Technical Water pump or something more sinister?

[doch254]

Some advice needed....

Last night, just pulled away in my W reg 1.9jtd when all of a sudden, clanking noise started suddenly in engine bay. Immediately pulled over to investigate, clanking stopped but now replaced with grinding noise now coming from area of timing belt, low down. Turned it off and will restart easily.
All belts are still intact, pulleys look all intact too. Water level has dropped in the header tank also some bubbling in there. No water or froth on dipstck or in engine. No warning codes at all.
Could this just be a failure of the water pump or a sign of something more major?
Any guidance on how to proceed would be appreciated. :worship:

 

[boilermansab]

Are you sure its not the crank pulley at the bottom that's given up...clearly visible looking in engine bay down left hand side...aux belt is on it..or should be!

 

[doch254]

Thanks for that...
I shall jack it up and have a gander. Anything specific I should be looking for?

 

[boilermansab]

No need to jack it up, just look in engine bay and its the big pulley at the bottom...with engine running it should be spinning nice and true!

 

[doch254]

Run it up and taken a look, both large pulley and the belt tensioners were spinning true, no wobbles. Had a grasp of them and there seems to be no sideways movement on either. Hard to define properly but the grumbling seems to be more around the large wheel at the back above the tensioner.

 

[boilermansab]

If you mean the pulley at the back then that's the alternator..

 

[varesecrazy]

if it's the waterpump you would expect it to be shedding water as it runs,

maybe take off the alternator drive belt , to see if that stops the grumbling..,

sods law if you've developed 2 separate faults..,
Charlie

 

[doch254]

Done the test, no water shedding from pump and water level seems stable.

Removed belt from alternator and hey presto no noise. On turning there is a grinding going on in there. So it looks as if I have my culprit and shall get on with fixing. :slayer:

Thank you for all the help guys, :worship:
My love affair with the Multi lives on

 

[varesecrazy]

good to hear you've found the culprit !

worth keeping an eye on the coolant level though.. as it's obviously gone somewhere..!!,
any work done lately to create / shift an airlock ?( maybe even using the heater since the summer can do it..!!),
Charlie