I'm in the middle of replacing my water pump. I got everything off and I'm up to the step where I need to install the water pump. I put oil on the o-rings and pushed it into the engine. I moved the chain and my first attempt was using the three bolts to push the water pump in. But its getting progressively harder to push it in and I even have some metal shavings now. How can I get the water pump to mate with the surface and put the chain over the gear?

I got to get this done by monday. Any help or tips would be great. Thanks

 

Are you using the bolts that you removed? Are you using the M8 bolts which you used to pull it out to secure it back? If you are using the ones which were originally there, you suppose to tighten all three at the same time. Few turns and move to the next. If you are doing this and seeing metal shavings and it is getting tighter, your threads are crossing. Hope its not too far in to cause damage.

 

I'm using the one's that unbolted, not the M8s. What's happening is I get 2 bolts on but can't get the third bolt on. Than I tighten the other two hoping it can get in far enough so I can put the third one on. But I can never get the third one on. I ended up using a slighting longer bolt which helped me begin bolting them at the same time. But again I'm tightening them one by one and than the bolt gets loose. I back up b/c I know something is not right. The pump needs to go in a little further to clear the orange o -ring. It just doesn't budge. I feel I have enough slack for the chain but I'm thinking of turning it a little more just to get a little more slack. Is there a way of pushing the pump in with out trying to use the three bolts?

 

A couple things.

You're supposed to lue the black o ring with coolant and the orange with oil. Not that it would help your current situation, but it's important to follow instructions on the product.

I had to do what Trini mentioned tightening a quarter turn at a time on each bolt over and over again to seat the pump properly. I didn't encounter uncanny resistance or any metal shavings. If there are shavings, you either cross-threaded the bolt(s) or stripped the threads from the bolt hole. Since you said you tighten the bolt whilst it gets progressively tighter and then loose again, I'm leaning toward a stripped bolt hole. Either way (stripped or cross-threaded) you will have to restore the threads before continuing. Do you have a tap and die set?

EDIT: BTW I don't think you can seat the new o rings properly by hand. You need to use the bolts and just turn them a little at a time.

 

Thanks. I'm so scarred I don't even want to touch it again. I do have a tap and die but I'm' going to just get it towed to a shop and take a day off from work. I've been working on my car for about 3 years now and done quite a bit of difficult modding and this by far is the most difficult.

 

^^ hey speed racer since your in NY, are u on nycmaximas.org..if not you can join and meet alot of people that can help you or even come to your place to help you fix it.

 

yea I'm on there. I been a member for about 4 years but recently had a baby and left for a while. If I didn't have to commute I would definitely go down that avenue to get some members to help out but I can't. So, unfortunately I have to come out of pocket. Sucks.

 

I'm getting it towed now. Will see if the mechanic can put her back together.

 

There are a lot of shady mechanics out here man. You may want to double check their work. I can't recall the last time I have seen a mechanic with a tap and die set to re-thread holes. See if the mechanic will warrant his work.

 

He put the new water pump in. So far so good. I have the old one in the trunk so I know I didn't get bamboozled.

I really don't know what he did to get it in but to be honest it wasn't completely stripped b/c I was able to screw it in still. The ignition timing is spot on. Checked with my Auterra. This was probably the first time I did a job on my own that went wrong and I usually do a lot of the work myself. It also doesn't help that I was repairing the car in the street and its my daily driver.

 

That's good to hear. Do you hear any timing chain rattle when you first start the car from overnight?

 

hi i'm bumping an older thread since I haven't yet met the min post amounts. I followed the guides posted on the forums but unfortunately the tabs on the waterpump broke off so now there are no tabs on the pump that will allow me to back out the waterpump from the engine.... anyone that has experienced this problem mind PM'ing me or posting a solution? thank you

 

Tabs? You mean where the bolts go? Isn't it made of metal?

 

Not exactly sure what it's made of but yes the tabs that the M8 thread through....

 

any suggestions on the type of pry bar that people might of been using? space is rather limited so i was wondering if those adjustable ones or a longer pry bar might be needed?

 

If you're using a pry bar you will need more than a new water pump. Do some research first. I did a water pump replacement, first time ever, and I didn't use a pry bar for anything. I found this DIY in 2 seconds on google: http://forums.maxima.org/4th-generat...teup-pics.html

 

If your puller hole ears are broken off, I Imagine youll have to pull the front timing cover off and heat around the pump, using whatever pry tools you can. Good luck.

 

Quickywd01 unfortunately using that method put me in the current situation i'm in. The tabs have broken off and therefore I need an alternative way to extract the water pump..

asand1 i'll look up how hard it might be to remove the cover but if you heat the area around the pump would there be a chance that i'll just be putting more pressure on the pump itself?

 

The problem with DIY's, it doesn't tell you what not to do. Most people can figure out what to do but knowing what not to do is difficult. If you try backing out the pump and don't evenly thread in the bolts then the ears break off. If you heat the metal around the pump it will expand while the pump is cooler and will be easier to remove. You're between a rock and a hard place. Forget what I said about the prying, at this point use whatever you can to get that pump out. Magnets, flatheads, shovels, whatever.

