lorenolson888

Has anyone had a water pump make noise.

I have one of those enigne stethoscopes and it seems that the sound I am hunting for is loudest at the water pump and thermostat housing. ab=nd the metal elbow that send water to the radiator.

I have been thinking it was in the head the whole time
Just wondering if this is possible... it would be easier to fix than liftere that is for sure.

Thanks,

LO

Ron_H

Please be certain that it is not the air pump. While at the recent Porsche Parade on night, I heard a noise that seemed to be either the AC compressor or the water pump. I asked another 928er who seemed to feel the same thing. He called Heinrich who advised correctly to isolate the noise by using a stethoscope or a stick held closely to my ear and touched to the suspected part.
(Thank you Heinrich). We had neither available to us that night. I went on. The next day, I noticed no noise. But then all of a sudden smoke poured from under the hood. I stopped to examine the situation and found the belt driving the water pump fried to a crisp. I cut it. The water pump pulley would not turn and the pump was obviously frozen. Just another thing I suggest checking. It is still not operative, but neither is the car being used until the water pump/timing belt are replaced, and the air pump and all the belts as well. We ruled out the water pump that night because the engine temperature was not abnormally high. And the AC was operative as well.

mark kibort

That drove me crazy for a long time. put the stethascope at the center metalic area that is actually a part of the waterpump (a bolt hole that is not used on the S4) or the bracket that holds the driven fan, etc. mine made noise when cold and then it went away. that was the pump that failed eventually. the next pump made some smalll noise, that only could be heard with the steathascope.
i replaced that pump before one of my races. turned out the bearing was a little loose. returned it for credit. it was a new pump too.

anyway, if you are hearing a grinding noise or rubbing noise that sounds like a bearing, it probalby is

mk

lorenolson888

Hi Mark, Ron,

Ron did your water pump seize or you air pump... the timing belt drive the water pump so that sounds serious...

It is kind of a knocking sounds all the time... seemed to come and go but and occasionaly it is like a wobbly squeaky sound

Anyway the first time I was listening to the car with the stethoscope I concentrated on the heads... cause I though that was where it was coming from.

But the sounds around definitely louder from near the water pump. I think I will park the car. Water pump was replaced 2 summer ago. but I remember that noise getting worse

thanks,

LO

Ron_H

The noise you describe was the noise I heard the first night. Then it went away after I let the car sit for awhile. The next day after running the car a short while, I noticed smoke but no noise from the engine. The air pump was frozen and the belt that drives the fan and the air pump was burning as it ran across the frozen air pump pulley. I cut that belt, and drove back to Sunnyvale from Portland without the fan. Mostly freeway and some town driving in San Francisco where I stopped for dinner. It remains off today. I'll replace the air pump when I do the TB/WP job which is due, since I now have over 60,000 miles on both.

FlyingDog

If you can see the lettering on the timing belt (yeah it's hard on a 32V) see if the squeaking noise occurs as the lettering goes past the water pump pulley. Mine squeaks or chirps all the time.

mark kibort

mine was the famed, "wooo wooo wooo wooo" noise (make this noise with your best high pitched worn bearing voice) . you could hear this only upon start up when the engine is cold. however, with a stethascope, you could hear the bearing noise pretty well. sounded like "grind grind grind" said with your best low pitch voice.

Mk

heinrich

MK is quite correct.

anonymousagain

Loren, is this a new noise or are you hunting for the knocking sound? [the knock is definitely not a failing WP].

lorenolson888

It is mostly a knocking tapping sound...

But it is very much so strongest at the WP and thermostat housing...

I can harldy hear it at the head...

Maybe I will put it on ramps and start it and listen from underneath to see if it can be heard from the lower crankcase/girdle area...

I did not think it could be a waterpump... but the intensity from that area suggests otherwise...

Thanks All,

LO

Oh yeah, if any locals want to come by and help me with the stethoscope I am in south San Jose... let me know as I am really eager to diagnose and fix this... Kirt... Mark??? I'll buy Beer...

heinrich

Loren the crank is ther also. If the pump is noisy it needs to come out

Ron_H

If it is the water pump, wouldn't the impeller grind itself into the block?

heinrich

well yes or it can come loose

lorenolson888

grinding into the block... ah such pleasant thoughts...

I figure if I can hear it intensly from underneath that may suggest general resonance of sounds through the block ... like from the rotating assembly...

Hope that is not it...

I did a search and found several threads of people saying they have had rythmic clicking sounds from accesory and water pump bearings... but none of them were brought to a conclusion... just chit chat...

I am going to look around and see if I can locate it better with the stethoscope... but the water pump area does seem to be the loudest... the sounds I hear at the heads is quite muffled in comparison so I think i can put lifters to rest.