Grinding, coolant everywhere, won't start

Jeney · Post by **Jeney** » 18 Jun 2016, 18:16

Beginning my 60 mile drive home with my daughter and a tow truck driver.

At a red light, my 2005 S60 started making a grinding-type sound. Then a few seconds later it died, and wouldn't start again. A couple gentleman helped me push the car across the intersection to park, then I noticed the river of coolant flowing from my car down the gutter.

This car has been well-maintained, with a recent oil changed and a mechanic once-over while getting my front brakes replaced.

Any advice about what might be wrong?

Post by **abscate** » 18 Jun 2016, 19:38

Ugh. If the grinding happened with coolant loss on the right side of the car, well underneath, it's probably a seized water pump

The bad news is this ruins the top,end of your engine if it seizes and breaks the timing belt, which happens 95% of the time

In a good shop, it's a 2-3k repair to fix.

Jeney · Post by **Jeney** » 18 Jun 2016, 20:31

abscate wrote:Ugh. If the grinding happened with coolant loss on the right side of the car, well underneath, it's probably a seized water pump

The bad news is this ruins the top,end of your engine if it seizes and breaks the timing belt, which happens 95% of the time

In a good shop, it's a 2-3k repair to fix.

So, if I'm in the lucky 5%, I just have to replace the water pump?

I need to be in the 5% or this is absolute Game Over for me.

If I can somehow get by with just the pump, what is the degree of difficulty for this?

Jeney · Post by **Jeney** » 18 Jun 2016, 21:22

The timing belt was replaced in October 2014.

MarcM · Post by **MarcM** » 18 Jun 2016, 21:31

The rule of thumb (on all makes/models) when the timing belt is replaced and the water pump is run by the timing belt.... replace the water pump at the same time the timing belt/idler/tensioner is done. I learned this the hard way (on several different make/models) vicariously, although the WP didn't seize but went the noisy floppy shaft bearing route and they had to go back in and double the job. Never put 1 & 1 together until it was mentioned here in the forum to do it while you're in there. Thinking that your WP didn't get changed. Because I'm curious... how many miles on the car and about how many since timing belt was replaced in 10/2014?

Jeney · Post by **Jeney** » 19 Jun 2016, 02:56

MarcM wrote:The rule of thumb (on all makes/models) when the timing belt is replaced and the water pump is run by the timing belt.... replace the water pump at the same time the timing belt/idler/tensioner is done. I learned this the hard way (on several different make/models) vicariously, although the WP didn't seize but went the noisy floppy shaft bearing route and they had to go back in and double the job. Never put 1 & 1 together until it was mentioned here in the forum to do it while you're in there. Thinking that your WP didn't get changed. Because I'm curious... how many miles on the car and about how many since timing belt was replaced in 10/2014?

I just purchased the car a few months ago (from a trusted friend, with full records and a meet & greet with the car's long time mechanic) so I am not certain how many miles were put on it, though it was used to drive to work and back, so I'd say just an average amount. It currently has 144,xxx on it.

It seems like changing just the WP is going to be a difficult task, which is really too bad since I am the one who has to do it!

Post by **abscate** » 19 Jun 2016, 03:10

The belt should have been replaced at 105k miles. If it's original then that's probably the failure. Ypu can check this your self by removing the plastic cover on top of the engine ( you will need some torx bit screw drivers) and looking for the belt across the cam pulleys

Post by **MadeInJapan** » 19 Jun 2016, 08:17

I'm interested to know what exactly happened too. Catastrophic failure of the WP is very rare- typically it starts weeping and leaking before it takes a dump!

Jeney · Post by **Jeney** » 19 Jun 2016, 10:53

abscate wrote:The belt should have been replaced at 105k miles. If it's original then that's probably the failure. Ypu can check this your self by removing the plastic cover on top of the engine ( you will need some torx bit screw drivers) and looking for the belt across the cam pulleys

I didn't realize it was that easy to check!

Jeney · Post by **Jeney** » 19 Jun 2016, 10:54

MadeInJapan wrote:I'm interested to know what exactly happened too. Catastrophic failure of the WP is very rare- typically it starts weeping and leaking before it takes a dump!

No weeping or leaking - straight to dump!