[TheRealDeeej]

Recently replaced the water pump on my girlfriends 2002 zx5. Couple days later, the serpentine belt fell off when she was driving. Somehow it looks like the water pump pulley stopped spinning, because it's broken at the points of the bolts.
I have a crappy picture because it was night time and dark, but hopefully yall can somewhat see it.

On that note, since Ford discontinued the part, I went to a junk yard. They told me the pulley is out of the same engine.....but it looks different:

It's worrying me because it has kind of a hump on it if that makes sense?
Anyways, what could cause a failure like this? Could it be just a faulty water pump? Is this pulley okay to use? Or should I scavenge for another one? Should I simply replace the pump and pulley?

 

[sailor]

Pulley bolts loosening can make it wiggle/break, you won't know more 'till you actually look at it closer.

 

[amc49]

Like said nine times out of ten bolts came loose to break pulley if job just done a while back. Usually because they are hard to get to to tighten.

 

[TheRealDeeej]

Okay, so I just need to make sure I tighten them up then?

 

[felixthecat]

Okay, so I just need to make sure I tighten them up then?

Yea^^^^^^ for that'll really help.

 

[TheRealDeeej]

Lol that made me sound really stupid. Well, I'm fixing to get my tools and head out to the car and see what's going on. Hopefully that is all it was. Worst case, I'll be putting in a new pump again.

 

[ianmcc]

Don't forget a little blue threadlocker as well.

 

[amc49]

Take a SQUARE shafted slot screwdriver and lock it between two of the bolt heads as a lever and then tighten the leftover one, then move to another. You'll easily be able to tighten them enough so no loctite needed, great idea but sucks at next time removal.

 

[TheRealDeeej]

I just held the pulley with my hand and tightened the bolts real tight. It was fairly easy with the new pulley. I don't think it's gonna come off. Looks like I gotta flush her whole cooling system again because she has that yellow sludge you get from mixing different type coolants. I thought I got all of it out last time, but there is more around the reservouir. She also has a leak somewhere because there is a nasty yellow puddle under the car. I don't know how this car is still running. I'm waiting for her to get off work so I can put the serpentine on and try to get the car home. It's been in some church parking lot and they want it out.

 

[amc49]

Your stuff and do as you will but holding pulley by hand means bolts not tight enough in my world. Think about what most other guys do like you, exactly the same thing and why the bolts come out. Then think about whether you could hold that pulley with engine running.........................yeah, it puts THAT MUCH load on it.

Luck............

 

[felixthecat]

I just held the pulley with my hand and tightened the bolts real tight. It was fairly easy with the new pulley. I don't think it's gonna come off. Looks like I gotta flush her whole cooling system again because she has that yellow sludge you get from mixing different type coolants. I thought I got all of it out last time, but there is more around the reservouir. She also has a leak somewhere because there is a nasty yellow puddle under the car. I don't know how this car is still running. I'm waiting for her to get off work so I can put the serpentine on and try to get the car home. It's been in some church parking lot and they want it out.

What became of your pulley issue?

 

[TheRealDeeej]

Car runs better than ever! She's driven it a bit over a 100 miles so far and no issue at all.