knocking from engine

[miniclubman]

hi everyone
was wondering if anyone could help me out with my little problem.
I came in from college today and got out of the car with it running and heard a knocking noise. At first i thought it was the exhaust catching something but then I opened the boneet and descovered it was comeing from the radiator end of the engine?? i also have a water leak and water gathers on top of the water pump where it meets the head.
was thinking it could be either waterpump on way out? hence the water loss or alternator?
any help would be appreciated

[lowandslow]

sounds like the water pump best thing to do is slacken off the fan belt and feel if there is any play in the pump, by the sounds of it it should waggle about all over the place

[Cooperman]

Take the fan belt off, let the engine cool right down, then run it for no more than half a minute. If the noise has gone, then it's the water pump (or alternator, I guess!). If the noise is still there it's not the pump and you can then investigate further.
The strangest problem I have ever had with a rattle from that end of the engine turned out to be a fractured engine front plate where the alternator slide bracket bolts through. I thought it was a cam follower as it sounded so bad and it was only when I had taken the engine out and started to strip it that I found the problem.

[miniclubman]

thanks for the replys have put new water pump and alternator on as the bearings in the alternator had gone