[marcus ransom]

Just noticed I'm loosing water from under the engine, roughly a foot away from the drivers front wheel, could this be the water pump packed up? if so how difficult is it to fix?

 

[SFulcher]

Be careful to ensure that you keep that coolant well topped-up or you could end up with a Head Gasket Failure.

 

[rover416si]

Have a good look around the back of the engine, it could be something else leaking (such as thermostat housing, steel pipe etc). If all the pipework seems dry and coolant seeps under crank pulley it's the pump. To change it you would need to take the cambelt cover off, align the crank pulley at 90btdc, take the cambelt off the cam pulleys etc...so it's a few hours job, if you are not familiar.

If you go that far (or in that case have a garage do it for you) ideally replace and the cambelt for piece of mind.

 

[Amagoza]

Just noticed I'm loosing water from under the engine, roughly a foot away from the drivers front wheel, could this be the water pump packed up? if so how difficult is it to fix?

Yes, water pump.
To change it means new cambelt time.
Garage will charge about 200.
To do it yourself, pump 30 quid, belt 25 quid.
May as well change the alternator belt and PAS belt at the same time as they have to come off.

 

[marcus ransom]

As long as I keep an eye on the coolant, is it ok to carry on driving? not big journeys, only untill Friday.

 

[cjmillsnun]

As long as I keep an eye on the coolant, is it ok to carry on driving? not big journeys, only untill Friday.

DIfficult to say.

It may last 3 weeks, it may last 3 hours.

Eventually it will sieze. It is likely to snap the cambelt at that time, result 1 toasted engine.

I wouldn't recommend it

 

[SFulcher]

I would not reccommend a long journey, and certainly keep a bottle of water in the boot!

 

[AAANDY]

I would difinately NOT drive it untill fixed (except to a garage). The reason is that to fix just a leak even if replacing the pump and timing belt is far cheaper than a head gasket and you woulkd still have to replace the cause of the leak i.e. water pump. In my experience the engines dont always run the same after head gasket problems, even when done by a reputable engineer.

 

[marcus ransom]

Umm, confused now. Been out in for a drive, I know it's probably not a good idea, and checked under the car to see how much water has dripped and the odd thing is there's nothing not a drop. What have I done :yikes:

 

[Amagoza]

Water pumps do that, fine one minute then leak the next.

If you drive very short journeys and keep a bottle of water with you then I'd chance it, keep one eye on the temp gauge permanantly.

 

[ashy]

I wouldn't drive it any great distance and would get it checked ASAP. Keeping an eye on the temp gauge may not prevent HGF.
If the pump decides to dump all your coolant while your zooming down a road you may not have chance to stop in time to prevent HGF and I don't even think the temp gauge will register it if it does dump it.
It relies on the flow of coolant to pass over it to give a temp reading.

 

[concerto]

Rovers water pump failiar is normal after 80k mileage.
a new water pump would cost £25 + vat, and easy to replace.

 

[roverham]

I wouldn't risk it. I had HGF on my last Mk2 200- garage reckoned it was the water pump failing which had caused the engine to overheat and to ultimately cause the HG to fail. K's have a very small water jacket (thats why they warm up in seconds!) so even a small water loss can be serious.