yknot once bubbled...
Might be off topic but what kind of car do you own? Water pump on a timing belt? I doubt that. If water pump bearings go, timing belt jumps, timing goes out, valves crash into pistons........... you get the point. Water pumps will fail, not a question of if but when.
1994 Dodge mini van, with a 3.0L It's not a zero clearance engine, timing belt breaks or jumps, engine stops. Pistons do not meet the valves, no damage caused.
I know the picture all too well, my brothers Jetta diesel broke a belt, destroyed the engine. Recommended replacment was 100K, broke at 108K. Work order when he dropped it at the dealer for it's 100K service said "Do whatever is required", dealer didn't replace it, in fact all they did was an oil change. After my brother brought in his copy of the work order, the dealer bought him a new engine, no lawyer required (which would have been his next step). He ended up paying $500 of it, which is the book cost to replace the timing belt.
I also had a 1990 Voyager, same engine, till it wore out (330,000km/206,000 miles). I put on 2 timing belts and one water pump while I had it. The current one had a new timing belt when a head gasket went 3 years ago, and another last spring when a crank seal went. At that time the mechanic recommended a new water pump as it was a $75 part and a lot of labour to get there, so I took his advice.
We now return to your regularly scheduled topic. KNOW YOUR GEAR!!! Applies to cars, boats, SCUBA, etc. Too many people, put too much faith in someone else to keep equipment that their life depends on in shape. Sit and listen to the Coast Guard on VHF on a summer weekend. And you thought there were unsafe divers. :boom: