i was driving delivery in my b5 2.8 12v yesterday. omw back to the restaurant, my car started to smoke and squeal a little. it smelled like burning antifreeze. smoke came from just behind the power steering pump. it was idling for about 5 minutes when i heard a metal on metal 'tink' and then it squealed loudly and stalled. almost didnt want to start again but fired up after a second. now its got a slight tick. at first i thought it threw a rod, spun a bearing or dropped a valve. havent had this kind of catastrohic issue happen yet so im kind of in the dark.

NOTE: after it was running and driving for 5 hrs straight (driving delivery is pretty harsh on cars) the engine temp gauge was reading slightly above cold. my heat took about an hour of driving to get warm. clutch fan was damaged a few days ago when i suspect that it tore apart the power wire to the power steering pump(the larger purple and grey connector by the reservoir). so no PS and clutch fan was unbalanced. oil level has been spotty due to a leak at the lower oil pan.

at this point, im buying another b5 and this car is gonna be used for educational purposes so i know how to repair future b5s, so im just fishing for answers. any ideas?

 

Take the covers off the timing belt and inspect for any leaks. If the water pump bearing has seized, it will destroy the timing belt and bend the valves since the AFC engine has no clearance between the pistons and valves.

If you have a 'ticking' sound, it may be a part of the timing belt that has come apart and is hitting the covers.

 

Ditto the water-pump concerns. Also check to see if there axial play on the water pump bearing. Sometimes when they get bad they come out too far and rub on the back of the aluminium bracket right in front of the pump.

 

just for a comparison.... what are the normal/common symptoms of a water pump failing?

 

There are different types of water pump failures. The most common is leaking through the vent hole at the bottom of the impeller shaft. Bearing failure is also common and can present itself in several ways: noise from the bearing; excessive movement by the pulley and shaft and overheating due to loss of lubrication.

If the bearing overheats, it usually fails abruptly in the form of 'seizing', taking the drive belt along with it.

 

so i havent been able to get my hands dirty with this yet due to the lack of a garage. but i did take a video of how its running and showed a few gear head friends. its probable that my thermostat failed thus causing my water pump to fail. it explains the lack of heat and the abnormal engine temp readings. ill keep posting once i have the opportunity to start tearing everything down.