2003 Range Rover HSE sounds like it ate a cat!
 

Yesterday I noticed a rattle in the engine compartment of my 2003 big body rover. It proceeded to get worse. Sounded like a cat was stuck in the fan. Opened the hood, nothing obvious. Turned off the AC and tried again, the noise got worse and more like it was chewing up parts. Water is under the car today. Water pump shaft??? Thanks

You need to pinpoint the noise for us to help you. What you described, could be anything. Spend some time and see what conditions the noise gets worse/disappears etc.

Scott is right, we need some more information. You may try to turn the engine over by hand using a wrench that way if there is a major problem you are not making it worse while cranking it over.

Are you low on coolant or is it just water? How many miles are on the truck? One of the best things you can get to diagnose sounds is a mechanics stethoscope. You can get one at most auto parts stores for about $10.

03 Rover
 

Update: Dropped the lower spash shield and found 7 cylindrical roller bearings half inch long quarter inch wide. When squeezing the radiator top tube coolant is flowing out of the water pump area.:(
Thanks

Sorry, 64K

Well sounds like you found the culprit. I'm a little surprised by the outcome because your truck is too new with too ow miles to have that catastrophoc of a failure. Usually you will have all kinds of warning signs before it gets to that level. You will usually start hearing a noise, losing fluid, and/or overheating long before it explodes like that. I would look everything over very well and make sure something else isn't going on to have caused that.

Thanks Chris. While wheelin in the sand dunes 8 months ago I blew off the top radiator hose and lost most of the coolant. Limped it back by borrowing water bottles and some sandy river water. It got warm a few times and I cautiously refilled and bled the puke tank to get home. Had the shop replace the hose and put in a T stat. Are the bearings from the water pump? Perhaps the sandy water? Thanks,

I am sure the sandy water did not help. Usually you will hear the bearings going in the pump before it actually goes. I would do a good flush with the new pump to make sure it does not toast the new one.

Blasted German fine tolerance engineering! If it was a real rover it would have farted out the sand the next morning:)