Water Pump Bearings??

[TimothyLong]

Since late spring, I've had a loud hiss coming from the front of the engine when I first start it. It really only does it when it's cool and really damp outside or we've had a good rain. After a few minutes with the engine running, it goes away. At first I thought it was the power steering pump because that's what it sounds like. When I had to the dealer for service a while back, I asked them to look at it and they said it just needed some belt dressing. We had a decent rain this morning and when I started the engine up it was pretty loud. So, I got some belt dressing and sprayed it on. When the belt dressing hit the belt, the hiss came back really loud. I narrowed the noise to either the alternator pulley or the water pump. I sprayed the belt dressing directly on the water pump pulley and there was the noise again. The belt that is on it has a tad over 50K on it and looks to be wearing okay. The water pump I changed at the same time I put this belt on to replace the factory water pump which was pretty well shot and was leaking. This is sounding a whole lot like the bearings in the water pump starting to go and I should look at replacing it. Just looking for a sanity check. Thanks!

 

[p-Bar]

why don't you take the tension off the belt al spin the water pump pulley and see how it feels. Curious what you did for a replacement water pump?

 

[rscurtis]

Release the belt tension and remove it from the accessory pulleys. Turn each one individually and you'll find which one (if any) is noisy. Don't forget the idler pulley above the fan.

 

[TimothyLong]

I replaced the idler pulley back in December with a Gates replacement from Geno's, so I don't think it's that one. The water pump is one that I got from Advance Auto, a GMB I believe it was. I will try taking the belt off, once it quits raining. Thanks for the tip!

 

[TimothyLong]

Problem solved (I think). We had a break in the rain so I went out and took the tension off of the belt like you guys suggested. Spun the pulleys but I couldn't narrow anything down. So I started the engine and sprayed more belt dressing on the water pump pulley and the noise got louder. I crawled underneath and sprayed the tensioner pulley and the noise went away for a few seconds. Repeated this a few times and got the same results. On a hunch, I went ahead and replaced the belt with a Gates Micro-V HD that I got from Geno's. I had planned on replacing the belt anyway after I had put about another 10K miles on it, so I had the Gates spare standing by. Started the engine and all was quiet. No more POS Goodyear Gator Back belts for me! That Gates HD belt is WAY beefier than the Goodyear. I examined the Goodyear belt after I got it off. No excessive wear or cracking on the ribs, but the back was shiny smooth. I also noticed a little dirt build up on the tensioner pulley. When I have better weather, I think I'll crawl under there with a wire brush and clean it off a little. I still have the factory tensioner (143K on it) and I haven't had any problems with it to date. Perhaps I should consider replacing it sometime soon as well.



Thanks again, guys, for the tip!

 

[The patriot]

Maybe you got a bad one. My gatorback has been fine.

 

[TimothyLong]

I've used Gator Backs before in other vehicles and they were okay. This was the first I've used in a CTD and it didn't make it. The factory belt made it about 90K before I had to change it. Could be a bad one, but I 'll probably never get another one for a CTD.

 

[rscurtis]

With that much time on the tensioner, it's possible the pulley is not running in the same plane as the belt any more. That would contribute to belt noise.

 

[TimothyLong]

That's a possibility. That's why I was thinking that it's probably time to replace the tensioner as well.

 

[JJPage]

Maybe you got a bad one. My gatorback has been fine.

Mine has been great also, way quieter than the Mopar belt.