How can you tell if the water pump is going bad? I thought that i heard the classic sound of bearing starting to make noise, but now I'm not sure. I tried squeezing the top hose with the engine running, but did not see any fluid coming out of the water pump area. It's an 83 non turbo...thanks.

 

Perhaps the coolant level is low... have you opened the rad cap to check the level?

Can you see the water pump pulley spinning? Unless you've used pure water (no coolant) for the past 30 years, I doubt the actual blades are gone.

 

Every water pump I have ever seen has a weep hole at 6 O clock, behind the bearing and seal. If the bearing starts to go, the seal lip gets displaced enough to allow coolant to exit the system and come out the weep hole.

Getcha hand under the base of the pump and feel around for wetness at the hole

On edit: Did you mean "going bad" as not actually leaking per se, but not actually pumping?
As in - maybe the impeller has become detached or erroded to nuthin' but a nub?