Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums General Troubleshooting Can you hear the bearings in a WP going bad?

Car is currently at the dealer... said it sounds like the water pump is making a lot of noise, bearings are going bad... can you really detect this? I never have before. 98 Zetec BTW Also, is the WP driven off the timing or serp belt?

Waterpump bearing squeak or shaft seal leaks normal cause for wp replacement, unless you have v6 with plastic wp impeller where impeller can crack.
Serpentine belt; timing belt used for rotation of camshaft(s).

In other words yes, it very well could be a bad waterpump. Like stated earlier, it could leak from the seal where the pulley shaft enters the pump or below it, It could make a very annoying noise, you might be able to see the belt wobble a little, or D: All Of The Above.