Water pump sounds noisier than before…!?

mrtask

mrtask

Well-Known Member
The other day when I started my car there was a loud noise from the engine I've not heard before. With the bonnet open it sounded like it was coming from the water pump. The extension for the pulley looks as if it is a little wobbly. It did quieten down after a short drive, but I'm wondering if it was an audible 'early warning' that it is about to fail? There's no longer a fan attached, but perhaps when the mechanical fan met my radiator the other month it damaged the bearing for the extension?
So, can the bearing be changed, or am I going to need a whole new water pump?
 
Hello.
I had a similar problem a while back, with an awful racket that i thought may have originated from a damaged waterpump bearing (one possibility).
It looked just as you describe, yet when the bearing was challenged it presented as solid and sound.
It transpired it was an out of round pulley due to the inner mating diameter being out of round where it goes on to the waterpump hub.
This was the solution...
viewtopic.php?f=5&t=17357

Not saying this is the prob with yours, but keep in mind as a possibility.
 
Hello Mr T,

Was your fan the fixed 5 bladed metal item?

If the bearing was available, you would also need a new impeller as this will very likely be damaged if you were to attempt to remove it. A new seal and ceramic washer would also be required, all of which are not available for purchase, so it is my understanding.

Ron.
 
This question has nothing to do with the noise BUT... There is a small hole about 5 mm at 6 o'clock on the water pump house, looks like a drainage hole or is it for lubrication of water pump bearing?? Anyone? Regards Chris Varming
 
Hi, it's a drain hole between the pump shaft bearing and the pump seal behind the impeller.
It's there so that whe..if the seal goes it doesn't steam clean all the grease out of the bearing.

Colin
 
Hi Chris,

That as you rightly surmised is a drainage hole. When the seal fails, coolant will leak from the hole, advising the owner that the time has arisen to replace the water pump. :wink:

Ron.
 
Hi Ron. Yes, I ditched the five bladed asymmetric metal fan and put a Kenlowe 'pushing' electric fan in front of the rad. It makes a bit of a racket for a minute after I park the car and switch off, which sounds cool!
The water pump hasn't made the awful squealing noise again, it only did it the once. However, I learnt as a kid that nothing fixes itself, and that when a squeaking or creaking noise on one of my BMX bikes went quiet, it was never long before the component broke!
I think I'm just a bit neurotic. The more I listen to my engine, the more I convince myself something is also making too much of a racket somewhere up top, like maybe noisy lifters? I'm going to have to find an unmolested original Rover V8 to listen to for comparison!
I'll have to go and look for the drain hole y'all mentioned...
 
mrtask wrote,...
The water pump hasn't made the awful squealing noise again, it only did it the once. However, I learnt as a kid that nothing fixes itself, and that when a squeaking or creaking noise on one of my BMX bikes went quiet, it was never long before the component broke!
Click to expand...

Hi Al,

The water pump that I am currently using on my Rover I installed during 2007. It made a whirring noise for many thousands upon thousand of miles, so I kept an eye on it. Nothing untoward could be seen and eventually some years ago the noise stopped.

This water pump has now outperformed all others before it, with to date over 101,000 Miles (163,000km) of perfect performance. Prior to this, the best life I have had out of a water pump was the factory fitted original from 1974, which, from memory lasted just over 60,000 Miles (100,000km).

I am pleased that I did not change it :wink:

Ron.
 
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