SEIZED-UP WATER PUMP? (1 Viewer)

[4lowNgo]

Saturday at midnight I was leaving a friend's house and when I started the truck (86 FJ60) the most awful squealing/screeching noise started (like belts not turning properly). I didn't let this go on for long because by now the entire neighborhood was probably awake.
I tried two other times before I gave up. There was smoke and the smell of something burning. I came back in the morning and tried again, it made the sound again, but after about :20 this time it went away. Truck drove great 20 miles to the mechanic.
MY theory: Saturday night it was below freezing. Would the water have frozen in my pump and kept it's wheel from spinning? Something wasn't turning, which was causing the belts to screech and smoke as they were forced over the seized wheel. But once in the warmth of the day, the siezing didn't last long as the water loosened up.

Thanks for your input!

 

[IDave]

You saying you don't use antifreeze?

 

[cruiser_guy]

Derek,
If all you lost was a fan belt due to ice in the water pump your one lucky guy Make sure you've got enough antifreeze to keep it from happening again or you might loose the engine! Water expands as it freezes and that expansion hopefully blows out the expansion plugs but in a worse case scenario it breaks blocks!

 

[4lowNgo]

A new radiator went in earlier in the summer; the antifreeze is all there. Indeed I hope the block is as well. Thanks for the input.

 

[snelson]

if you have new antifreeze imo i would have to be damn cold for it to freeze solid enough to stop you water pump from turning, in my 60 my water pump has done the same thing but will usually quit if i stop and start it again. it has only done it to me twice in two years not sure what it is but i am pretty sure that my antifreeze was not froze because it was in the middle of summer. if you are nervouse about it just replace you water pump it sounds like it is the water pump itself, maybe some contaminants in you antifreeze, maybe a bad bearing in the pump? who knows good luck

 

[fsusteve]

Don't take this the wrong way, but did you actually look under the hood? It could have been anything from a cat crawling in there for warmth to anyone of several bad pulley bearings. Continuing to start it or worse drive it without checking it out could be damaging to the truck at best, dangerous at worse.

 

[4lowNgo]

Yeah, I opened the hood immediately. I think the bearings are shot on one of the pulleys.