Water Pump Noise Question

[starfire]

My water pump is making a noise like a phone ringing. Does this mean it is not long for this world?

Here's a link to YouTube video of the noise:

http://youtu.be/K9md2R_tuOw

Thanks,

[robert123]

My water pump is making a noise like a phone ringing. Does this mean it is not long for this world?

Here's a link to YouTube video of the noise:

http://youtu.be/K9md2R_tuOw

Thanks,

'
Had a sbc water pump go out on me a few years ago... don't remember noise, but was leaking coolant out of the bearing in front -- usual symptom.

If you hear metal on metal it maybe the water pump bearing 'splaining to you that "it is not long for this world".
Or it could be the alternator bearing... smog pump... harmonic balancer(?) ...
miniature ferret with weird sense of humor..., etc.

A neat trick is to get a 3' piece of ~ 1/2 to 1" hose, or heater hose and put one end on your ear... and the other end goes
searching tor the noise.... slowly hovering over potential areas. Then you'll have a 'Eureka' moment.

Watch out for hose getting caught in belts etc. and you lose a hand

Some mechanics can probably give you other tips.

Let us know what you find.

[starfire]

My water pump is making a noise like a phone ringing. Does this mean it is not long for this world?

Here's a link to YouTube video of the noise:

http://youtu.be/K9md2R_tuOw

Thanks,

'
Had a sbc water pump go out on me a few years ago... don't remember noise, but was leaking coolant out of the bearing in front -- usual symptom.

If you hear metal on metal it maybe the water pump bearing 'splaining to you that "it is not long for this world".
Or it could be the alternator bearing... smog pump... harmonic balancer(?) ...
miniature ferret with weird sense of humor..., etc.

A neat trick is to get a 3' piece of ~ 1/2 to 1" hose, or heater hose and put one end on your ear... and the other end goes
searching tor the noise.... slowly hovering over potential areas. Then you'll have a 'Eureka' moment.

Watch out for hose getting caught in belts etc. and you lose a hand

Some mechanics can probably give you other tips.

Let us know what you find.

Well I actually used a mechanics stethascope to determine the noise is definitely coming from the water pump. That's why I didn't ask about the alternator or the power steering pump (no smog pump on this car).

[cammerjeff]

Alan,

If it is not the water pump I would be suprized, but the other remote possibility could be the Fan Clutch? If your car has one. I cant remember if your car has A/C or not. The non A/C Firenza I had just had a flex fan.

[starfire]

Jeff, my car is not an A/C car. I put the stethascope (wish I could figure out how to spell that damned word) everywhere on the engine that wasn't spinning and the sound only came through when it was on the water pump.

[monzabug350]

I would say water pump in the early stage of "see ya" you also might see what shape the belt and pulley look like, is the belt glazed or worn/frayed? how does the pulley grove look? any rust or glaze? is the belt tight? just a few "cheep" things to check.

[starfire]

Thanks Monzabug. Brand new belt. Nice and tight, but not too tight. Pulley looks good.

[gerbsinmd]

Sounds like water pump or timing chain. When I first got my Starfire (years ago) it had a strange noise, turns out the water pump impeller was making contact with the timing cover, and the timing chain was worn to the point it was also making contact with the timing cover. This was an odd-fire motor tho

[beakerztoyz]

I'm not the greatest with noises but I have heard water pumps make funny noises as the bearings in them start to go. Honestly if you have any inkling that the water pump is making a funny sound just change it, they are pretty cheap and its better to just do it and be safe than have it go on you cuz it would be real easy to smoke a motor when one goes as they seem to piss all the antifreeze out of the car in about 30 seconds flat.

[PeerStalkHawk]

I also have seen the same with the impeller wearing into the front timing cover on an 1980 even-fire 3.8 v6 engine some years ago. I just can't remember if it made a related noise as it was noticed when taking the engine apart to rebuild it and not due to that issue itself, so there probably wasn't a very obvious sign at that point. Jeff, I do hope you get it figured out as sometimes certain noises can be puzzling to figure out right away.......Dean.