Question:

water pump?

1997 Chevy Cavalier, 2.2 engine. In the past 2 days I noticed that my temp gauge was reading a little higher than usual but not in the danger range. I checked and nedded to add coolant. Last night it started making a chattering or maybe klunking sound. As far as I could tell it was coming from the water pump but it stopped before I could get out of the car and look to see. Now the coolant is low again. Are these signs of the water pump being bad or could it be something else?

Answer:

It is possible your water pump is worn out, yes...but it could be other things too. I would change the thermostat first, being a much lower cost. If the thermostat is sticking shut, or not opening right at all, it can prevent the coolant from circulating right. That lets the whole engine heat up and coolant boil. That may be the sound you hear, normally called a water hammer... If you take it to the shop, which you should do now, ask them to check the thermostat and water pump, to be certain of the problem... I hope it is just the thermostat that is causing this, but check it good...
sounds like you got a leak- it could be the water pump if you hear something that sounds like the belts squeaking- later it gets worse. i would definitely have someone knowledgeable check it out.
There could be alot of causes to water lose and slight elevation in temp. If the water pump is leaking most often you will see sings of it at the water pump. Also you may want to check the oil. I know it sounds crazy but see if the oil is a whitish color. You may have a blown head gasket and could be leaking water into the cylinders from the water jackets in the head. Hope that helps. Also check the ground after the car has been sitting and running. If you see water look up from the ground to see if you can locate the leak.
Sounds to me like you answered your own question. I would have the water pump looked at by a reputable mechanic. A thermostat doesn't make a chattering noise when failing. A water pump can make noise when failing. WARNING: MAKE THESE CHECKS WITHOUT THE MOTOR RUNNING! When a water pump is failing, frequently it will leak coolant from the impeller shaft (the shaft that has the drive pulley). Look for greenish or orange liquid leaking from behind this pulley. Also, try to rock the pulley from side to side. If the pulley moves, the bearing and seal are failing and the water pump must be replaced. Have it repaired soon. Replacing a water pump is much cheaper than replacing a burned up engine. Until then, don't take it very far and watch your coolant level closely.
If you don't see drip marks under your car when you come out in the morning or when it's parked, it's probably not the water pump. Either way, that coolant is going someplace. Might it be possible that you had the AC on when you heard the clunking sounds? When you have the AC on and the AC compressor comes on it puts an extra drain on the engine and makes a noticable change in the way the engine sounds. What I would do is find a way to get under the car with a flashlight and take a look around and see if anything is wet. I had a 1999 Chevy Tahoe and had all these same sort of things you are describing, so I climbed up under it and looked around and saw a drip around one of the seals on the water pump. For about three weeks I kept my eye on it and noticed the drip marks under my car. Eventually one day on a quick trip to the corner store, the pump finally went and and deluge of coolant came pouring out the bottom of my car. It could also just be a loose hose or a blown headgasket. Check your oil and see if you have any coolant in the oil (you'll be able to tell). If you do, take it to a garage ASAP or you'll be really screwed! Either way, if it's the pump you'll know it sooner or later when it blows out!

Share to: