Belt/Leaking Cooling help please!?

Pete_89T2 · 07-16-2011, 06:45 AM

From what you're telling us, it sounds like your water pump is shot, and is leaking from the shaft seal. Fix requires a new/rebuilt pump.

Also, it's not completely clear to me what you were describing regarding the fan, but I'm assuming you have the stock mechanical fan, and you may have a fan clutch problem too. A defective fan clutch, and/or belts being tensioned too tight can trash a water pump in short order.

Fix the water pump first, and make sure the belts are tensioned per the factory shop manual (FSM). To check the fan clutch, with the engine shut off and cold, try to rotate the fan by hand. It's supposed to freewheel easily, with a bit of drag you'll feel (that's the viscous fluid in the clutch). Next run the car and get it good & hot, shut it down and repeat this test. This time you should feel significantly more drag trying to rotate the fan, but it won't be locked up - you'll still be able to turn it, but it will feel like molases. If it doesn't pass these tests, your fan clutch is bad and needs to be replaced.

07-16-2011, 06:45 AM	#2
Pete_89T2 Lifetime Rotorhead Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Elkton, MD Posts: 874 Rep Power: 16	From what you're telling us, it sounds like your water pump is shot, and is leaking from the shaft seal. Fix requires a new/rebuilt pump. Also, it's not completely clear to me what you were describing regarding the fan, but I'm assuming you have the stock mechanical fan, and you may have a fan clutch problem too. A defective fan clutch, and/or belts being tensioned too tight can trash a water pump in short order. Fix the water pump first, and make sure the belts are tensioned per the factory shop manual (FSM). To check the fan clutch, with the engine shut off and cold, try to rotate the fan by hand. It's supposed to freewheel easily, with a bit of drag you'll feel (that's the viscous fluid in the clutch). Next run the car and get it good & hot, shut it down and repeat this test. This time you should feel significantly more drag trying to rotate the fan, but it won't be locked up - you'll still be able to turn it, but it will feel like molases. If it doesn't pass these tests, your fan clutch is bad and needs to be replaced.