i think that it is the bearings that go bad... and they go bad because coolant gets around a seal to them... so essentially it is a seal that goes bad. if it goes bad fast enough (leaks fast enough), your pump will lose water out of a hole at the base of the pump onto the ground.<P>i think that the 10 minute coolant system flushes screw up the seals in water pumps... i have often seen one 'go bad' shortly after the flush was done.<P>i had a water pump going out on a honda civic i had once ('77 non-CVCC).. it was making a 'going bad' noise, so i order a new one... 3 day wait, no prob eh? well, the bearing seized up that nite, and the pully twisted off the pump.. the center was still bolted on, but the outer 1/2 had torn off... darn, i should have taken a pic of that...<P>later.gene. <P>------------------<BR>Gene Bosche'<BR>Mean_Gene@Pirate4x4.com<BR>1988 Toyota 4Runner SR5 V6<BR><A HREF="http://www.toyotaoffroad.net/gene/4X4/4Runner/4Runner.htm" TARGET=_blank>My 4Runner Website</A>