My adventure home...

[JRScott]

Well today was an interesting day. I got off work at 7 am as usual.

I was driving on the way home when the battery light came on. Not a good sign you say. And its losing power fast as everything is power on the car.

I get it to the Citgo station about a mile from home. Here I open up the hood and the fan belt is off. Okay not to big a problem they slip off from time to time.

Well I call my brother. His wife after not hearing me the first time and on the second call tells me my brother went with her brother fishing this morning so that puts that out.

Okay next I mean to call my uncle and call my grandmother by mistake. Obviously being that she is 84 years old I know she can't help.

I call my Uncle and get him out of bed. Well he arrives and we look at it. In the process of trying to get the existing belt back on as it didn't break we discover that the water pump wheel is very loose, as in loose enough this is going to be a very short fix.

We get the belt on. We start up the road, he's following me as we planned. Get about half mile up the ride just before Shepherd's Automotive, in fact just before Shepherd's yep the fan belt comes off again and water is spilling over the road.

Well with just enough power I get the car into Shepherd's driveway, and park it on the side. Then the engine has no more power. My uncle pulls up behind me he saw the water and asked and I told him yep it was off again. Well it being Saturday of course Shepherd's not at work. So I write a quick note and leave in the car window.

Uncle takes me home. I call Shepherd's and leave a message on the answering machine just to be sure. Though I realize I forgot to tell him where the keys were in the car. Be Monday I suppose before I hear from him, he put an engine in the car couple years back so I"m hoping he can get to it sooner rather than later.

Anyway this is my tale for today. Now the good news is that I have some money in my emergency fund which should cover this expense, which is good. It's good I didn't go ahead and have the roof guys come yet.

Thank you for listening to my tale

[AngelinaCatHub]

From your discription, you have an older type engine with a V belt, not a flat serpentine belt. The V belt usnually is driving the alternator, power steering, Air conditioner, water pump. You should not be losing power in engine unless it was becoming hot enough to seize. Let's hope not. Putting a water pump on is not too hard (unless its a vw) and usually you purchase the front of the pump that is the front housing with the impeller to move water. The bearing goes, and that is what happened. Alway run antifreez in you car for the lubrication and cleansing of the radiator. Change it every year.

I hope it is a simple fix. 'Hub

[JRScott]

Its a 1990 Buick Le Sabre with a 350 Rocket motor. There is one big long belt. It is much as you describe I think the bearings went out maybe the whole water pump. I don't think it became hot enough to seize but once the belt slipped off the alternator wasn't running anymore and the power steering was shot. The voltage would keep running down. Anyway I hope it won't be to bad. I'm just glad I have an emergency fund since BK.

I had the brakes go out last August
Then the fuel lines broke in November
and now the water pump is going it seems .

The good thing is with my emergency fund I don't worry so much . I remember when the engine blew in 2003 or 2004. I was really in a hard spot and really need help. It was hard getting the money back then.

It probably was the loss of power steering that made me think it was losing power

[AngelinaCat]

Scott, I'm sorry I did not get back to you. Yes, the water pump is the culpret as they don't change just the bearing. It is the front pump assembly, gasket and if they are wise, all new bolts to the rear pump houseing. Insist that they change those bolts.

Is your engine inline or sideways. If inline it is easier and cheaper. Please let me know. It should not cost more than $200 with labor. Have them put another serpantine belt on at the same time. It is cheap and will stop a future problem. 'Hub

[AngelinaCat]

OOOOoooopppp I'm signed in as Cat I'm really 'Hub

[justplaintired]

Well JR I know nothing about cars. Nothing. I do know car troubles though. Had my share over the years. Here's hoping it's a simple fix, something cheap, something easy. I am glad to hear you have an emergency fund, that's a big plus. Good luck and be sure to let us know how it goes.

jpt

[JRScott]

Well I have the car back. 141 dollars is all . Not to bad really. Counted an oil change too .

The motor is sideways .

[justplaintired]

Wow you did alright then. Don't you love it when it's not as bad as it could be???? $141 isn't bad for a car repair! and an oil change to boat. Good deal.

[southernbelle]

JR I'm glad you got that sorted out. It sounds like the kind of luck I would have. I'm also glad you had the emergency fund to pay for it because car problems can really get expensive. I plan to drive my car until the wheels come off, then I plan to buy more to replace those.

[JRScott]

thanks