Been very busy with work, but accumulating bits n pieces.

Had a water leak in the vertical hose from the crosspipe, not big, but enough to overheat the car after a 5m drive.

Got around to replacing these, was a PIA, as well as all radiator hoses and thermostats. Put it all together and took it for it's longest drive, around 15 minutes, finally the thing was staying reasonably cool, I could actually drive it. checked for leaks and it was all good.

Topped up water today (engine off) and immediately noticed water stream under car. All I can see was water dripping on the pulley... so water pump?
A little research tells me in for a whole heap of pain.

What the hell happened overnight ? I was happier with the smaller leak.

 

Nothing for it but to get in there and look, Remove the belts and see if you can see the source. A new pump is not that difficult to fit, once all is out of the way...
If you are not 100% sure about where it is coming from, buy a cheap radiator pressure kit, which is a great tool to have if you are keeping the car.
or
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Radiator-...IAAOSwpmhbxJiS

This sort of thing is a rite of passage with a V12, do not despair, once fixed all will be well for a long time!

 

Roger, OOPS I mean Tony,

Water pump is rare, NOT unheard of, but rare. At $400 make sure.

The hose from the water pump top "inlet" to that steel crosspeipe underside is common, even after a new hose fitted.

That steel crosspipe itself is common now. They rot out on the underside, and fiddling to do the 3 hoses usually kills them. Stainless replacement were around a while back, have not looked recently.

15 minutes, well done.

 

Will let it all dry up and try looking again tomorrow, but im almost certain it's dripping from behind the pulley.
yep 15m was it's first trip to the servo, $20 petrol and then threw it around some back streets, no leaks.
still running rough and was hoping to start ironing out that electrical mess now, but that'll have to wait. If it's a water pump it will be parked again for a while.

 

The waterpump has a little outlet on the bottom (& top) of the reinforced protruding section that holds the bearing, which allows coolant to escape if the seal has failed - from your pic it looks like the coolant is streaming out of this hole suggesting seal failure.

The pump can be rebuilt with a new bearing/seal which costs around £50 - I did mine & it's not too hard a job. You need a hydraulic press - I bought a cheap one just for the job.

 

This is a pic of the waterpump bearing housing with the pulley removed. That small hole on the very bottom of the picture is the hole that allows coolant to escape if you have a seal failure.

 

Thanks so much, have had a closer look and its impossible to see exactly where the leak is, definitely behind the pulley area though, that hole would be 99% likely.
my uneducated guess is that by fixing the hose leak and thermostats the cooling system was perfectly sealed and this caused pressure which killed the water pump.

Have managed to source a local reconditioned pump, will look to remove mine when I have time.

hoping It can be done without removing radiator, and potential seized/snapped bolts are cause for concern.

 

It can be done, radiator in place; but it is far easier, particularly the first time, to do it radiator out. The power steering tensioner arm has to be removed as it is on a fixing which has to be undone (this is from memory but I am pretty sure). I have a vague memory that one fixing on the B bank side is a stud that has to be removed too. Also one of the fixings is a giant-sized pozi screw head as it is countersunk to avoid fouling the pulley. Be SURE you have the correct large pozi bit for this, as rounding it out will be a disaster. Pozi 3 from memory again.
Finally, when refitting, use locktite on all the hex-headed fixings - not the pozi - as they sometimes come undone without it and a leak of epic proportions ensues - happened to me.

 

Hi Beep

A few years ago I had the very same problem, where Water was streaming down from on top of the Pulley, so I was thinking the worst the same as you but what happened was it turned out to be water leaking out of one of those Banjo's underneath the Top Closing Panel

Then running along underneath the Closing Panel itself until it dripped down on the Pulley and it only took me a Week to find the problem!

So things may not really be as bad as they seem, though if you undo those Banjo's for any reason at all, then always refit with Brand New Copper Washers, I also did a Video which I can recommend you watch if ever you have trouble Sleeping, as this is the liquid equivalent of having to watch paint dry

In the same thread is a 'How to Guide' on replacing the 'Drop Links' on the Front Anti Roll Bar which may be useful to others

Water Water everywhere but not a drop to drink! Mystery Water Leak dripping down onto the Pulley