Water Pump Whine
Thread Starter
8th Gear
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 8
Likes: 0
From: San Diego CA
Water Pump Whine
Hey Guys,
Just changed out the water pump and all of the idlers/tensioners. Found an oil leak from the front seal, changed the seal and the dry-rotted balancer pulley (what an MFer it was to get at that). A few days later have what sounds like a supercharger whine. I figured one of the pulleys was on cockeyed so I pulled the belt off and they're all whisper quiet and tight when I spin them. The PS pulley and Alt pulley give similar results, no noise and tight. The water pump, however, sounds like a bird squawking when I spin it, so that's definitely it. I went with the ACDelco, Part# 252846 with the cast iron impeller thinking that it would be higher quality than aftermarkets or rebuilds, but now I get this. There are no other symptoms and it doesn't leak though.
Question: Does anyone know if in some parallel universe this is normal when the pump is being broken in? If not, is there a fix/additive that wouldn't entail me pulling this new pump off and replacing it with a new-new one?
99 C5 Coupe, A4
Just changed out the water pump and all of the idlers/tensioners. Found an oil leak from the front seal, changed the seal and the dry-rotted balancer pulley (what an MFer it was to get at that). A few days later have what sounds like a supercharger whine. I figured one of the pulleys was on cockeyed so I pulled the belt off and they're all whisper quiet and tight when I spin them. The PS pulley and Alt pulley give similar results, no noise and tight. The water pump, however, sounds like a bird squawking when I spin it, so that's definitely it. I went with the ACDelco, Part# 252846 with the cast iron impeller thinking that it would be higher quality than aftermarkets or rebuilds, but now I get this. There are no other symptoms and it doesn't leak though.
Question: Does anyone know if in some parallel universe this is normal when the pump is being broken in? If not, is there a fix/additive that wouldn't entail me pulling this new pump off and replacing it with a new-new one?
99 C5 Coupe, A4
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 1,596
Likes: 67
From: Bahama North Carolina
Hey Guys,
Just changed out the water pump and all of the idlers/tensioners. Found an oil leak from the front seal, changed the seal and the dry-rotted balancer pulley (what an MFer it was to get at that). A few days later have what sounds like a supercharger whine. I figured one of the pulleys was on cockeyed so I pulled the belt off and they're all whisper quiet and tight when I spin them. The PS pulley and Alt pulley give similar results, no noise and tight. The water pump, however, sounds like a bird squawking when I spin it, so that's definitely it. I went with the ACDelco, Part# 252846 with the cast iron impeller thinking that it would be higher quality than aftermarkets or rebuilds, but now I get this. There are no other symptoms and it doesn't leak though.
Question: Does anyone know if in some parallel universe this is normal when the pump is being broken in? If not, is there a fix/additive that wouldn't entail me pulling this new pump off and replacing it with a new-new one?
99 C5 Coupe, A4
Just changed out the water pump and all of the idlers/tensioners. Found an oil leak from the front seal, changed the seal and the dry-rotted balancer pulley (what an MFer it was to get at that). A few days later have what sounds like a supercharger whine. I figured one of the pulleys was on cockeyed so I pulled the belt off and they're all whisper quiet and tight when I spin them. The PS pulley and Alt pulley give similar results, no noise and tight. The water pump, however, sounds like a bird squawking when I spin it, so that's definitely it. I went with the ACDelco, Part# 252846 with the cast iron impeller thinking that it would be higher quality than aftermarkets or rebuilds, but now I get this. There are no other symptoms and it doesn't leak though.
Question: Does anyone know if in some parallel universe this is normal when the pump is being broken in? If not, is there a fix/additive that wouldn't entail me pulling this new pump off and replacing it with a new-new one?
99 C5 Coupe, A4
Thread Starter
8th Gear
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 8
Likes: 0
From: San Diego CA
Yeah, I removed it, and I used a new bolt. I checked it and the balancer and its bolt are on there tight. The water pump sounds like a duck squawking when I spin it. I'm sure that's it.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 8,466
Likes: 51
St. Jude Donor '17
I believe its 240lbs then you have to turn it another 140 degrees.
DId you remove the belt to test if the noise was still there?
Last edited by Got uid0; Mar 1, 2013 at 09:15 PM.
Safety Car
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 3,757
Likes: 1,215
From: Wisconsin
Wrong the ARP bolt is 240 ftlbs and done! the gm bolt is 37ftlbs plus 140 degrees
Last edited by feeder82; Mar 2, 2013 at 10:06 AM.
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