I'm in the middle of changing the water pump again. I changed the timing belt and water pump about a year ago. So you would think I had this figured out. I'm not so sure.

I had everything all timed in it's proper spot. But when I tensioned the belt and then rotated the engine counter clockwise two rotations, the camshaft pull was off maybe a couple of teeth. Should I start over? or Is close enough close enough? As I type this, I'm believing I need to start over.

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

 

changing water pump again already?@@!!

yeah i would start over

 

Thanks for those words of wisdom.

 

well what more do you need?? it's called top dead center for a reason..and I'm pretty sure everyone will say you need to do it right, and that..no you can't be off a little bit from top DEAD CENTER.

It's just a little hard for me to believe you changed a water pump and it failed on you within a year. but maybe you just did that one 'close enough' as well and thats why it failed.

 

That was a good one, touche. No, actually everything lined up just right before. As you are suggesting, I'm not the best mechanic. Hell, I'm not even a mechanic. I just read the book and ask questions and fix stuff. I'm not sure the water pump was bad. I was getting a leak on that side of the car. I originally thought it was a oil leak. We haven't used that car in over a month when it started leaking. I noticed, when it rained, the spot washed away. Oil doesn't usually wash away. I put the car on the ramps and nothing seemed to be leaking. I changed the oil and checked fluids. The radiator was low. I filled it with coolant. A few weeks later, my daughter borrows the car and it ran hot. She said steam was pouring out from under the car.

I was already thinking by now that it must be the water pump leaking. Here is where I really show my ignorance; I never saw where the steam/leak was coming from. I just took the whole car apart to change the water pump. I can't tell there is anything wrong with it.

The only reason I'm dealing with this car is I cosigned for it and was stuck with paying it off.

 

To find TDC, you can stick a wooden dowel down the spark plug hole and the turn the crank pulley with a 19mm socket *counterclockwise* until cylinder #1 (closest to driver's side) reaches the top and starts to go back down.

 

that sucks..sorry to hear that..

You may want to check the hoses to/from the radiator as well? I've actually managed to pierce one that was hanging out from the plastic cover underneath on a different car before.

Luckily we saw easily where it was coming from as the car was running.

 

I'm with them. Try again until you get the cam timing right. Performance of the engine will be pretty poor if you leave it off a couple teeth.

 

I wish you would have come here BEFORE starting this project.

After you get the new water pump on and the car is running again, check carefully where the water tube enters the waterpump housing on the back side of the block.

If the water pump was leaking there will be evidence at the small weep hole on the water pump.

Was this an aftermarket or 'reman' waterpump?

 

Yeah, the replacement was aftermarket. I think it was new.

I nearly finished last night. I went to install the power steering pump and realized the alt bracket was in the way of the power steering bracket. One step forward and two back. I decided to put off taking the alt. back off. I had a hell of a time lining up the bolt under the alternator on the original install.

To add insult to injury, somebody burglerized my shop last night after I retire for the night. They stole my welding machine, a couple of 18 v drills and tried to steal the $6,000 lawn mower. There was so much stuff that they looked at and didn't get, that I'm sure they'll be back. They had some stuff staged and didn't get it.