91LS400LEX

More bad luck with my Lexus. I am normally off on Sundays, but I worked for someone today. I ran some errands after work- car did fine. I made several stops. I stopped at a drive-thru and noticed a knocking sound while I was setting there. I pulled out and it was knocking badly then. I pulled over and left it running, got out the flashlight and noticed the water pump was wobbling and moving in/out some. I was going to call home to tell my dad, but my cell phone was dead. I went across the street and called from a supermarket. He said he would come to follow me home. He came and checked it and said it was water pump. I was getting an occasional scraping too. I know it was probably foolish, but I drove the car home the 11 miles with a knocking water pump - it was very bad and loud at times. I drove very slowly however and coasted when I could. During the 24 minute drive, it didnt make the sound for about 30 seconds. I am lucky it did not come off and cause the fan to go into the radiator.

NOW - here is what puzzles me. The car has 217K miles. The timing belt was changed at a Lexus dealer in Atlanta when it had 196K. They charged the PO $1500 to do this, so the water pump was supposed to be changed as well, since it was not changed the first time the t-belt was replaced. So, now - the car either still has the original water pump and they lied about changing it, or the replacement LEXUS pump has failed at 11K miles, which seems strange to me. Despite 11K miles, the thing was supposed to have been changed in 2004, so its been 5 years, so I guess I can rule out that the pump is under any kind of warranty? Either way, it was wrong of the dealer to say they changed it and didnt, or if they did, a Lexus/Toyota brand pump going out at 11K is pathetic. About 4 months ago, I had posted about a faint knocking sound when my car was idling and in park. I thought the worst and thought it was a rod or something, but someone said highly unlikely. I had then ruled it out as the bad power steering pump causing that noise... guess not - it was the water pump all along.

Now I am at a crossroads. I already have a list a mile long of things this car needs, now this. I know this is not going to be cheap.

python

iTrader: (4)

u cant see ur waterpump..its the bracket bearing thats bad

PureDrifter

iTrader: (10)

yeah, more likely to be the fan bracket bearing.

91LS400LEX

Thanks. Well, there is also a very faint smell of coolant (although it looked to be dry), when I was very close down in there, but the coolant level is almost full like it always is. I kept a close check on the temperature gauge and it stayed below 1/2 way on the gauge as always.

Fan bracket - if it is this, I guess I am still looking at having to remove a bunch of junk to get to it?

LiCelsior

iTrader: (32)

lexls.com has the tutorial on how to do the TB on the 1LS.

91LS400LEX

Thanks for that link. I must say when I looked at the front of that engine (on that t-belt/water pump replacement) I almost fell out of my chair!

I am not mechanically inclined at all.... so I may be wrong, but it looks to me like if it is the fan bracket bearing, that all of this still has to come off, or is it connected to the fan rather than the water pump? What all is involved in replacing the bracket bearing and can I buy that only, or the entire clutch fan? Sorry for my ignorance.

LiCelsior

iTrader: (32)

yea its a hassle to get to the fan bracket assembly but u may be able to get away with skipping some steps.

91LS400LEX

Thanks. I sent my dad that link that you posted for me and he said that yeah from what he could tell when he wiggled it that he also thinks its that bearing you mentioned. I looked again and the pump does not look to be leaking and the coolant is almost full. Hopefully its not the pump.

Hopefully I did not damage anything further by driving it on home like that, but I really had no choice. It was hammering by the time I got home and occasionally making a grinding sound.

I am off on Tuesday-Wednesday, I will see what I can do.

I wonder where I can buy this part cheaply? I do not see it listed on any parts site.

91LS400LEX

Thanks for all of the replies. Turns out that it is indeed the fan bracket bearing. I have heard from some that its fairly simple and some have said its hard and it practically takes it down to the timing belt once everything is removed to replace it.

Dealer wants $258 for the part and $160 labor. I found a part online for $165 and I called an independent shop (a mechanic I normally use on my other cars) and awaiting a call to see how much they will charge for labor. Either way, it looks like its going to set me back quite a bit and again, I will have to let something else go that this car really needs, but as it is not, its not driveable.

Oh well.

omarg

you can buy a fan bracket on ebay. $65-90. the bearings are replaceable but too much hassle IMO.

for somebody experienced its a 1-2 hour job. maybe less

not preaching or anything, but your car is 18 years old. the problems you have are not that serious and expected at that kind of age.

worn motor mounts, and a fan bracket are wear out items like tires and oil.

i hear about other carproblems,and they are much newer and much more serious. You dont even have to get the car towed. if the repair facility is close, just take the serpentine belt off and take it easy.