Dave R.

Turns out the crunchy noise was just from the water pump bearing, the impeller vanes looked just fine.

I had the car flat-bedded to the local Dealer which replaced the water pump and also replaced the two idler pulleys and the tension pulley which were badly worn and grooved - apparently because coolant from slight leaks before the water pump really let go allowed the serpentine belt to slip and wear the idlers.

In hindsight a warning sign that the water pump was starting to leak was several seconds of belt squeal on startup from coolant on the serpentine belt.

Labor was over $900 (back then). Will likely DIY the next one.

yelcab

it took 6 years to fix?

Dave R.

No, fixed back then. Just realized I’d not closed the loop.