QuestionQUESTION: I have a 1939, quality six, 4 door Silver Streak, Pontiac. There's a high pitched squeal coming from the water pump, which will increase in intensity, the higher the rpm. The shaft on the pump is tight and car does not overheat, nor leak water. I do not know if the pump is an original, or if its been rebuilt. I've also attempted to get some oil on the shaft. It didn't help. Any idea what the problem could be?
ANSWER: The universal rule about mechanical parts that are making noise is that they are trying to tell you something - so there is a definite problem.
Before you start taking things apart, though, the first thing to do is to try spraying some water from a spray bottle on the belt pulley, to see if what you are hearing is a belt noise. I know you don't think this is possible, but I've encountered some really strange belt noises in my 60+ years of listening to engines - and seen lots of time, effort and money get wasted chasing a phantom.
If spraying water on it has no effect, then go to step two, which is to get yourself a stethoscope, or a length of garden hose (about 3 feet long). Put one end of the garden hose up against your good ear, and plug the other ear with a wad of Kleenex, then listen around the front of the engine until you locate the exact source of the noise. Watch out for the fan blades!!
If you trace it for sure to the water pump area, take the belt off the pulleys and make sure the noise is gone. (It will not hurt the car to run it for a minute or so without turning the water pump!). If that makes the noise go away, pull the water pump and send it out for rebuilding - unless you can find a kit for it and have a good hydraulic press to do the job yourself.
Be sure it isn't the generator making the noise - this sounds much more like a generator noise to me.
Let me know what you find out, please!
Dick
---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------
QUESTION: Hi Dick
Sorry it took so long to get back to you, thank you for responding. I tried your suggestions regarding the water, it didn't help, the hose, the squeal is coming from the water pump, not the generator. I still have to try taking the fan belt off. I'll keep you posted as soon as I can get to it. Thanks a bunch for your help.
Linn
AnswerYou are definitely going at it the right way. If the noise is coming from the water pump, as traced with a stethoscope or a length of garden hose, you probably have a siezed bearing in there - but do the belt off run anyway, and make sure is isn't something inside the engine (like the front cam bearing, which is in the same area). I hope it IS the water pump, at this point.
Thanks for the update.
Dick
