Water Pump pulley system explosion help

[chad2020]

First of all, I would like to introduce myself. I'm Chad from Indiana and have owned my 97 aurora since 2002. really the only thing I have had to repair is the water pump about 3 years ago. I have viewed this forum religiously for the past year just learning about my car.

My issue now is my son was driving it, he heard a squeeling and BAM. It overheated and he parked it. I got it home and looked under the hood and the water pump pulley system is shot. See photo. I have read about the tension pulley which i'm probably going to end up buying the whole assembly since you can't buy the pulley itself because it blew out all the bearings and the onlything left was the outer ring which i'm holding. My next big issue is the drive pulley which I haven't seen anyone have to replace this part due to total destruction like mine has. The auto part store has no idea what it is called, how to get it. I need to know if anyone knows anything about this drive pulley that runs the belt for the water pump? I can't believe how tore up it is. Any advice how to go about getting it or any info would be great.

On the photo, i have already taken off the tension pulley assembly. HELP !!!

[Deleted]

what on earth? I have never seen any kind of damage like that. Does that big pully on the right spin freely? or atleast spin? That kind of damage I can only assume would be from bearings going out and the pully locking up completely. Not only do you need to try and figure out what happened, but also watch the headgasket. Don't wanna scare ya, but an over heating, even if it is only for a short period of time, can have catastrophic reprocussions on these engines.

How long was it driven while over heating?

[bobsblue95]

Welcome and holy crap!

This is why you shouldn't use carbide belts! j/k, I just made that up, but that's basically what it looks like!

That big pulley is attached to a camshaft. I believe it's technical name is water pump drive pulley. Probably a salvage yard item.

As mentioned, these engines are very unforgiving to even a little overheating. Keep an eye on it, and good luck!

[glennda5id]

This happened when my pump went. Pump seized and the cam pulley and the tensioner pulley eventually burned up. All parts can be had new. Email Bill at www.partszoneonline.com/ for part numbers. You will need a puller to get the camshaft pulley off. A PS pump puller should work. You may also want to replace the camshaft oil seal while you have the pulley off.

[chad2020]

i think it was the tension pulley bearing that caused it all. I assume the drive pulley (large one on the right) which is connected to the camshaft kept spinning while the belt was lodged in the broken pulley and it just ate up the larger pulley. I was worried about the water pump, but when I got it all off and took off the hose to the WP, I spun it with my hand and it sloshed water out, so it seems to be working fine. It was just replaced a couple years ago. I couldn't find anything on the internet for water pump drive pulley and neither could autopart store, I will check the link above.
As far as driving it while overheated, he stopped quickly which was a coule blocks from the house. We waited a bit, there was some coolant on the ground, which I don't know where it came from, hopefully from the overflow, but after it cooled, I started it and drove it home. It started and ran fine. Hope there isn't any damage to head gasket. What are signs of blown head gasket.
Thanks for the help and I knew it would be a shocking post with the damage. Loving the carbide belt comment. lol. It sure looks like it huh.

[chad2020]

there are no junkyards that even have an aurora around here. Is there a different vehicle with same set up I can get. They act like the aurora is a rare car. lol. In that case, I should have a piece of gold sitting in the garage huh.

[bobsblue95]

Probably any 93 or later Cadillac with a Northstar engine. I don't think this pulley changed over the years but hopefully someone can say for sure.

[sall]

Hey guys remember there is a parts list in the stickies.



The WP Pulley is dealer item only I believe. $30.95 from gmpartsdirect.com or upwards of $50 at your local dealer. Maybe cheaper at a salvage.

[chad2020]

what is the deal with these salvage yards. They are all saying that northstar engines and parts are really hard to come by. Surely they aren't that slim. There are alot of old caddies out there.

[glennda5id]

I honestly think you are wasting your time trying to get this part from a junk yard. Email bill at partszonline and they will send a brand new part to your door.

You can get the tensioner/pulley assembly from rockauto for $61. The part number is 89049315. You can also get the same thing from partszoneonline. I would recommended replacing the tensioner and the pulley as an assembly and not just replacing the pulley.

Regarding the cam pulley, you will need to get the part number from Bill.

[sall]

Agreed with buying a new one, but the GM OEM part numbers are listed above.

[chad2020]

thanks glennda, I did email bill and he sent the part number, but hasn't responded to my email regarding the tensioner/ pulley. I was hunting junk yards while waiting on Bill.
Thanks

[glennda5id]

The part number for the cam pulley is not in that diagram. It only shows the idler pulley and the water pump pulley.

[sall]

Alright then... Chad what is the OEM part number given to you to by Bill for the water pump pulley.

Everything I come across says the large pulley on the cam is the water pump pulley.

