Hey Folks,
Been pretty fortunate for the past 4 years, until now. Was driving home today, and heard some "clunking" coming from the engine compartment. Temperature started to rise, and got the ACE, SES, and Voltage Light. Pulled over as quickly as I could, and started pouring steam. To make a long story short, the serpentine came off, and mangled itself in the pulleys and fan blades. I noticed that the large pulley from the water pump is very loose, it moves back and forth 2 inches or so in either direction. Bit of steam coming out of the hood, but the temp only got to 276 F. The back portion of the fan blades are a bit chewed up too. Just had the truck towed home.

Obviously, I need to replace the water pump and serpentine belt, which were actually sitting in the back seat waiting for a day to do this. While waiting for the tow truck, I was tooling around under the hood, and checking the pulleys. The ACE pump pulley doesnt seem to rotate as easily as the rest. Is this the norm, or am I screwed? Any advice on what else I should be looking for would be appreciated. It's been 2 hours with the truck deadlined, and it's eating at me.

Thanks in advance.

 

I might not be 100% on this, but I think the ACE should be harder to turn as it runs with a higher pressure. I don't see why a thrown belt would screw up that pump. Hope not though, and hope the temps didn't get too high to really mess things up. Where was your temp reading from? If by the t-stat the coolant was not circulating to over there.

 

Well... on second thought it could have been the ACE or something that seized cause the belt issue. I do kind of think that is an outside shot though... maybe more chance of the water pump.

 

Only?

You're going to need more than a serpentine belt and whatever shredded it. Sorry.

 

The bearings in your water pump went out, the pulley got to loose and the belt "wondered" off of the water pump pulley.
Check your radiator for damage, this is common and then the water pump fails like this the fan usually eats the radiator.

 

I am thinking along the same lines as Spike. regardless of what needs to be replaced (belt, waterpump, fan, and radiator(?)) You really need to get a handle on how long you were up in that temp range. 276 id pretty damned high. If it was only a spike to that you might be lucky if it slowly went up there and kinda hung out you will be looking at some real damage. I am a bit of a temp freak even makes my mechanic laugh. his general rule is as long as it is not hanging out above 220 all is well as soon as it gets close to 240 your screwed over 240 and you are taking an engine apart to see what can be salvaged. Others here may have different opinions on the actual temp range but I would get her to a local LR tech and let them sort it out before you start replacing little pieces that will only need to be removed for a bigger job. Having said all of this let me extend a heartfelt so sorry! and I hope I am dead wrong.

 

You might as well plan on doing head gaskets also. With a temp. of 276, there is a good chance of dropping a sleeve at which point you will be looking for a new motor.
Don
Don't plan on getting out of this problem cheaply.
I am just about to install a 4.6 in my engine, that locked up last week, and my engine was pampered, never over heated, just locked up.
If you want some help on where to start, send me your number and I'll call you.

 

Damn DM, I would love to hear the forensics on your old motor. That sounds a little disturbing. Maybe you dropped a timing chain or something? Sorry to hear that, guess it happens to the best of us

 

The short version, wasn't leaking any coolant, 2 days in a row, i noticed a little roughness on cold start, no smoke and went away in 10 seconds or so. Next morning went to cold start it, engine turned over 1/2 rotation and locked up. Towed to a friends house and was able to start it but ran rough and was blowing tons of steam. Pulled the heads, found the front corner of #1 with a 1" tear in the head gasket, checked everything else, seemed good, put it back together, fired it up and as soon as it warmed up, had smoke again.
Runs OK but pumping a lot of coolant thru the exhaust, we missed something on the inside, will open it up later but for now, it is going to get a brand new, complete dealers 4.6 long box, right out of the crate which has been given to me by a very good friend.
Will up date with pictures over the next week or so.

 

Now that is what i call a really really good friend... he doesn't have another one just sitting around waiting for someone like me.

I think I read somewhere that your health was a little on the not so good side Disco Mike I certainly hope that it has turned around and all is well.