to turn the engine over - no signs of antifreeze or water leakage. The Windstar serpentine belt drives the alternator, power steering pump, A/C and water pump so I do not see any connection to the timing belt which could cause a no turnover. Any ideas?
PC