Advice Needed ASAP on water pump, fan clutch

e30mpower · #1 07-24-2009, 01:45 PM

So I was convinced by another poster to take my 3.0 in for a cooling system inspection today. I had a chirping noise coming from the front that I only heard at idle. They assured me that this was from the drive belt which had a glaze on it, but that I shouldn't be concerned and they would clean it. My pulleys were inspected in May and were found to be OK.

The shop said that my water pump was "seeping," along with my fan clutch. He said that the water pump was a top priority, but the fan clutch, while on its way to failure, could wait for a little while. He also said that my expansion tank cap and bleeder screw needed to be replaced. I know all about catastrophic failures of the water pump, that's why I'm hesitant to drive it until I get it replaced.

I'm leaving for a camping trip this evening and was going to take my Expedition, but lo-and-behold it's in the shop as well. Is it safe to drive the X >350 miles (highway) before I can get the pump replaced on Monday?

Thanks for any help.

Oh, the truck is at 70,550 mi., which is at threshold of pump failure.

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Zulu95 · #2 07-24-2009, 01:56 PM

I would do the pump rather than face a pump failure away from home. It could last another 20K but the odds do not favor that at all. If it were me I'd bite the bullet.
Ultimately it's your call and you have to live with it.

MPDano · #3 07-24-2009, 04:34 PM

Yeah, I wouldn't drive it on a trip with such advice (good or bad), it was now given and that's when all hell can break loose. Overheat, possible head warpage, etc etc. Don't chance it.

Harley Monster · #4 07-24-2009, 06:53 PM

That's a hard call e30m, I am the guy that had the castastrophic failure...You obviously need a new pump and I would go ahead and do the clutch while you are at it.

I replaced all my tensioners, idler, thermostat, clutch and hoses and belts, but I don't think that was all necessary, BUT at 98,000 on a 2001 I should not have to worry about the cooling system for many years.

The stationary idler had a bit of play in it and was a little noisy when turned by hand, the tensioners seemed to be fine as well as the thermostat. My engine overheated so the advice is to change out the thermostat when it has been overheated...it looked brand new inside, but that doesn't mean much.

If you are at all mechanical it really is not a difficult job, maybe a level 2 or 3 out of 10.

I don't mind working on cars, in fact I enjoy it, but I like to do it on my time, not the cars. I like to fix things BEFORE they break. I would rent a van for the weekend.

Weasel · #5 07-24-2009, 07:16 PM

The fact that the waterpump is seeping means the coolant is already bypassing the o-rings on the front shaft and the bearings are soaking in water rather than sealed in grease. Thats what causes the kind of failures that Harley Monster just went through.

The pump is really easy to change, you can do it yourself in less than an hour if you buy the parts.

X5-limo · #6 07-24-2009, 08:42 PM

....Weasel knows. It's elementary 'Cooling System 101': Whenever you determine tell-tale seepage, you should change the water pump ASAP! With the addition of the 'infamous' chirp, I think you're overdue.

I had mine changed at 66K just before taking my trip. I installed a steel-propellered water pump - not the $201 Stewart brand. The one I took out, though still good, has the plastic propeller. One thing I suggest, after having it done for the first time: If you're going to re-use your drive belts, (though I highly don't recommend it), note the belt(s) direction by marking arrows on them so you don't inadvertently put them back on 'backwards'. So if you reinstall the belts, make sure the arrows point in the same direction.

Was the fan clutch defective, too? Did you replace it?

e30mpower · #7 07-26-2009, 10:46 PM

OK... well... I did what I shouldn't have done in the first place, and ask for advice, because I know that I practically never heed it and tend to make my own mistakes. I continued to do what I shouldn't have done and drove to the backwoods of Georgia with a seeping pump. Luckily I made it the 400 miles, and made it back home, before I got the "check coolant level" message. I kept an eye for on my temp gauge and ran the heater just in case... my service appt is tomorrow morning. So I'm filling it up with some anti-freeze and making the 10 mile (at hopefully speeds >60) to the BMW hospital. I'm going to just go ahead and tell them to do everything... water pump, fan clutch, and pulleys so I can be done with it for a few more thousand miles, before I replace all my rubber hoses. Time to break out the emergency Amex I guess.

Harley Monster · #8 07-27-2009, 10:20 AM

I am very glad you made it home e30, but I am very glad that you have listened to your car, asked advice and are taking care of the problem BEFORE the castastrophic failure. These are great cars if you take car of them...

e30mpower · #9 07-29-2009, 08:01 PM

OK, well I just got it back from the shop. Got myself a new pump, expansion tank cap, and bleeder screw.

Now the problem. I'm leaking coolant. I got home from work around 3:30, came inside and did a few things, went back to the garage and sat down and noticed a sporadic drip coming from the front left side of the engine bay. Discovered it was coolant, and in a panic I backed it out of the garage to see how much it was leaking. When I got in the car I noticed that the engine still wasn't completely cold, and this was at 7pm. The gauge was roughly on the 1/4 mark.

I took off the plastic hat and the expansion tank has some evidence of it leaking from the cap. It's still hot (an hour later) so I'm not going to attempt to open it up. But WTF is going on? My auxiliary fan comes on as soon as I start the engine it seems like, and doesn't stop until I shut it off, and even then it takes a few seconds to spin down.

And maybe it's just me, but I swear my A/C didn't feel like it was cooling as well as it once did today. I had to jack it down to 65 and take it off of Auto (which I NEVER do). Any ideas?

Harley Monster · #10 07-29-2009, 08:38 PM

Front left? Check the tightness of the radiator drain screw, bottom left side of radiator.

The AC, check that the wheel in the center dash vent is rolled to full Blue Dots...if it isn't, you will not get full cold. Run that dial in red dots for heater, blue dots for AC. Only took me a few years to figure that one out.

The dealer may have rolled that dial to full hot when filling the radiator in order to purge the heater core of bubbles, then forgot to roll it back for you.

Check these two things first, let us know if you still have a problem.

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