90Q water pump whine - tbelt is not overtight (Radek)

[Tihol Tiholov]

Happy  New Year to all from the Great White North!

Happy New Year to all Audifans and Quattroholics!
>
> After a long rest in the garage, my son's 1988 90Q is finally on the road.
>  Among other things, the T-belt was changed, together with water pump and
> the relay roller.  The pump is a brand new Graaf.
>
> When the car was first started after the RR, the pump was making a
> high-pitched noise, not too loud but quite pronounced.  I went back,
> loosened the belt a bit so it can easily be twisted 90 deg. with two
> fingers, but the whine is not going away.  It is only there at idle, when
> the RPMs increase, it goes away.  I checked with a stethoscope and it's the
> water pump, rather than the power steering pump right above that is making
> the noise, unfortunately.
>
> Is there a chance that the pump will settle down, or should I replace it
> right away?  I'm afraid of it seizing, with all the consequences.
> Thanks.
>
> Radek.
>

Similar thing happened to my car, also '88 90 q after a t-belt job at 270K
kms. DK why, maybe the pump bearing. The noise was not too loud at idle,
like a whining, and disappeared above that. Drove it like that for a year,
maybe 10-15K kms. Sold the car, new owner drove it for about 30K kms, he
sold it, next owners drove it for almost a year, then said "engine was
going" as per a tech.
If the noise is not too disturbing, I'd drive it and see. Shouldn't be
there but ...

-- 
Tihol