Should there be ANY vertical play in the waterpump shaft??

[jaymac]

Hey guys, I've never been in the 4.6 section (mine's a fox), but my fiance has a 4.6 t-bird, and I think the water pump's bad.
In her manual, it says to check for up-and-down play in the pulley/pump shaft, or squealing. I have heard it squeal once in the recent past, only on start-up. Tonight it started running really hot on her on the higway, and it was smoking a little bit ( I think the smoke might've been steam), but yu could also smell a burning smell, like burnt rubber. I'm still not sure what the burning rubber could be all about. Any guesses?My smoke/steam guess is that coolant was overflowing from somewhere (weephole/reservoir) if indeed the pump is shot, and getting on the hot metal and steaming - does this sound feasible?

Anyway, I took off the belt and tried to move the water pump pulley up and down, and even WITH the belt on, there is a noticeable and audible "click-click-click-click-click", or "tap-tap-tap, etc.", whatever sound you want to use, when i moved the pulley up and down, you couldn't SEE alot of movement, but the thing was obviously moving.
So, is this indicative of a bad water pump?
Any ideas on the burning smell?
The coolant IS old and dirty, and I know I need to change it, and the T-stat was working and open.

Thanks all -
Jeremy

 

[03ghoststang]

i would replace the water pump the smell is probably from coolant that leaked out from the overflow tank and steamed off metal but none the less i would change it along with a coolant flush

 

[jaymac]

well, I just ran to Auto zone and took a look at the replacement pump. there is absolutely NO play in the shaft, it apears to make the play in mine laughable.
Any thoughts or suggestions on the subject are still welcomed, though, especially on the smoke/steam and burnt rubber smell...
Thanks-
J

 

[jaymac]

oops, sorry, just saw your response --
Thanks!