Expect your Lincoln water pump to fail sometime before 100,000 miles on your car. Water pumps fail for a variety of reasons, but the most common reasons come from bad bearings or a deteriorated head gasket. The first signs of water pump problems are usually noticed when the coolant begins to leak, often from the water pump gasket. When you drive, you might smell the faint odor of coolant, or see spots under your Lincoln when you have parked it for a while. Although the leak is small, the problem can multiply when the coolant gets on the timing belt. Your engine might be destroyed if your timing belt breaks while an engine is running. To find the leak, ask your mechanic to do a pressure check on the cooling system. To check for bad bearings, take a hold of the ends of the pulley and see how loose the belt is. When you rock the belt around, and notice any 'give', then it is a sign that the bearings have deteriorated. The bearings in your Lincoln water pump are vital for keeping the water pump's shaft rotating freely in place. You can also hear the sound of a bad bearing; it's a growling, grinding noise that comes from the pulley of the water pump. If you spot signs of trouble with your Lincoln water pump, take action to fix your coolant system immediately, or risk a major overheating episode that will wreak damage on your engine.