New noise...yay.

[ryankokesh]

Car started making a new noise that I initially concluded to be a shot tensioner pulley. So I replaced the belts, tensioner got converted to hydraulic, new tensioner pulley, and new a/c belt and tensioner. The tensioner pulley wasn't completely dead, but it was definitely in need of replacement. The idler pulley seemed to be ok though.

Noise didn't stop.

Now after poking around a bit I realized the fan has a bit of a wobble/lateral movement to it. Probably about 1/8 to 1/4 of an inch in play at the tips of the blades. It's not that the fan itself isn't attached to the fan clutch properly. It's more like the whole lug (or whatever that would be called) on the water pump is wobbling.

From what I can tell, number 8 is wobbling together with what it bolts onto the water pump with. (as in the threaded part the fan attaches to wobbles with it)


So my questions at this point would be:
1) Is this play normal?
2) If not, should this be happening already when the water pump was replaced in july of '09?
3) Could this be causing the noise?

I haven't had time to record the noise to post, but it sounds quite a bit like this:


Thanks in advance for any suggestions!

[danewilson77]

Water pump bearing failure.

[ryankokesh]

Solution = new water pump?

Also, wow you're quick.

[danewilson77]

Yeah.....I would get the Stewart and be done with it.

[ryankokesh]

eek... is the stewart really worth 4x the price?

Also, is it stupid to be driving it before I get the new pump?

[danewilson77]

LOL....only stupid if it breaks, you car overheats, and then you blow a headgasket...hehe. You're kinda rolling the dice. If the bearing is wobbling enough to make noise, and you can see it visible....failure is imminent my friend.

[ryankokesh]

fun fun fun... worst part is removing that annoying underbody panel. can't wait. lol

Do I order a new water pump pulley, or should the old one be fine if it's not cracked? Any gaskets or anything?

thanks, dane!

[ryankokesh]

Ordered the stewart (dane has a history of being right about this stuff...and obviously the previous aftermarket one didn't hold up too long) with 1 day shipping so I can bang it out tomorrow night maybe... hopefully my newly acquired mad belt removal skills will come in handy.

Plus Dane said he'd replace it for me if this pump breaks too

[Kudos]

One of the banes of having an automatic. Wouldn't the car run fine without the mechanical fan? I know the manuals don't have an additional fan iirc..

[danewilson77]

Ha! Say.....make sure you get 1 gallon BMW blue and a gallon of distilled water.