Bad water pump?

[low00ranger]

We drove my wife's '96 4 cyl Camry down the interstate for 10 mins or so on our way home tonite, and when we got home and got out of the car I noticed what I thought was an electrical burn type smell. Like the smell when a wire shorts out or when a bearing is spinning against something with no grease. So I popped the hood quickly, and saw some smoke coming from the front of the engine bay by the passenger fender. It looked like it was coming from just below the alternator, but I couldn't exactly tell because it was dark outside. By the time I got some light on the engine bay, the smoke was gone. I ran the car for a little while but couldn't get any smoke. I did however hear a noise that wasn't horrible but it definitely isn't right. It wasn't too loud and was intermittent.... sounded like a bad bearing or just something metal scraping around. The noise seemed to come from the device that is below the alternator but is a little more toward the front of the car. I couldn't tell if that's the water pump or what. It is driven by the same belt as the alt. Can anyone confirm what this may be or what might be going on here? I would like to get the issue resolved before something goes out and we are stranded on the interstate or highway.

[marc780]

Ranger, it says the smoke smell like electrical. No Coolant smell, or oily, like maybe PS fluid. Which fluid levels have gone down? From your post, probly none.

The water pump is driven by the timing belt and it is out of sight, under the timing belt covers. Accesry belts drive the following - A/C, power sterring, alternator. Sounds like the alternator is conking out, belt is loose, electrical load way to high somewhere...My only guess o nthis scenario, Small coolant leak is spraying alternator, killing its bearing, or maybe shorting it????

[toyomoho]

The A/C compressor is located below the and forward of the alternator. It has a magnetic clutch where the front pulley is located. The clutch engages the compressor when the A/C operates. Were you operating the A/C when the noise occurred? The A/C fuse could have blown stopping the noise.

The alternator can have shorted out, or have a bad bearing. Is the alternator light on? If it is an electrical problem, try running down where the odor is coming from.

The water pump is driven by the timing belt.