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My car's water pump up and died

Red Rabbit

Picky Pooper
Jan 27, 2007
2,715
0
Colorado
Who knew replacing a water pump on a 94 Subaru legacy would be so much work...

Taking it to the shop on Monday. 500 bucks to replace, parts and labor.

Has anyone done their own water pump? Does it look harder than the Haynes manual says it is?
 

sanjuro

Tube Smuggler
Sep 13, 2004
17,373
0
SF
Put everything back together, replace the timing belt, being careful to get the timing right. The belt adjuster should be SLOWLY compressed in a hydraulic press, too fast and you will be buying a new one (I have used a hydraulic floor jack and a parked truck to do this if no press is availaible)
Nice and simple. Especially for a genius like Red Rabbit.
 

DirtyMike

Turbo Fluffer
Aug 8, 2005
14,437
1,017
My own world inside my head
Subarus are more difficult to work on than VWs.

:)
True, If you decide to do this yourself, just a little suggestion. After you line up your timing marks, and before you take the timing belt off, use a little white out and add a couple reference marks of your own, makes it a easier when going back together, you can transfer your marks from the old belt to the new belt with ease, and after you install it, chances are when you check the timing mars on the cars, youll be dead on everytime.
 

Jensen

Monkey
Apr 30, 2007
248
0
UC/SLO,ca
True, If you decide to do this yourself, just a little suggestion. After you line up your timing marks, and before you take the timing belt off, use a little white out and add a couple reference marks of your own, makes it a easier when going back together, you can transfer your marks from the old belt to the new belt with ease, and after you install it, chances are when you check the timing mars on the cars, youll be dead on everytime.
word. do SOMETHING to make the belt...chalk works well also, saves big headach's in the future
 

Red Rabbit

Picky Pooper
Jan 27, 2007
2,715
0
Colorado
we pulled off the timing belt cover and decide to have someone sle do it. I am going to have replace the timing belt, serpentine and water pump all in one shot.

I don't have all the tools needed to do this.
 

DirtyMike

Turbo Fluffer
Aug 8, 2005
14,437
1,017
My own world inside my head
we pulled off the timing belt cover and decide to have someone sle do it. I am going to have replace the timing belt, serpentine and water pump all in one shot.

I don't have all the tools needed to do this.
Thats probably the smart thing to do, I know 500 seems like alot, but When the person doing the jobn already has all teh special tools needed, and the knowledge to make sure its right the first time, it really isnt that much.
 

Sandwich

Pig my fish!
Staff member
May 23, 2002
21,030
5,918
borcester rhymes
500 is cheap for a complete timing belt and water pump job. especially in a boxer where you have two heads instead of one. If it's DOHC, you have 4 cams to time properly. not an incredibly easy job. Cost me 750 on my quattro.
 

Red Rabbit

Picky Pooper
Jan 27, 2007
2,715
0
Colorado
My aunt has a restored 60's Beetle. I remember as a child (14) my grandpa was changing the coolant/ oil on his cars. My aunt came out and asked if he would change hers.

He said jokingly "I Don't have coolant for a vw beetle."

She got mad and drove off the auto parts store.

She came back, walked to my grandpa and said "How dare you do that? IT was soooo embarrassing. VW's are AIR COOLED"

When ever she comes over we ask her if her coolant needs to be topped off.
 

DirtyMike

Turbo Fluffer
Aug 8, 2005
14,437
1,017
My own world inside my head
Hehe thats funny, I sent My rookie out last week looking for a headlight repair kit. Of caorse I called ahead to all the parts houses I was sending him to!!!


With that, I offer this, I am doing a waterpump on an 88 Mustang here in a little bit, Its running the guy right at 765 plus tax. And his doesnt need to remove the timing belt, which it doesnt have, just everything is mounted to the WP, litterally every accesory drive is somehow bracketted to the pump, He is also getting all hoses, a flush, thermostat and some other goodies while I am there.
 

N8 v2.0

Not the sharpest tool in the shed
Oct 18, 2002
11,003
149
The Cleft of Venus
Tip fpr next time: Change water pump when you change your timing belt.. I do that on my Toyotas every 100k miles

They have to have the front of the engine off anyway to do the belt.
 

DirtyMike

Turbo Fluffer
Aug 8, 2005
14,437
1,017
My own world inside my head
Agreed, Everytime I do a timing belt I at least offer it to the cusotmer, along with the tensioners and idlers. Figure the tensioners and waterpumps have been there for 100k already, do you really think there going to last another 100k?
 

Red Rabbit

Picky Pooper
Jan 27, 2007
2,715
0
Colorado
Fvcking jerks. As i was driving the car home from the shop i kept an eye on the needle. (they had done a compression test too) it overheated. I called them, they said a head must have blown. I said I had almost even compression in each cylinder they hung up on me.
I waited for the car to cool down, opened the cap and guess what? NO WATER. they didn't put any coolest or water in it... Thank god i live next to Napa. A five minute walk yielded me antifreeze and distilled water.

My car now functions properly. I love my car.

Thanks for the help Dirtymike.
 

DirtyMike

Turbo Fluffer
Aug 8, 2005
14,437
1,017
My own world inside my head
Wow, forgetting antifreeze is a terible shop mistake, that means they didnt test drive the car when they were done. Major No No. Make sure they know about it, might want to get it documented as well.
 

DirtyMike

Turbo Fluffer
Aug 8, 2005
14,437
1,017
My own world inside my head
Yeah, I like not being a low bidder, I am happy to know our shop charges more than everyone else, and that we earn the higher pay by always doing a better job. In our shop, not test driving and not filling the coolant, would mean termination.