Changing the water pump at home is a minor PITA, but nothing compared to
doing it on the road.  Take a half day off of your vacation plans and do it
now.  Once they start getting that end-play, they don't last long, and
you're gonna be driving along listening for a change in pump noise for the
whole trip.

Karl Wolz

----- Original Message -----
From: "Jean-Guy Savoie" <jgsavoie@NBNET.NB.CA>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Tuesday, August 07, 2001 8:24 AM
Subject: Imminent water pump failure? Advise urgently needed

> 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
>