Waterpump questions

[rccardude04]

The V6 water pump is on the timing belt. If your car is running at all, the belt is fine. My pump went out around 130,000 miles. If your car is around that, I'd be willing to bet that it's probably the pump. I did not change it myself. I took it to a shop since I didn't want to mess with the timing belt. They put on a new timing belt, water pump, and labor for like 320 bucks. They quoted me 5 hours labor.
-Eric

[MX3 GSR for dummies]

A) You're probably not going to be able to SEE water circulating. Especially when the water's not hot enough to give you third degree burns. The thermostat isn't going to open at all until it's at 180 degrees, and the cooling system is pressurized.

Second, the cooling system may take a little running before all the bubbles are worked out. Just check the passenger side radiator cap each time you start the car from cold and make sure it's topped off. If your idle doesn't stabilize after that, try doing a TPS adjustment.

I agree. Just to add, I've found that if the coolant is down when you take that cap off, just squeeze, with cap off, the hose leading to it until water is entering the pump inside, fill up, wait until level goes down again and repeat the squeezing. It may take a while until all the air is out. The way your car is throttling, it sound like the pump is dry.

[lakersfan1]

The V6 water pump is on the timing belt.

No it's not. It's UNDER the timing belt, but the water pump shares the accesory belt with the power steering pump.

[JYOUNYA1]

The reason why I can tell that there is no fluid circulating in the coolant system is A) I filled the coolant resevior tank, and no water or coolant left the tank after leaving the car running for about 15 minutes with the temp guage rising to the red. I took off the rad. cap and it was was bone dry, and the level and in the coolant tank did not budge. I mean correct me if I am wrong, cause I am no MX3 professional...but it the water pump pulley is turning dies that mean it should work?

[lakersfan1]

The coolant resivoir is just that, a resivoir. It won't necesesarily go up or down when the car's on and running. Anyways, the resivoir is more likely to FILL up when the car is hot than to empty. The pressure of high temps pushes some excess out.

Why is the radiator cap dry? You are filling the system at the radiator cap, right?

[rccardude04]

If you look at page E2-010 on the online shop manual, it looks like it's right on the timing belt. That's why they replaced the timing belt when I had my water pump changed.
That's why I assumed it's on the timing belt. The picture says so! I didn't take it apart though so the picture may be misleading..
-Eric

[XxantwawnxX]

Yea it shares the assecerie belt with the power steering. But i do see how that picture is misleading.

[FlyVFR]

Hey, I read this whole thread and I did not see anywhere that the coolant was added to the radiator to fill it back up. I know it goes whithout saying, but you never know.

I would filler up with coolant and take a nice drive while checking for further symptoms. If everything looks good check for any leaks after you park. If it leaks from the bottom of the WP it will need replacement. At which time it may be a good idea to replace the timing belt as well (if it's within 60,000 miles) The reason: To save on labor charges or time and muscle power if you do it yourself.

BTW Pat's and lakersfan are right on the ball

[ovendenk]

the water pump is a straight up b*tch. that's why it costs us so much $$$ to fix/replace it. you have to remove both the accessory belts, both timing covers, alternator, oil dipstick column, then you have to remove the timing belt to gain access to the water pump. that's why you had to replace timing belt because you already have the old one out.

easiest way to tell for sure is put something absorbant (newspaper or something) under the car, fill with coolant at the rad cap (on the passenger side of the engine coming off the front bank), run the car with the cap off for a minute or so to let all the bubbles out, top it off, put the cap back on, and let her warm up.

if she starts to overheat, shut her off and grab a beer to let her and yourself cool off.

after 5-10 minutes remove the rad cap and if there is coolant missing, look underneath to the paper to see if it went there. if not, then you may have a blown head gasket and the coolant is getting mixed with the oil. the coolant won't disappear, you just have to figure out where it's going.

good luck

[JYOUNYA1]

I feel dumb...I have been working on cars since I was 16 years old, now I am going on 25...and I did not add water to the rad cap, that should have been the 1st thing I should have done...I will do that and tell you guys what is going on...one other thing I forgot to add...the idling thing where my idle goes up and down...I pulled the oil dip stick out while the engine was running, and the idling went back to normal...as soon as I stuck it back in, the engine started idling crazy again...I think my K8 is a dip stick sex freak...I will be back tomorrow to let you guiys know.

~Jay

[MX3 GSR for dummies]

I agree. Just to add, I've found that if the coolant is down when you take that cap off, just squeeze, with cap off, the hose leading to it until water is entering the pump inside, fill up, wait until level goes down again and repeat the squeezing. It may take a while until all the air is out. The way your car is throttling, it sound like the pump is dry.

Come on. we've been through these steps already. Jyounya1 do this. i was pretty sure it would be the problem yesturday, and someone else said the same 2day. Lets get your car on the road!!!!

[MX3 GSR for dummies]

oh yeah...the idle thing will correct itself as soon as your pump is active and your cooling system is working properly again! no worries on that issue.

[JYOUNYA1]

Ok, now I feel very very very stupid. Who ever told me to put water in where the radiator cap was...was right. I was low on oil, so I put some oil in, then I topped off the cap with water (no coolant). The car is running like a champ....just to think tomorrow, i was gonna invest in to a turbocharged 97 Civic Si, with a buddy club kit. I would rather take the $8,700, and soup up a KLZE...hopefully that will be in my engine bay before 2007.

Question, now that there is only water in my coolant system...what do I need to do, cause I know they sell anti-freeze/coolant for a reason, and if all cars could just run off water they wouldn't sell coolant. Other than that...the idle has stop acting crazy, no over heating after a 30 min drive...and my car's heater heats up way faster than it did before (in which it took about 10-20 mintues to heat up, now it takes less than 5 minutes). And to think I was gonna buy a new waterpump and radiator. I will do that anyway next month...just to keep the maintenance up to par....(waterpump, timing belts, cam gears, underdrive pulley). Thanks for all your help guys.

~Jay

[MX3 GSR for dummies]

A good mixture rate is 40% coolant and 60% water. I would suggest you go to one of those lube shops and get a coolant flush and that way you can lubricate and protect all the parts of your coolant system and have a good piece of mind that all the fluid is balanced properly. It only costs about 40 bucks. And definately do an oil change since your viscosity will be broken down with all that over heating. Good to hear that things work out for you. L8t's

[lakersfan1]

30-40% coolant, 60-70% water. That's pretty optimal, and more than fine for North Carolina. I wouldn't go with more coolant than that unless you were driving to Saskatchewan in January.

If you only topped off with water, assuming what was in there was already 50% mix, you should be fine. But if you haven't had the coolant done since you had the car, can't hurt to flush the old crap and put new in.