 

Reading this thread it seems like a lot can go wrong in this project. I am new here and can't post a thread. My 98 I30 is running very hot and I believe it is the water pump. It is not leaking or rattling and runs perfect just hot. Radiator replaced 3 years ago, thermostat a few weeks ago. Is there anything that it could be other than the water pump. Maybe the fins have worn off of the water pump? Any other thoughts would be appreciated. I want to make sure before I jump into this project.

Dave

 

What do you mean by hot?? Where is your temperature gauge located on the dash?? If it is near H, check to see if both fans are working and running at high speeds. If that passes, feel your lower and upper radiator hose for temperature. They should both be an even temperature feel.You said that you don't have any leaks and you are not refilling on antifreeze?? If that's the case, I would say that your water pump is still functioning. Check these symptoms and repost your findings.

 

Your right Trini Boom, I wasn't very specific. on the Infiniti the Cold on the gauge is at 7:00, the Hot is at 11:00. It used to run at 8:00. It is now just under the 9:00 point. At a little above that (approx 9:30 mark) the coolant overflow starts overflowing. Also has that terrible pinging noise after you turn it off. The only coolant I seem to be losing is when it comes out of the overflow. There is no coolant in the oil.

The top radiator hose is much hotter than the lower hose. Not sure what it means but I never would have thought of checking that.

Also when I replaced the thermostat a couple weeks ago the engine side of the thermostat looked perfect. The radiator side looked like part of the titanic. Can't believe it is the same part.

I realized I had run water only for quite awhile. Stupid I know, one of those "I will do this for now and then replace it" thoughts where you never go back and change it. Radiator from the top looks clean but who knows deep inside. Any thoughts are appreciated.

Thanks,

Dave

 

By the way, if I was just driving normal it would probably stay just under the 9:00 mark. But with stop and go traffic and the heat (I am in LA and it was 111 today according to my dash thermometer) it goes higher after awhile. I am hoping it is not the waterpump. I am worried that the fins on the pump may have corroded off. I would rather replace anything but the pump. I appreciate your thoughts.

Oh, and the fans do come on (both of them) although they do seem to come on kinda late in my opinion. When it was too hot it did have both fans running very hard.

Thanks,

Dave

 

If the top hose stays hot then your thermostat may not be opening. There are ways to check it by searching or on google. You should also do a system flush with chemicals that are safe for our style engines because not all flush kits are. I recommend a flush incase something is going on with the radiator.

 

That's what feeling your radiator hoses tells you worldspeaker. Your thermostat may be defective although it was recently replaced. Where did you get the thermostat from? As for the pinging when you turn it off, thats the metal contracting that you are hearing. That noise is heard on all cars.

 

Got the thermostat from autozone a couple weeks ago when I first noticed the problem. Replaced it thinking everything would be fine but temp was still just under that 9:00 position. I had put a chemical flush in at the time I did the thermostat but I don't think it did anything. Is there a really good flush that you can recommend or do I need to have a mechanic do some kind of a power flush. It sounds like you guys do not think it is the water pump. That would make my life so much easier! Should I replace the thermostat again?

Thanks,

Dave

 

How do you know if the water pump is bad? Is overheating the only issue or was it making noise while the car was running?

 

It is not making any noise and seems to run perfectly except being very hot. I checked the old thermostat and put it in hot water and it opened without a problem. So the old thermostat wasn't the overheating problem in the first place. So I guess I am down to the waterpump or the radiator. The radiator looks clean from the top but I don't know about the rest of it. So what can I do to figure out exactly what this is?

Thanks,
Dave

 

I don't understand how your car is running very hot. Normal operating temperature is just under 9:00 point. If it goes above that, then your car has a cooling problem but other than that, it is running normal.

 

Here is the proper way to do this if you're going to do this yourself:
from Chiltons
CAUTION Never open, service or drain the radiator or cooling system when hot; serious burns can occur from the steam and hot coolant. Also, when draining engine coolant, keep in mind that cats and dogs are attracted to ethylene glycol antifreeze and could drink any that is left in an uncovered container or in puddles on the ground. This will prove fatal in sufficient quantities. Always drain coolant into a sealable container. Coolant should be reused unless it is contaminated or is several years old.

1. Remove the splash shields from under the vehicle.
2. Drain the coolant system.
3. Remove the right side motor mount and bracket assembly. Use a jack or an engine support to hold the engine in place while the mount is removed.
4. Remove the drive belts and the idler pulley bracket.
5. Remove the water pump drain plug.
6. Remove the chain tensioner cover and the water pump cover.

Water pump and chain tensioner cover locations-VQ30DE engine

7. Using a suitable tool, push in the timing chain tensioner sleeve. Use a small pin to stop the tensioner from returning.

Push in the chain tensioner and hold in place with a small pin

8. Remove the three water pump bolts. To relax the tension on the timing chain, turn the crankshaft damper approximately 20 ° counterclockwise.

After the three water pump bolts are removed, turn the crankshaft to loosen the timing chain slightly

9. Using two longer bolts, carefully draw the pump out of the housing. Turn each bolt no more than one half turn each time, or the pump and housing may be damaged.

The water pump is drawn out of the timing chain case using two long bolts

10. Remove the water pump assembly from the engine. Discard the O-rings.
11. Inspect the assembly for excessive corrosion, rough operation or end play. Replace as necessary.

To install:
WARNING
Do sure not to cut the O-rings on the pump housing when installing the pump assembly. Be sure to lubricate the O-rings before assembly.

1. Place a small amount of coolant on the O-rings to lubricate them.
2. Carefully push the water pump assembly into the housing.
3. Tighten the water pump assembly bolts to 5.1-7.2 ft. lb. (7-10 Nm.).
4. Return the crankshaft to its original position by turning it 20° forward.
5. Install the timing chain tensioner. Tighten the two bolts to 6.2-8.0 ft. lb. (8.4-10.8 Nm.). Remove the retainer pin from the tensioner.
6. Clean the mating surfaces of the chain tensioner cover and water pump cover. Apply a fresh bead of appropriate liquid gasket to each cover.
7. Install the covers, and torque the bolts to 7-9 ft. lb. (10-13 Nm.).
8. Install the water pump drain plug.
9. Install the drive belts and the idler pulley bracket Be sure to set belt tension properly.
10. Install the right side motor mount and bracket assembly.
11. Refill the coolant system.

 

Try pump the hose on the top and the bottom when the car is on, to build up pressure. It seems the pressure is low which is causing the car to overheat. Warning wear gloves when doing this especially if the engine is already hot and to keep your hands from feeling the heat from the return hose. Monitor your thermostat meter. If it stays in the middle for 5 minutes without going up then you're ok..Also check to see if your fans engage. If it doesnt then you know what the problem is. At a certain point of warm-up the fans is suppose to come on. Also check your fuses and relays for the fans.

 

Thanks K ryder for the info. That is going to be very helpful if it is the water pump.

The temp stays at just under the 9:00 mark while I am driving at a decent speed (yeah, like that happens in L.A.). Once I slow down or get into traffic the temp starts to overheat. The fans are on, and the thermostat is open, the top hose is hotter than the bottom hose. I will convince myself it is the radiator and then I convince myself it is the water pump. Anyway I can know for sure?

k ryder can you clarify the pumping the hose test. if the temp stays the same does that mean the water pump is ok?

 

if it was the pump, it wouldn't really matter how fast you're going.
i think it's the rad. if you're traveling above 35mph, you get the wind cooling your rad (and the fans). once you stop, the only thing that's cooling it are the fans --- not enough, obviously.
it might be a restricted flow (but you said the thermostat is good). take the hoses off, drain the coolant, and do a flush with some water.

 

If you dont have any fluid leaking from the bottom between the compressor and the oil pan then its not your water pump. The hoses arent going to cool when you touch them, of course they'll be hot.

Also did you check to see if your radiator is full..Sometimes if you dont have enough coolant topped off in the radiator it will eventually overheat. I had that problem recently. Before you start you car check the radiator and reserve reservoir level.

If the problem still persist then you should replace the radiator. Reason being the radiator could be plugged and it can be restricting the coolant flow.

 

How long will an original pump last (on average)? My old Celica was at 150k & I heard stories of close to 200k. What about the vq30 pump?

 

A follow up to this is that I think a water pump will last longer if not to subjected to higher rpms. The lower you can keep them the further it will go.

 

Well I replaced the radiator and it is still running hot. It stays just under that 9:00 point until it is sitting too long at a light. The only thing I can come up with is the fins on the waterpump have corroded off. Maybe after 247,000 miles that is what happens. It does not leak and does not make noise. With a new radiator and new thermostat the only thing I can come up with is the water pump. Any other ideas? Where on the temp gauge does all of your cars run?

Thanks,

Dave

 

I replaced

 

Maybe you need to take a pic and post it because just under the 9:00 point is normal operating temperature. I don't understand why you replaced your radiator if it was already at this mark. That is where its supposed to be.

 

I replaced my water pump a few months back-here are a few pointers. After I pulled the old pump out I could see the o-rings looked a bit melted on the pump itself. I could feel on the engine with my finger that some of the rubber from the o-rings were still on the engine. Since this part of the engine is very thin and aluminum (soft) I used a scrubbing dish sponge(much to my wife's dismay) the kind with the green stuff on one side. This had just the right amount of abrasion to it to get the remaining rubber off the engine without damaging the metal. I did notice the the twoo threaded holes that I used the M8 bolts on (to back th pump out) had gotten stripped. I carefully used the bolts from the old pump the rework those bolt holes in the engine. Once the bolts felt good going in by themselves I put the new pump in with it's new bolts. You should feel a slight resistance as the new pump seats and it is VERY important to take it slow and turn each bolt evenly and progressively to keep the pump parallel to the engine housing surface.