the car has a 3.5 liter engine with 160,000 miles.the starter turns but doest engage the engine.also i noticed coolant dripping underneath the crankshaft damper.ive seen on some other posts that maybe the water pump goes and takes out the timing belt among other things.i just want to get some more ideas before i tear the front of the engine apart.also if i do,is it a pain in the butt?i read in the manaul that you have to jack up one side of the motor to get at a camshaft bolt. thanks for any ideas.

 

Had same problem on 95 Concorde. Water pump started leaking. After about a year, coolant had caused timing belt to disintigrate. You do not have to remove camshaft to change timing belt, but you do have to remove radiator and then take off crankshaft damper pulley.

 

you don't have to remove the crank pulley to change the timing belt! Be sure to change the tensioner too when you replace the water pump and belt!