Water Pump Blown? Help!

IrishZeus

Hi all,

Just looking for some quick advice.

Driving a Lexus IS250 at the mo. Out an about today and when I was sitting still in traffic, I noticed a weird sound coming from the front/engine of the car. Sounded something along the lines of water boiling (almost like a kettle sound) and water being forced through pipes.

Parked up where I was going. Sound was noticeable from the outside. Temperature was absolutely fine. Oil levels etc fine. At this stage, I figured it might be the water pump.

So took it back out on the road and put the foot down to see if anything happened. At higher revs, there was a grinding noise - metal on metal it sounded like. Slowed down and did same again and got the same noise. So then decided to go the garage I got it from originally.

They (salesmen) checked it out and said the same thing - sounds like the water pump (or possibly a pulley). Dropped it to their mechanic who concurred. Brought it back up to me and told me to bring it back next week and they would fix it up. Double checked that it was ok to drive home and then back to them and they said it was fine, just keep the revs low etc.

So, question is, has anyone here had an issue like this before? Does it sound like a water pump issue? Or a pulley issue? Or something else entirely? And if it is one of the above, is it a big fix?

Car stats:
2006 IS250
84000 kilomtres/ 52000miles
Bought it in August last year with a 6 month warranty so I should be covered under this?

Thanks all, apologies for the long post...

P.

IrishZeus

IrishZeus wrote: »

.............. At higher revs, there was a grinding noise - metal on metal it sounded like. Slowed down and did same again and got the same noise. So then decided to go the garage I got it from originally.

They (salesmen) checked it out and said the same thing - sounds like the water pump (or possibly a pulley). Dropped it to their mechanic who concurred. Brought it back up to me and told me to bring it back next week and they would fix it up. Double checked that it was ok to drive home and then back to them and they said it was fine, just keep the revs low etc.

..............

Thanks all, apologies for the long post...

P.

I wouldn't drive it like that.
If they are correct and it is the water pump or a pulley on the valvetrain than it is a huge risk to drive it.

I'm amazed at their advice to keep the revs down tbh.

If it's not due a timing belt I suppose it is a warranty job if they gave a bumper to bumper one, I presume that is the case as it was a 5 year old premium car when you bought it.

Nissan doctor

If the water pump has failed you don't drive the car....

IrishZeus

Thanks for replies RJ and ND.

Would the water pump explain the grinding noise at higher revs?

Also, according to them, the water pump is a "bolt on" to the front of the engine so am I right in assuming its not a big job to fix?

Thanks. Am clueless when its comes to the mechanics of engines.

P.

Nissan doctor

IrishZeus wrote: »

Thanks for replies RJ and ND.

Would the water pump explain the grinding noise at higher revs?

Also, according to them, the water pump is a "bolt on" to the front of the engine so am I right in assuming its not a big job to fix?

Thanks. Am clueless when its comes to the mechanics of engines.

P.

It certainly could. If the bearings are gone in the pump it will be making a lot of noise.

IrishZeus

IrishZeus wrote: »

............

Also, according to them, the water pump is a "bolt on" to the front of the engine so am I right in assuming its not a big job to fix?..........

Are you sure they are on about the water pump? What with them reckoning it was fine to drive and being a bolt on job ....... It is no doubt bolted on but the timing belt drives it presumably.

Nissan doctor

RoverJames wrote: »

Are you sure they are on about the water pump? What with them reckoning it was fine to drive and being a bolt on job ....... It is no doubt bolted on but the timing belt drives it presumably.

Timing chain in the IS250;)

... oh

IrishZeus

They definitely said it was either the water pump was gone or it was a loose pulley. The water pump seemed to be the main opinion.

Either way, I will have to drop it back to them this week and see what they can do. Don't fancy driving it after what you've told me here but don't have a choice now - they never should have let me out of the garage if its as serious as they suspected!

Thanks for the replies both.

P.