Message for Johno (Mark) & PetrolTed
Discussion
I am loosing coolant from my S3. Have seen steam and water adjacent to bottom pulley, but am unsure at this stage whether it is water pump or simply a split hose.
Tried searching the Pistonhead back files and found PetrolTed's problem dated August.
Q. PetrolTed - What was the eventual problem found to be? Was it the water pump? Did you fit a replacement and if so how much?
Q. Mark - The desription and comments in your reply to PetrolTed's original enquiry seems to fit exactly. I have a water leak somewhere at the front of the engine, but it is difficult to pin down.
There is a small amount of play in the pulley suggesting that the bearing has failed? Car has done around 45,000 miles, would this be about right?
A small word of warning to all S drivers out there. I check water and oil before every journey and to date the swirl pot has always been full. However I have only recently noticed that although the water level would appear to be correct, the hoses to the heater matrix are empty - you can tell by simply sqeezing them. This means that the engine has been continuously loosing water, but a casual check did not spot it.
Tried searching the Pistonhead back files and found PetrolTed's problem dated August.
Q. PetrolTed - What was the eventual problem found to be? Was it the water pump? Did you fit a replacement and if so how much?
Q. Mark - The desription and comments in your reply to PetrolTed's original enquiry seems to fit exactly. I have a water leak somewhere at the front of the engine, but it is difficult to pin down.
There is a small amount of play in the pulley suggesting that the bearing has failed? Car has done around 45,000 miles, would this be about right?
A small word of warning to all S drivers out there. I check water and oil before every journey and to date the swirl pot has always been full. However I have only recently noticed that although the water level would appear to be correct, the hoses to the heater matrix are empty - you can tell by simply sqeezing them. This means that the engine has been continuously loosing water, but a casual check did not spot it.
Having changed my water pump you should be able to tell if it's leaking by topping the system up and just watching it as the car gets to temperature. You'll see the bolts holding the pump on around the pulley and it'll either leak from around there or it will leak from behind the pulley.
A leak from either place is possible though and you'll only find out which you have by inspection.
If it's the hose you may be able to temporarily fix it if the end is split by trimming it back and refitting if it's long enough. A new hose would be easy to fit. The pump is also straight forward and only costs about 35 quid from a motor factors. The only difficulty with mine was that one of the bolts broke in the block but I got it out without any problems as it didn't break flush. If you do put a new pump on please torque the bolts correctly as they do not have to be done up that tightly at all and you'll save the next guy a lot of grief.
Good luck,
Mark
>> Edited by dern on Wednesday 23 October 14:42
A leak from either place is possible though and you'll only find out which you have by inspection.
If it's the hose you may be able to temporarily fix it if the end is split by trimming it back and refitting if it's long enough. A new hose would be easy to fit. The pump is also straight forward and only costs about 35 quid from a motor factors. The only difficulty with mine was that one of the bolts broke in the block but I got it out without any problems as it didn't break flush. If you do put a new pump on please torque the bolts correctly as they do not have to be done up that tightly at all and you'll save the next guy a lot of grief.
Good luck,
Mark
>> Edited by dern on Wednesday 23 October 14:42
Peter,
The water pump on the 2.9 is designed s that when the pulley bearing goes it leaks water. I reckon yours has gone by the desrciption of having play in the pulley. There shouldn't be any play.
Make sure the system is topped up and then run the car and you will be able to see water leaking from holes under the bearing housing behind the pulley.
If it were a hose then the pressure in the system would make it spray water around most likely unless it was just a joint leak.
Defintiely sounds like a water pump to me though. Make sure you get the right water pump as there are 2 allegedly and one of them will not give you the required apertures and therefor will kancker the flow. Best to take the old one with you and match them up.
DO NOT buy it from Fords as they are ridiculously priced....go to Partco or someone.
The water pump on the 2.9 is designed s that when the pulley bearing goes it leaks water. I reckon yours has gone by the desrciption of having play in the pulley. There shouldn't be any play.
Make sure the system is topped up and then run the car and you will be able to see water leaking from holes under the bearing housing behind the pulley.
If it were a hose then the pressure in the system would make it spray water around most likely unless it was just a joint leak.
Defintiely sounds like a water pump to me though. Make sure you get the right water pump as there are 2 allegedly and one of them will not give you the required apertures and therefor will kancker the flow. Best to take the old one with you and match them up.
DO NOT buy it from Fords as they are ridiculously priced....go to Partco or someone.
Fixed it - thanks.
Decided to strip everyting off and check all around and found clear evidence of leaking from the spindle seal of the water pump - rust coloured staining from the lower drain hole. Decided to fit new water pump.
Also a loose hose clip had allowed leakage under pressure from the hose that connects pump to radiator. Took opportunity to cut back hoses by an inch or so and used new jubilee clips on re-assembly. Am currently testing car to ensure no fluid losses before partially draining to re-introduce rust inhibitor anti-freeze again.
Shopped around for a new pump and bought a Quinten Hazell unit from a trade motor factors. Cost £45 which included a new gasket.
Decided to strip everyting off and check all around and found clear evidence of leaking from the spindle seal of the water pump - rust coloured staining from the lower drain hole. Decided to fit new water pump.
Also a loose hose clip had allowed leakage under pressure from the hose that connects pump to radiator. Took opportunity to cut back hoses by an inch or so and used new jubilee clips on re-assembly. Am currently testing car to ensure no fluid losses before partially draining to re-introduce rust inhibitor anti-freeze again.
Shopped around for a new pump and bought a Quinten Hazell unit from a trade motor factors. Cost £45 which included a new gasket.
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