Hi Just looking at the water pump on my 01 2.5 AWD there seems to be a Whiteish chalky substance around the water pump and general area. There's also a noise best described as a tweeting sound from the same area. Does this sound like it may need replacing?

Also it looks like the original pump and the bolts do look rusty, is it an easy job to do? It does look straightforward once the battery and tray are removed. I'm just a bit wary of snapping the bolts.

All assistance welcomed

Thanks

 

HoJo, doing a water pump on this car is super easy. Just remember that there is a drain port on the right bottom corner of the radiator that you can get most of the coolant out. You are correct in that you will want to remove the battery. I don't seem to recall removing the tray when I did my water pump. Also, loosen the bolts on the pulley before you release the tension with the tensioner. This will make removing those bolts much easier. As for the worry with the bolts, TIME is going to be your best friend. This is where you spray, let sit, spray some more, sit some more, spray a third time, etc. The trick is trying and knowing how far you can go before you break a bolt. Sometimes, it is just going to happen. Not much you can do about it. This is where if you can get say a turn or so on each bolt, then you can break the water pump free and then get the penetrating fluid in closer to where it goes into the block. Now, there are tons of penetrating fluids out there. The two that I would recommend is PB Blaster and Kroil. Those seem to do the best job. MOre is not necessarily better. The trick is to apply a little, let it soak in, apply a little more, let it soak in, more, let soak, etc. There is no magical "do this and there won't be a problem". There is always a chance. The more time you can give to let the fluid work, the less likely something is to happen.

I would also recommend getting come high temp RTV or Form-A-Gasket to add to the paper gasket that comes with the water pump. You apply a little to both sides of the paper gasket (apply to the side that faces the water pump, lay the gasket on the water pump, then coat the other side just before installing to the block). This will help ensure you don't have a leak later. This would also be a good time to apply some good anti-sieze (Molykote is good, N5000 is good, etc). This way, if you have to do this again, you will have more confidence that you won't snap a bolt.

 

Thermo Thank you very much for in depth advice. I'm hoping to get this done over the weekend. I'll let you know how I get on. Thanks again really appreciated.

 

Just to say I completed this successfully. Only issue I had was the casting on the replacement pump. It was an AirTek brand and wouldn't fit into the housing. I took it back to Euro Parts who swapped it for another brand and that fitted great. Thanks

 

I thought for sure this extractor would do the trick & it would if it didn't widen too soon. The Knipex Rennsteig 9R 471 001 (3 Screw) extractor Size 1 seated nicely on the first try & I thought I had it, but no cigar. Using the bushing I made from a bolt made it relatively easy to boar a 1/8" hole all the way through the broken bolt. I was able to saturate both ends with penetrant.

I also have a set of 3 Hercules extractors any one of which should do it, but the collar after the extractor part is wider than 6mm; hence, the extractor part can't get far enough in. Is anyone aware of an extractor that won't bind on the mounting surface? Any other ideas? Thanks, Steve S.