S2 water pump ?

[martym]

Car has been making what I would describe as a sort of ticking-dry almost screach noise when ticking over, had a look around alt belt area & I can feel movement on pulley wheel of water pump (no leak though) would I be right in thinking pump is on way out or should there be a bit movement on shaft ?

[tvrgit]

shouldn't be any play in the shaft. Check that the pulley isn't coming loose ( 4 x 13mm bolts in the front)

[martym]

cheers bud, pulley bolts are tight, didn`t think there should be any movement on shaft, looks like i will need to get a new pump

[Barkychoc]

As Andy says sounds like the pump is tired - the screeching could be the belt slipping - either becuase its worn or not tight enough or because the water pump has problems and is not turning easily causing the belt to slip.

[martym]

Barkychoc said:

As Andy says sounds like the pump is tired - the screeching could be the belt slipping - either becuase its worn or not tight enough or because the water pump has problems and is not turning easily causing the belt to slip.

cheers Barky
the noise does not sound like belt slip, it is quite tight i think, noise is sort of metalic. ???? how much movement should there be in belt when correctly tight.

[martym]

Might remove belt & give pump a spin etc.

[GreenV8S]

martym said:

I can feel movement on pulley wheel of water pump (no leak though)

Is the movement sideways or in line with the spindle? A bit of end float is no problem. If the bearings are worn you wouldn't normally feel this with the belt on, but it will quickly knacker the seals and start leaking. If it isn't leaking it's most unlikely that there's anything wrong with the pump.

[martym]

GreenV8S said:

martym said:

I can feel movement on pulley wheel of water pump (no leak though)

Is the movement sideways or in line with the spindle? A bit of end float is no problem. If the bearings are worn you wouldn't normally feel this with the belt on, but it will quickly knacker the seals and start leaking. If it isn't leaking it's most unlikely that there's anything wrong with the pump.

there is a touch of longitudinal movement but there is deffo lateral movement & with my experience with pumps imo it won`t take long before seals suffer.

[tvrgit]

the pump has a "tell-tale" drilling under the nose - it drips coolant to show that the seals / bearings are going, before it lets go. In the early stages, the coolant drips inside the pulley, where it is either spun aside or evaporates. It might be wothe running the engine till it's hot, then stopping it and feeling inside the back of the pulley - see if there's antifreeze there.

Also - you do have enough antifreeze in? A water pump makes a helluva noise when it's trying to pump slush puppies,

[martym]

tvrgit said:

the pump has a "tell-tale" drilling under the nose - it drips coolant to show that the seals / bearings are going, before it lets go. In the early stages, the coolant drips inside the pulley, where it is either spun aside or evaporates. It might be wothe running the engine till it's hot, then stopping it and feeling inside the back of the pulley - see if there's antifreeze there.

Also - you do have enough antifreeze in? A water pump makes a helluva noise when it's trying to pump slush puppies,

Cheers for that, going to remove belt tomoro night & knowing me will prob end up removing pump & then purchasing a new one. If there is movement on shaft imo there is some thing not right with the pump. Would rather just change it then I know its new & hopefully not going to fail on me.

[Roy C]

I had a similar sounding problem - lots of screeching from the belt at certain revs - but it turned out that one of the alternator mounting bolts had sheered, causing the belt to slip.

[martym]

Cheers for that Roy.
Spoke to Ian I got car off, pump was fitted 12mts before it went off road for rebuild, so its no more than 3yrs old & done not many miles. So not going to change pump at this time. No anti freeze was added at end of rebuild (just as well car is garaged & has not been driven in sub zero) Have just added anti freeze & am hoping that noise will stop with a little lube for pump is system. Ran car for bit & at mo no sqeaking etc.

cheers for all input.

[tvrgit]

martym said:

Cheers for that Roy.
Spoke to Ian I got car off, pump was fitted 12mts before it went off road for rebuild, so its no more than 3yrs old & done not many miles. So not going to change pump at this time. No anti freeze was added at end of rebuild (just as well car is garaged & has not been driven in sub zero) Have just added anti freeze & am hoping that noise will stop with a little lube for pump is system. Ran car for bit & at mo no sqeaking etc.

cheers for all input.

No antifreeze eh?

Car doesn't have to be outside for the water in the engine to freeze. See what I said above about trying to pump slush puppies. Puts a huge strain on the pump if the water is starting to freeze.

Doesn't do the engine or radiator any good either.

[martym]

tvrgit said:

martym said:

Cheers for that Roy.
Spoke to Ian I got car off, pump was fitted 12mts before it went off road for rebuild, so its no more than 3yrs old & done not many miles. So not going to change pump at this time. No anti freeze was added at end of rebuild (just as well car is garaged & has not been driven in sub zero) Have just added anti freeze & am hoping that noise will stop with a little lube for pump is system. Ran car for bit & at mo no sqeaking etc.

cheers for all input.

No antifreeze eh?

Car doesn't have to be outside for the water in the engine to freeze. See what I said above about trying to pump slush puppies. Puts a huge strain on the pump if the water is starting to freeze.

Doesn't do the engine or radiator any good either.

I hear ya! car has only done about 150 miles since rebuild, noise started prior to any of this sub zero whether. I am fully aware of what car happen to systems which have no treatment added. Done now though as soon as I was told no anti freeze had been added. Quote "never assume allows check"

[jimed]

My car sometimes has an engine speed related squeak after its been laid up for the winter - it is started every now and then and may be used on occasion but sits there for a few weeks at a time. The squeak is the fan belt which seems to get set in one position and a new belt fixes it so no probs. The car is an S3C and this effect was more noticeable when the cats were still on the car (they're off now!!) so maybe its something to do with the belt getting hot (I really mean hard baked here as it used to get very hot when stopped as the cats took a while to cool down and the fan belt is right above them) as well and becoming a bit less flexible.
Bit sad but all this regular replacing of fan belts does mean I have several (squeaky) spares!!
Jim

[martym]

Cheers for that Jim !

[Gerald-TVR]

Friend of mine swears by Rubber maintenance spray (yellow can) from Halfords uses it regularly on the fan belt of his AC Ace Brooklands to stop squeeking but says DONT use with the engine running or you can decorate the engine bay, garage and yourself

[tvrgit]

Puff some talc on it. Less messy than spray.