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

[jaymac]

Hey guys, I posted this in the 4.6L forum, too, as my fiance has a 4.6 t-bird, and I think the water pump's bad.
However, you guys know me here and I know you're good for a helping hand, so I figured I'd ask you guys too, I just wasn't sure if the water pumps for our two cars have different or similar characteristics.
Anyway, 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 guess on the smoke/steam is that coolant was overflowing from somewhere (Weephole/overflow tank) if the pump is shot, and got on hot engine surfaces and created steam - sound feasible?

, 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

 

[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

 

[troyGT03]

there is a small amount of tolerance. not enough to feel. if you can fell the play/slop tthen the bearing is going bad. the smell is probably the pump shaft seal due to excessive bearing play.

 

[jaymac]

cool, thanks

 

[rd]

The clicking sound may be the spring inside the lower hose. It can work its way into the pump and jam.

 

[jaymac]

The clicking sound may be the spring inside the lower hose. It can work its way into the pump and jam.

I don't think so... On the 4.6, the lower hose goes into the block. The water pump has no hoses going into or out of it, it just attaches to the block.

 

[HISSIN50]

Jeremy, I think you answered your own question. The noise does not sound like it should be there. And this is for Mrs. Jeremy's car (well, soon to be Mrs Jeremy) - do we want to leave a pump on there that is on the outs?

I agree that it should not have any slop or run-out. If those pumps have a weep hole, it should start using it pretty soon.

If a cheap pump, I would replace it bud. And it sounds like new hoses, a new stat (Can you guess which kind I like? ) and anything else you can think of, would be good.

Good luck.

 

[jaymac]

ahhh, yes.
Well, yesterday, i replaced the pump, which was so severly stuck on the block that BOTH pry tabs broke off in the removal attempt.
Then, trying to break it loose with a hammer, I managed to graze the rad. just enough to put a pinhole in t coolant passage, so now I have to replace the rad. today
Turns out, however, the cooling fan motor was also bburnt up, which ended up being the burning smell we were smelling. $35 from a junkyard, no biggie.
So now today, it's the radiator, and then I should be done.
Thanks for the help guys