Step 17 of Valve cover removal is "remove water pump pulley from the intake camshaft"... use J38825



I only used valve cover removal as example because a hasty search of FSM and I klnew you had to remove the pulley to remove the cover.

Also, www.cadillacforums.com/forums/cadillac-seville-cadillac-eldorado-forum/36893-waterpump-belt-snapped-help-95-eldo.html

Important Excerpt from above link:

Re: Waterpump belt snapped. HELP! 95 eldo overheating
Jon,
Thanks for posting back on the results of the ripped water pump belt, it certainly explains the lack of circulation.

The reason the belt ripped is most likely the water pump is binding, or possibly the tensioner was not applying enough pressure to the belt to spin the pump, but enough to cut it with the pulley ribs/grooves. My money is on a bad water pump.

Getting at the water pump is easy, unscrewing the pump itself can be hard. The actual water pump is in the water pump housing and is unscrewed with a special very large socket.

It only takes a short twist in the clockwise direction to release, but often the water pump is very tight to crack loose. Once you start stripping or bending the water pump ears it can be a real hassle to remove.

I use the special socket and a 1/2" breaker bar, with 2 feet of cheater pipe to break them loose. Some people have not had too much problem breaking them loose, but I would not count on it being easy to turn.

Therefore, if you decide to do it yourself be prepared.

It is also most likely that the water pump drive pulley (that is mounted on the camshaft end) is ruined. The pulley is made of nylon or some type of plastic and ribs/grooves and it gets melted/deformed from the belt resisting rotation. Replace it. It comes off easy with a standard puller, like for a power steering pump pulley.

If in doubt about your ability to unscrew the water pump, this job is best done by someone has done it before, and has the necessary special tools to do the job.

Get a couple of quotes before you commit yourself either way.

Rough time estimate:
Water pump drive pulley – GM #3535846 $30 (list)
Water pump about – GM #? $80 - $120
About 2 hours labor – Includes Water pump drive pulley R&R, Water pump R&R and replace lost coolant.



Take note of part number listed....


The tensioner can be purchased at autozone/advance.

[glennda5id]

I guess I figured that the water pump pulley is for the pulley on the water pump it self. Its hard to tell from the original diagram that you posted what part that pulley goes on. I have that second same diagram you posted on alldata, and it says water pump pulley as well, but the alldata titles say camshaft pulley. Definitely confusing.

[sall]

I agree, confusing. I just wanted to verify or make for certain we were all on the same page.

[chad2020]

ya the part number is : 3535846 it is called water pump drive pulley from my research. I still haven't heard back from bill. I called the gm dealership and he had one in stock for $52 and that is what i'm getting tomorrow along with the $56 tensioner pulley assembly. Hopefully problem will be fixed. I will let you know. What will be a symptom of busted head gasket when I start it up after fix?
I really appreciate all the help guys. Excellent !!

[bobsblue95]

If it's not overheating or anything, then the only way to be sure there's no HG leakage is with the kit that tests your coolant for presence of exhaust gas chemicals. In my case it's bad enough that I can see the exhaust coming out of the coolant reservoir (even when there was water in it.) It's not a cheap test and it may be one of those things you don't want to know because... then what?

[chad2020]

Ok, got it all changed out. Everything seems to be warming up fine, but the blower isn't kicking on. When it overheated origionally he got the message overheat and ac has been shut off, something like that. Is there a reset somewhere.

[bobsblue95]

no reset for that... the PCM turns off the a/c compressor when the engine hits a certain temp and allows it to work again when temp is within normal range. Does NOT affect blower motor.

No blower motor can be caused by several things, despite people immediately suggesting blower control module is bad.
For no blower motor, check in following order (especially #2) :

1. fuse
2. continuity, motor to bcm (broken wire or loose or corroded plug?)
3. bad motor - connect directly to battery, it should spin full speed.
4. bad bcm - power in, control full on, but no power out... replace bcm.


Based on what I've read on the forum, I've seen more documented failures from #2 and 3 than from #4, but for some reason everyone likes to jump to the conclusion that the controller module is bad. Maybe they have one for sale.

[chad2020]

strange, what ever happened to it was when these pulleys blew up. I'm hoping it is a fuse. The PCm? i'm assuming that is what gave the overheat warning and the a/c shut off message. I'll check those things.
thanks

[chad2020]

ok, looks like i'm back in business. Don't know why, but I had to bring the tempature setting down for the air to kick on then the blower started. I raised the temp up to 90 and it was blowing hot air like crazy. Now that was the simplest fix yet. I want to thank everyone for helping me out with this pulley nightmare. I have photos of the new products and numbers for any reference in the future I'll post

[bobsblue95]

wish I'd have thought of it sooner, I'd have given you my pulley for shipping. I'm not using mine. and AFAIK a replacement engine will include that.

[chad2020]

parts used to fix pulleys