GTR SIGH!!!!! Water Pump blew up while driving

[judasentinel]

A few hours ago, I was cruising down DVp, going to a party when suddenly, I heard a belt squeal, and then the alternator light came on. I slowed down, but then there a THUD!! And the whole car shut down. It was around 10 pm and quite dark.

Somehow, I got a look into the engine bay. There was coolant EVERYWHERE, and the clutch fan along with the pulley it is on, had come off, and lodged firmly between the engine and the rad. It just wouldn't move.....Im almost in tears right now.

I checked the water pump and there was no pulley on it. Apparently, it broke off with the clutch fan still attached.

I am wondering if this would have caused any catastrophic damage to the engine. I drove the car for a few hundred meters while the belt (that runs the alternator and water pump) had snapped. The temp shot through the roof, but the engine kept running until the fan and pump pulley broke off.

So, what do you think? Engine completely destroyed, bent valves? Head damage? Or is it likely only water pump itself?

I am almost in tears......

How hard is it to replace the water pump with the engine still in the car? Hope someone know of a link for a DYI to replace a water pump......

Give me some good news/consolation, guys......I really need your prayers and best wishes...

[GodziRRa]

Wow sad to hear. Leaves me wondering how and why did it happen... Is that pump the original early 90s one still attached? Sad. I think that is why we should really follow the factory recommended maintenace especially on a 1990 sportscar.

As for the water pump replacement it has already been documented on some Gtr d.i.ys. Need to remove rad to access it. Hopefully not too serious since only the pump gave. How high was the engine temp? On the red area on the gauge?

[judasentinel]

I was looking for a DIY, but can't find one. Anyone got ideas? Can it be done easily at home without removing much of the engine?

[GodziRRa]

Basically look on the drive belt change mate. Usually the water pump is done together with the drive belt, because the things you remove are basically the same with both work. That's why on my scheduled belt change I'm going to change the water pump as well.

You haven't answered if your pump is still the original ones on the engine.

[judasentinel]

No, it was installed by some mechanic a little while ago. I dont think he changed the timing belt and idler and tensioner with it. The fan along with the belt is wrapped around the crank pulley and the rad fins have been bent due to contact with the fan.

[steveo1502]

Did the fan just come off the pulley?maybe he didn't tighten them, never seen a water pump come apart like that, sounds like the fan came off and hit the rad, might just need new rad and fan

[dark_sky]

sounds like he didnt tighten the bolts and it came off hit the rad and ther your coolent leak. if you were driving with it hottt, then the headgasket could be gone but not the valves cuse it doesn't sound like the timing belt broke. and I dont know if the RB's are an interference engine or noninterference engine. it's not a honda so you dont do the timing belt when you do the water pump.
just start taking it apart, start with the rad, shroud,and fan then then look at the pump and see whats going on.
is the pump still in tact, or snaped?
is it the bolts that just "F" off or snaped?
can you find the pully?
go from there and if you need help just pm me or if you still have my number just call

[markc32]

dont worry ur engine is fine.....why wouldn t it be!

buy new water pump and check the belt on it, check the clutch on the fan...and check ur rad since the clutch fan blades cut the tubes n fins...thats y u have coolant everywhere too

[gtstevan]

it is a very easy job to do at home to change the water pump i have done it a few times. basicly pull your rad out then take your ac and alternator belts off which since you say the alternator belt is already gone you can skip that then take your crank pulley off then your top and bottom timing cover then take your timing belt off because there is 2 of the water pump bolts that are behind the timing belt tensioner and idler bearings, then take your water pump off

[gtstevan]

steveo i have seen a water pump come apart like that mine split the casing all the way around and then the fan went through my rad

[judasentinel]

The belt that moves the alternator, water pump (and hence, the clutch fan) broke off, possibly as a result of the water pump seizing up or breaking. What that did was that it snapped, got wrapped around the clutch fan, the crank pulley, and the pulley that sticks out of the water pump and connects to the clutch fan broke off from the water pump. I mean literally, the metal TORE apart. The fan didn't seem to have gone THROUGH the rad, but it did bend quite a few fins. I am not sure though as to where the coolant all got sprayed out from. Could it be that it leaked through the hole that was left behind the water pump pulley? If I rub my finger around the hole of the water pump (wait, that didn't come out right, did it, hehe), it is quite rough, as if a metal piece was torn apart. So the key question is where the coolant leaked from. The rad hoses seem fine. I will fill the rad up with water and see if it leaks.

Now to the water pump. I am not sure if I have all the tools for the job. I guess I will need a crank pulley puller, which I have heard is a BIATCH to get off due to the silly grommet sticking out on one side, and then aligning the cylinder no. 1 to TDC in order to properly install timing belt.

BTW, I cut the torn belt with a box cutter and it freed up the stuck clutch fan and the crank pulley. Then I sheepishly removed the fan and started the car. It fired right up!!! No noises, no grinding, no weirdness. The engine just ran normal. But since there is no alternator, I shut it off. PHEW!!!! I think the motor might be fine, but dont know if the head gasket is blown or not. No way of knowing without either opening the head up or doing all the work and then seeing if there is oil-coolant mixing wither in the rad or in the oil pan.

First things first, I am now in the market for a replacement water pump.....need something reliable and economically priced. Anyone got one for sale?

Next up, if the timing belt is fine, I might just put it back on.

To dark_sky, can you please pm your number to me?

[gtstevan]

once your rad is out your crank pulley will come off no problem

[gtstevan]

but you will need a puller

[Sharkus29]

I would recommend that you change your timing belt and idler and tensioner pulleys while you do this.

[cortexx]

If you have taken your timing belt off replace it along with the idler pulley replacable parts . It's false economy NOT to do this while you have it all apart . Kevlar timing belts can break within a short space of time if retensioned and re-used. Daryl at RD keeps them in stock , they are cheap go grab one.

Your actually lucky the failing assemblies didnt damage the cambelt in anyway - this is the ideal argument for always using the cam belt covers instead of showing off the fancy cam wheels some of us use .