Ben is exactly right here.  Last year my alt./water-pump
belt jumped off the track (for reasons I'm not sure of), and
then, as Ben says:  - no circulating coolant, the engine
over-heats.  My overflow tank filled and then sprayed
coolant out of the top 3 small holes. Luckily my sharp-
eyed wife noticed the alt. light was on and we were able
to get things back together before major damage was
done. Then about 1,000 kms later, the water pump failed
(assume the extreme heat ruined the shaft).

On 26 Nov 2001, at 6:55, Ben McCafferty wrote:

> Isn't the water pump on a water-cooled engine driven off a
> belt?  If so, how would the engine get cooling if the water
> wasn't circulating?  When a thermostat goes, the engine
> overheats almost immediately due to the coolant no longer
> circulating, so how is this different?  Sorry if I'm being
> dense here..... bmc  :) "Faith will move mountains, but
> you'd better bring a shovel...."
>
>
> >
> >> Can v-belt failure cause engine damage?  I was traveling
> >> about 65 mph when the battery & EGR indiot lights came
> >> on.  I felt for heat coming from the vents and felt none
> >> suspecting a broken belt.  I drove about 10 miles/10
> >> minutes before stopping.  The belt replacement was
> >> uneventful and everything seems fine now.  Any worries?
> >>
> >> Thanks to all.