In the old days, the sound of a deteriorating waterpump was evident. My Crossfile has a a very subtle chirping sound that clearly can be heard at idle. Is it something I should ignore or is it the pump?

 

I would check the belt for cracking. A good way to eliminate the belt is While the car is running at idle spray a little lube on it WD 40 works fire. See if the noise changes or disappears.
Tim

 

Using a petroleum based lubricant on a rubber product isn't a good idea. Oil deteriorates rubber. They make "Belt Dressings" specifically for this purpose.

 

It wont hurt the belt to just check it. just a little squirt will tell you real quick. Belt dressings leave a stick residue behind. And sling junk all over the engine bay. If the belt is cracked and checked it needs replaced any way. So no harm.
I build custom cars for a living and would not give out bad advice. I see enough of it on the net. Its a simple check a guy can do himself without much trouble.
Tim

 

I guess I learned nothing during my 16 years at the "Belt" division of BF Goodrich. Oil away my friends.....oil away.

 

What makes you think it's the water pump and not a pulley, alt, p/s pump, or the belt itself ? When a water pump starts going bad it makes a grinding noise and starts leaking out the hole near the bottom of the pump. I would start at the belt for chirping noise and go from there.

 

i would think wd40 would make it slip like crazy and would be hard to get off once it soaked into the belt. personally i would not do that.

 

I am not sure what a chirping noise would indicate. Years ago when I worked in a Chevy dealership, a loose fan belt wood squeal very loud when you raced the engine, if you tightend the belt a bit, squeal would go away.
I agree a bad water pump makes a grinding noise, and does leak from the bottom.

 

Not suggesting you soak the belt. On a serpentine belt system the top side of the belt will ride on some of the pulleys and the bottom side will be the tension side.When the belt gets worn or dry it will start a chirping noise. All the lube will do is help identify if the belt is the cause of the noise. Just one little skirt will either change the pitch of the noise or eliminate it all together. If it has no effect on the noise you can safely eliminate it from the equation. By all means don't drown the thing with lube. The only reason I said WD40 was most people will have a can laying around the house. Would I use it as a dressing.Not a chance.
Tim

 

When I recommended "belt dressing" I meant silicon spray. That's what we used.
Excess can always be wiped off.

 

There you go, Belt dressing will work even better.Like the hood on your car by the way. OK just like the whole car.
Tim

 

Thanks......

 

It's O.K. Mike... I think he has a bad water pump...