Car started producing a bad rattle last night so had a look this morning.



The pulley near "A" is loose (I can wobble it by hand) and I can see metal shavings around it. Sounds aweful when engine runs and can see it wobbling. Managed to get home alright last night (engine ran fine apart from the noise).

I'm by no means a mechanic but would really like to know whats wrong. Hope it's not terminal, break it to me lightly

The star-shaped plate is bolted on the pulley where the belts run over with the same 4 bolts (visibly fastened on your pic) as the pulley is bolted with to the waterpump flange.

Tighten the 4 bolts, if that doesn't help you need to change the waterpump as the axle has play on it.

To tighten the bolts, remove the 4 bolts on the back holding the fan on (A in the pic). Make sure you keep the fan in upright standing position, do NOT lay it down flat as that breaks the fan (oilchambers inside flow to wrong position).

Then the 4 bolts you need to fasten become visible. If those are not loose and the pulley is, the waterpumpaxle is worn out. A new waterpump solves the problem

The flange that contains the thread for these 4 bolts has a press-fit on the water pump axle. If thats loose you can't fasten it again without appropriate machinery.

Cheers for the reply, seems like an easy enough fix even if I have to change the waterpump.

How big a job is it? Bit worried that the first instruction in the Haynes manual is "remove the radiator" however the whole procedure seems pretty simple if not long

Radiator is easy peasy lemon squeezy to remove.

sven360 wrote:Radiator is easy peasy lemon squeezy to remove.

Oh rly?

Easy peasy

Yeah they are. Also the whole front of the car can be removed in about 5 minutes. 10 minute job tbh.

I have had a bit of unwated practice though, the amount of times I have pulled mine apart to fit electric fans, fix the rad, fit the FMIC, fix the turbo oil return....

L14MNP wrote:Yeah they are. Also the whole front of the car can be removed in about 5 minutes. 10 minute job tbh.

I have had a bit of unwated practice though, the amount of times I have pulled mine apart to fit electric fans, fix the rad, fit the FMIC, fix the turbo oil return....

Sunderland's near Edinburgh right...? Just in case you want a bit more practise

Whole front end in 5 mins ey? That'll be a whole weekend I'll have to free up then

samdale wrote:

Sunderland's near Edinburgh right...?

As Londinium is to Paris.