Hi all

So, my car was only overheating when the blower was turned on. Normal driving without the blower was great but obviously there was still an underlying problem. Then, I was sitting in the car, engine on, in park for a few minutes and about a minute after I'd pulled away I noticed the temp gauge was in the red with steam coming from the bonnet.

I pulled over, opened the bonnet and physically watched as the coolant drained out of the bottle with a gushing fountain out of the weep hole in the water pump. Is this just a failed water pump or something more sinister??

I'd post the video but the file isn't supported (typical) so I've attached a still from it.

 

I can't see exactly, where the water is being sprayed out, but the coolant water system is supposed to be a sealed system, i.e. there should not be any water spraying out.
But yes, it looks like the water is going thru the actual wall of the water pump.
Swapping the water pump is quite easy,
The water pump is not too expensive either.
I think I remember that the water pump seal on its own is that expensive that it made hardly any difference if you buy instead the pump AND seal.
But definitely make sure that the pump comes with the new seal. It would be quite expensive, if you first buy a pump without seal and then a seal on its own...