Water pump failure signs?

[TulsaSpider]

I noticed a very small puddle of coolant the other day under the front of my engine. I looked around and the area around the water pump seems to be damp. I could not get it to leak after that. Does the pump start weeping when it fails? What are the signs of failure? I tightened up the bolts a bit, the joint gasket to the metal line is new and tight. I am going to clean up the area and watch for wetness again. I'm going on a trip this weekend so I don't want to get stranded somewhere!
Thanks
Clark

[rlux4]

There is a seal on the shaft of the water pump. When it fails, you got a leaker. Most pumps will have a weep hole on the underside to let out coolant that gets past the seal. Not sure about the one on our cars, but if the hole is there, you'd see evidence of a leaky seal by a rust trail from the hole. Your bottom radiator hose is OK?
Ron

[TulsaSpider]

Yea I replaced all the hoses in the fall. hat's what I figured, I din't know if there were specific tell tale signs for there WP's I have one on order, looks like a really simple job at least.

[manoa matt]

There is a rubber seal on each side of the bearing. The inner seal fails first from the repetative heating and cooling cycles. The rubber looses its flexability and shrinks slightly. When the car is hot and under pressure the seal swells slightly and keeps from leaking. It will usually only leak after the car has sufficiently cooled and the presure reduces, then the rubber seal starts to leak. Thats what makes finding it so hard, as it will only leak a few hours after you drove it.

[TulsaSpider]

Well I cleaned the area thouroghly, the moisture was mostly oily. I ran in several miles on the highway to get it nice and hot, still cannot reproduce the leak. The area was clean, I am continuing to watch it. I grabbed the pulley and it's just slightly wobbly.....

[So Cal Mark]

water pump pulleys should not wobble at all. Once the seal starts to leak, the coolant gets into the bearing, causing it to fail. Wobble completely destroys the seal shortly thereafter. The vibration from the wobble can cause the pulley to crack and the belt can fail

[TulsaSpider]

Stuck one on today after work, it's always something! Thanks for the detailed info Mark!