Water pump leaking...

[bean]

Hey Guys,

After 2 months and over $2500 in parts alone - I turned a $150 Legacy into a REALLY nice running machine.

Thanks to Ciper for the rear strut assemblies - the car handles awesome. Front struts are a bit soft compared to the GR2's, but the increased spring rate and the slight rake the wagon springs gave worked great.

I resealed the motor, rebuild the power steering pump, new tensioners, timing belt, timing belt tensioner...etc etc. All OEM parts!

Car has been running two weeks since I replaced all the wheel bearings and wheel seals.

Went to weigh the car so I could g-tech it for fun and the freaking water pump lets go and coolant is streaming out the bottom! It's not from the gasket - coolant hose is new to the water pump. Looks like it is coming from the shaft seal.

Water pump was a OEM from the local dealer - anyone gone after incurred costs on a DIY install? I'm livid with the thought of having to go back into this engine after all the hours that have gone into it.

Thanks - I think I mostly needed to vent...

Rabin

[THAWA]

heh, You shoudl've done the waterpump when you took off the timing belt, but not much you can do about it now. It does sound like it's the waterpump. Guess ya gotta go back in there. It's not much harder than doing timng belt, just unbolt the mounting bolts and put th new one on good luck. Also if you haven't already you might as well replace the oilpump or something while you've got the belt off again.

[petridish38]

Same thing happened to me.....after I did the timing belt, the water pump went out. But I had intentionally not replaced the pump while I had the timing belt off becuase of how easy it is to go back in. So I said, no problem, i'll just go back in and replace it.

If you had a Honda or something then you would have reason to be pissed.

Should be about $50 for the pump....a few bucks for the gasket. (2 rubber coated metal gaskets...so I didnt use any gasket sealer or anything) took me about 2 hours, maybe a little more...but I like to take my time. It can be done in 1.5 hours.

Andrew

[entirelyturbo]

My personal opinion, which I share with ciper, is just to replace everything you can replace when you're in there. All oil seals, belt tensioner, water pump, etc. etc. Then you won't have to worry about it for another 60k miles.

I did my timing belt when my water pump started squealing. I replaced the pump, belt, tensioner, and front crank seal. I did not replace the cam seals because at the time, they weren't leaking. Now they are , I hafta go back in there and replace them now...

[evolutionmovement]

Its usually good practice to replace the water pump with the timing belt - some cars require it. I had mine go on me a few days before I was going to replace the damn thing. Good thing I had my bike in the back...

Steve

[boostjunkie]

I had the same problem in December. Didn't even realize the waterpump was weeping (it was always wet out) until one day the temp needle started going up and coolant was blown everywhere in the engine bay! Probably a result of the pump working, then stopping, working, then stopping.

I replaced it for $900 (it was COLD and I couldn't do the work myself) and three months later the car was gone:(

[evolutionmovement]

Who charged you $900?! That's like a $220 job, tops.

Steve

[elkaboom]

Actually, most of the waterpump job is labor -ever change one? It's pain in the a$$ and then some. Most shops around me charge $300-350.00. The pump itself is between $50-65.00 -at least that's what I paid, but I got mine at a dealership so I might (read: probably) have overpaid.
The upside is that I got a cool ballistic plastic STi insulated coffee mug for free when I had to wait a week to get the frigging pump. It's funny how I end up getting stuff for free up there because you usually have to wait a week to get your parts; their truck comes once a week , so if they don't hav ethe part, you're basically screwed.
Anyway, just my .02 cents worth.

[THAWA]

It's not really all that much a pain I think. Just drain the coolant, remove the alt/ps and ac belts, remove the crank pulley, take off the timing covers, remove the timing belt and take the pump off. You can remove the rad for more space and you might as well since you have to drain it anyways. Yeah there's more little stuff you have to do but it's pretty easy all in all.

[evolutionmovement]

I replaced the last water pump myself and found it to be pretty easy. My biggest problem was compressing the tensioner and finding something to hold the piston until I could install it. Parts total was about $100 with a couple hours labor doing it in the street when I'd never done it before. My mechanic says he does them in about 1.5 hrs or less.

Steve

[petridish38]

The water pump on these cars is easy. I've done it twice on my car.

My biggest problem was compressing the tensioner and finding something to hold the piston until I could install it.

A vice and a small enough hex wrench works fine....a coat hanger will work too even though its a little tight.

Andrew

[boostjunkie]

Who charged you $900?! That's like a $220 job, tops.

Steve

Firestone. I know I was getting screwed but they were the only company that could accomodate me on such a short notice. If you remember, I was also trying to get my car back on the road at that time since it was my only means of transportation to work:(

[evolutionmovement]

Firestone's the worst. I went in once for an alignment (after hitting a set of uncovered railroad tracks at 50 while off roading in my '84) and they told me I needed $800 worth of suspension work and even made up the name of a part! I thought that was only in bad comedies. I waited until my mechanic could take me instead and he bent a rod back into witha vise and a hammer for $40 and the car was perfect.

Steve