Horrible rattle under the hood. Diagnosis? NOT water pump.

oreogaborio · Postby **oreogaborio** » Thu Jan 09, 2014 1:57 pm

So on top of my p0430 code and bad U-joints I started hearing a horrible, horrible rattle.... At first I thought it was the driver's side cat falling apart but upon crawling under there w/ the car running I could hear that it wasn't coming from that. Sounded like top front of the motor, not bottom rear.

So I brought it down the street to the shop, stood next to the mechanic as he took a listen.... he looked at it for about 1.5 seconds & said "Water pump's failing. Pully is wobbling and hitting the case. You can see the sparks."

Quote... $530 bucks

UPDATE!!!
So it turns out the cooling fan is what was causing the noise and it is NOT connected to the water pump and driven by the same pulley as almost every other design out there. So the death rattle coming from my cooling fan is just due to the bearing housed in a 50 dollar bracket that bolts to the front of the engine. Booya.

Remove bracket (four bolts)

eieio · Postby **eieio** » Thu Jan 09, 2014 2:03 pm

probably a good time to replace the timing chain & tensioner shoes

oreogaborio · Postby **oreogaborio** » Thu Jan 09, 2014 2:19 pm

Just looked and I do feel a bit of play if I grab the cooling fan. Can wiggle it around a little.

You guys don't think that's from when I replaced my fan clutch a few months ago, do you?

oreogaborio · Postby **oreogaborio** » Thu Jan 09, 2014 2:59 pm

eieio wrote:probably a good time to replace the timing chain & tensioner shoes

How long is the timing chain good for?
What's the approx parts cost?

Anyone know if the water pump is a DYIable job?
EDIT: NM.... mechanic buddy of mine said it's a huge PITA.

Postby **smj999smj** » Fri Jan 10, 2014 6:27 am

The cooling fan isn't attached to the water pump. The water pump is under the timing chain cover and driven by the timing chain. There is a black access panel on the driver's side of the timing cover that allows you to change out the pump without removing the entire timing cover. The black cover on the passenger side of the cover allows one to access the primary timing chain tensioner so you can create slack in the chain to replace the pump. It's a lot easier job in a Pathfinder than it is on a front wheel drive car with a VQ engine! I would make sure it's actually the water pump, first. How can he see sparks if the pump is under the cover?

Postby **disallow** » Fri Jan 10, 2014 7:37 am

Based on SMJ's message, and comparing to what the mechanic told you, I would doubt what you were told. There should be no 'sparks' showing from a failed water pump.

What kind of sound is it? If you cooling fan shroud is out of alignment, it could cause a racket if interfering with the fan itself...

t

oreogaborio · Postby **oreogaborio** » Fri Jan 10, 2014 10:30 am

So what pulley is the cooling fan attached to? Cuz that's what's loose and rattling. I can grab the cooling fan & wiggle it up and down.

Postby **disallow** » Fri Jan 10, 2014 10:34 am

Are all the 10mm nuts still on it?

oreogaborio · Postby **oreogaborio** » Fri Jan 10, 2014 10:37 am

Yes. All snug. That was the first thing I checked when I got it back home.

Postby **disallow** » Fri Jan 10, 2014 11:23 am

I do recall when I changed my fan clutch that the pulley moved a bit when the fan clutch was not holding it in place.

Is it possible that the pulley shifted and has become jammed at an angle, allowing the nuts to feel snug, but still not installed at the correct angle?

Not sure I am effectively communicating this...

First you pull the fan off with the 4 10mm bolts.

Then you pull the clutch off with 4 10mm nuts.

Once you pull the clutch off, the tension of the belt can allow the pulley (PN 21051 in thge diagram on courtesynissanparts) to move forward, and it can become jammed.

Just a theory, but I do remember thinking about this when i did my fan clutch.

JAHBLESSINGS · Postby **JAHBLESSINGS** » Fri Jan 10, 2014 11:52 am

stupid design to have the chain run the pump. sice you did the clutch fan a while back. remove it and start the truck to see if the noise is still there.

oreogaborio · Postby **oreogaborio** » Fri Jan 10, 2014 3:52 pm

disallow wrote:I do recall when I changed my fan clutch that the pulley moved a bit when the fan clutch was not holding it in place.

Is it possible that the pulley shifted and has become jammed at an angle, allowing the nuts to feel snug, but still not installed at the correct angle?

Not sure I am effectively communicating this..

Yeah I totally get what you're saying... that's something I'm gonna try & check this weekend before I bring it back.

That said, when I wiggle it it seems that the bearings it rides on may be toast... I dunno. We'll see what it looks like when it gets back in there.

JAHBLESSINGS wrote:since you did the clutch fan a while back. remove it and start the truck to see if the noise is still there.

Remove the fan clutch? Not sure if that'll solve anything as it's definitely not the clutch itself. It's w/o a doubt the pulley that it mounts to that isn't stabil.

oreogaborio · Postby **oreogaborio** » Fri Jan 10, 2014 3:53 pm

So the pulley that the fan clutch is mounted to.... that is NOT mounted to the water pump, since that's driven by the timing chain....

Is that pulley driving anything else behind it or is it purely for the cooling fan?

Postby **smj999smj** » Sat Jan 11, 2014 3:14 pm

The fan clutch is attached to the "fan pulley bracket," which houses the bearing and is sold as an assembly. If you are seeing sparks, you probably need the bracket assy., Nissan P/N: 21046-EA200. Refer to part code "21052M" on the part diagram link below.

Having the water pump driven by the timing chain is actually a very good idea, especially when dealing with an aluminum block engine. The reason it is good is because if you are driving and the serpentine belt breaks, you can still run the engine without having the engine overheat until you run out of sufficient battery voltage to operate the vehicle. If you're out in the middle of nowhere when your belt breaks, that might be enough time to get you several miles down the road to someplace safe.

http://www.nissanpartszone.com/Page_Pro ... nlPartList

oreogaborio · Postby **oreogaborio** » Sat Jan 11, 2014 3:29 pm

Orly...... Well damn. If it's not the water pump and it's just that bracket assembly, I just may be able to pull that one off myself.

Gonna need to keep researching this one.

Anyone ever have that piece crap out on them?

Horrible rattle under the hood. Diagnosis? NOT water pump.

Horrible rattle under the hood. Diagnosis? NOT water pump.

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