Hi all,

The van has been running sooooo nicely lately that I thought nothing could
put a damper on my holiday plans. I plan to leave (hopefully) tomorrow for a
3200km) 2000 mi trip.  Doing the last little bit of preps, I noticed a
different sound coming from the rear and discovered some slight play at the
water pump pulley, less than 1 mm (less than 1/10th of an inch at the
pulley's edge).  No leaks.   Not a bad growl, just a bothersome and
worrisome vibration. No overheating, no other problems.

I know I'll have to change it, soon.

Questions:

1.    Do water pumps on vanagons suffer SUDDEN, catastrophic failures OR

2.    should I get some forewarning (slowly increasing noise, vibration,
small leak, larger leak)???

3.    Should I chance the trip, or is this a case this a case of  severely
changing my vacation plans?

Please p-mail responses as I am in NOMAIL mode for the next two weeks.

TIA,

JGS

84 1.9L Westfalia
Bleu Schtroumpf