[Siizzzoooo]

man, my car has been sounding really weird, and someone said it could be my water pump..i was like WTF, it only has 39k on it. the sound was coming from where the belts are. its kinda like a churning noise, but its not normal for sure. what could this sound be?

 

[clo007]

mine went out about a month ago. it caused my radidator to overheat and leak. $500 later everything is running great.

go get your car looked at before you damage anything else.

 

[Octane]

Churning sound? Check your alternator. If there's a problem with the belt(s), (too tight), your alternator could be the culprit. Mine was making this noise, and finally died, and I had to replace it. You don't want it to go out on you, since you'll be stuck until you get a new one, soooooooo, get real close, and if it's coming from the alternator, replace it now. You can't really hear the waterpump, you can check the level of coolant, and pay attention to where you park, and if you're low, or you see spots of antifreeze on the ground, then THAT'S your problem.

Out.

 

[Siizzzoooo]

yeah that churning sound is coming from where the belt are, or in that area. i recently replaced my battery if that means anything. what is it supposed to sound like when my ALT is ready to die?

 

[kierandill]

If the bearing in the (or any) water pump starts to fail, the entire pulley and shaft start to wobble. The impeller in the pump starts hitting the inside of the pump housing, which makes an increasingly nasty chattering noise. If it really is the water pump, if you take the belt off, you should be able to grab the pulley and feel the play in the shaft.
Also, most of the time water pumps will begin to leak when this starts, thru a weep hole behind the pulley. So look for small amounts of coolant drips. You can use the "vacuum tube in your ear" stethescope trick to try to isolate the noise, too.

 

[Siizzzoooo]

If the bearing in the (or any) water pump starts to fail, the entire pulley and shaft start to wobble. The impeller in the pump starts hitting the inside of the pump housing, which makes an increasingly nasty chattering noise. If it really is the water pump, if you take the belt off, you should be able to grab the pulley and feel the play in the shaft.
Also, most of the time water pumps will begin to leak when this starts, thru a weep hole behind the pulley. So look for small amounts of coolant drips. You can use the "vacuum tube in your ear" stethescope trick to try to isolate the noise, too.

i have no leaks whatsoever. what next?

 

[Siizzzoooo]

^HELP!

 

[kierandill]

Sorry - I slept...
In failing waterpumps I've had in the past (not an Alty, but others)
if you take the belt off and turn the pulley by hand, you can feel that it has play and isn't smooth.

I am getting an intermittent noise that is sort of a chirp/squeak, but not a really high pitch, that I'm sure is a bearing of some sort (Alternator, idler pulley, AC, PS) - could it be something like that? I need to take the time to diagnose it before it strands me somewhere.

The vacuum tube trick I mentioned is you take about a 3-foot piece of vacuum tubing and stick one end in one ear and then hold the other end and move it around the different components at close range - it helps find the one making the noise.

 

[95GXE]

id really check the alternator it has lil brushes in it and they can come apart and or just wear but i might try to listen closer if its not that then id check belt tightness you belt should be able to flex an inch in the longest strech but if it was the pump id probably try to listen from under the car, the overhead noise from the belts and alternator and camshafts would more than likely drown out the noise of the pump plus if im not mistaken your pump only is running to push the coolant and your coolant doesnt move when the engine is cold soo there for the pump would only pump when the engine is hot well try that hope this helps and you can install an alternator yourself especially on our cars -Jon