99 XC - Popcorn sound around head - no coolant in tank

[tranmkp]

Wife just drove up from the night shift and said the car has a "sound". I went up and its making a sort of dull popping sound, like popcorn going off or maybe the sound you hear from a hot water heater after taking a long shower. No metal to metal sound, grinding or anything. Car starts easily, runs smooth. No water on CC or dipstick - temp gauge reads normal. WTF?

Any ideas?

[tranmkp]

Wife just drove up from the night shift and said the car has a "sound". I went up and its making a sort of dull popping sound, like popcorn going off or maybe the sound you hear from a hot water heater after taking a long shower. No metal to metal sound, grinding or anything. Car starts easily, runs smooth. No water on CC or dipstick - temp gauge reads normal. WTF?

Any ideas?

Im thinking water pump now - although I have never had a catastrophic failure before. Of course all I have had have been rear wheel drive volvos - you could always hear when the water pump was beginning to go.

Still it was a strange sound - most of the coolant was leaking aft rather that forward.

[JRL]

I would hear it for yourself and not go by what your wife says.
It's pretty hot around here and on hot days you get all odd sorts of noises from automobiles when they're shut off

[tranmkp]

well, it was the water pump - I swear I have never heard that type of sound and it WAS a water pump.

[JRL]

RARE in a Volvo