Peabody wrote:
>
> I don't know what all is involved, but if, for example, the water
> pump is actually driven by the timing belt, then the only way a
> failed water pump would cause an interference disaster is if it
> failed by freezing up, in turn causing the timing belt to break. If
> it just starts leaking, then that's expensive, but not a disaster.
> It seems highly unlikely that a waterpump is going to suddenly fail
> by freezing up.

Actually, a common mode of water pump failure is for the shaft bearing to
become loose and develop free play. This free play would in effect loosen
the tension of the timing belt and increase the likelihood of it slipping or
jumping teeth. The end result would be that the mechanical timing is
changed and the engine bends valves. Granted, the above situation is a
worst case scenario but I wouldn't exclude it is a possibility.

Eric