Dimitri2000

Tis I again. The learning noob. So as the title says i need to change my water pump and i would appreciate a mentor or just someone with a little more experience than i do to change it.

The biggest reason for this is that i live in an apartment complex with my mom. I do not think the apartment owners would be pleased with me doing this kind of work here in the parking lot. (i would probably try to attack it on my own if i had a garage)

And second reason is that i go to school i don't have $280 to pay mechanic for labor. (Not that i don't want to but in my current situation that is not plausible)

So anyone who is willing to help me out that i can link up with i would great appreciate your mentor-ship and wisdom.

Really don't want to mess my car up either so someone who knows the does and don't would help safeguard noobie mistakes.

I will get all the needed things parts and so on just need help.

Thanks in advance.

ampire

iTrader: (12)

Just gonna say that the water pump is a *****.

GGENIUS

iTrader: (1)

dude youre pretty much gonna need someone wholl do it for you.

neocry

iTrader: (5)

If you got the tools you can do this yourself. I like you live in an apt so I do all my work behind Autozone parking lot. lol

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ibfs1...eature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GMBIjrYxYMU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Urfe...eature=related

GGENIUS

iTrader: (1)

well, hopefully you at least dont need the car tomorrow.

ampire

iTrader: (12)

The water pump is not something you want to mess with if you are a noob. The reason I say this is because it could quickly turn into having to redo the cars timing entirely, and the VQ30 can be a pain in the *** to time.

Dimitri2000

I pretty much need someone kind enough that would have a workshop or garage i can take my time in to do this and/or oversee what i am doing. :/

Dimitri2000

So after i started to change my belts both power steering and a/c alternator Saturday. I somehow took the power steering tensioner right off and then in getting it back i bent the long tensioning bolt at the top so the mounting part wouldn't go back on it.

Sunday i managed to somewhat undo that.

Monday i put back on the tensioner and all was well.
(So belts are now replaced with brand new gates premium belts)

Rain started to fall that Monday and i waited for it to stop half way through the day then went back out to do the dreaded water PUMP

The video links are very helpful. (Only wish i could have found a good how to or guide on removing that damn motr mount.)

I use the video and a written guide from VQ to successfully replace water pump without taking off moto mount. (Got one of my left fingers cut up real good in the process.)


Well Today Tuesday i closed all the access covers, removed oil pan just in case what some people say about coolant being in there was true and cleaned all the mating points and sealed it with rtv and bolted it back up. Added a new gasket to the drain plug also.

Added coolant and new oil (5 litres of oil) and basically closed up and finished up the job.

The thing is I might have made a noobie booboo and sprayed my a/c alternator tensioner with brake parts cleaner cause i was in the mode of cleaner everything before i put them back on the car. Now i hear a loud squeaking coming directly from that area.

Here is what i want you sages (a.k.a guys who know their stuff about this)
to tell me if you think my problem with the squeaking is because i sprayed it with brake parts cleaner. And if i spray it with WD-40 do you think this will help? Also would tightening the bolt on the center wheel of the tensioner too tight cause this? Cause i did tighten it cause i had to loosen it to get the belt on.

I also have what seems moderately slow oil leak which i will go back and tighten the bolts and drain plug on the oil pan tomorrow and see if that stops the leak. I used parmatex Ultra grey so i think the RTV is ok.

Thankfully no more coolant leak so i fixed the Main problem.

My car is a 1997 Maxima 5MT 309k+ almost 310k miles on the odometer.

All input is appreciated and accepted just please bear in mind. I am a noob and this is my first car. I am really a computer nerd and so far i think i have been doing good with all the things i have been doing on my car on my own.

Thank you for your replies.

sjonesist

The noise can also come from under/over righting the belts.

sjonesist

Sorry, I meant tighting.

Dimitri2000

I see so i need to get the correct tighting? How do i do that? All i saw on the how to video was that the bellt should be tighten to about the point i have half a turn when i twist it. Any advice on what the correct tightness would be with out using the deflector gauge (cause i don't have one and i am not sure i can find someone with one of those)

Dimitri2000

So i spray WD-40 on the nut of the tensioner pulley/idler pulley and tightened the tensioner and squeaking stopped.

Still have that weird *** oil leak.

Maybe i will have to drain oil a take off back pan and reseal the pan with more RTV.

Sigh.

Snypa

iTrader: (35)

Congrats on completing the job. Those videos always come in handy. Guy is a ember of the org, def subscribe as he always makes new videos now and then.

jholley

iTrader: (13)

Congrats on getting that water pump replaced!

If you're leaking oil around the steel pan you reinstalled then try it again. After applying about 1/4" RTV grey sealant along the pan you have to bolt it up within 5 minutes. Those bolts only require from 6.4 - 7.5 lbs of torques. Too much torque will cause a leak. There's a tightening sequence for those bolts. You'll find that sequence in the FSM file labelled EM.pdf:

http://www.nicoclub.com/FSM/maxima/1997/

Dimitri2000

Thanks Snypa

Dimitri2000

Wow you guys are great. I really needed this. Thank you very much.

After getting your input i am certain i did not put enough RTV. And i pray i didn't over tighten.

Should i use a new gasket for the drain plug or is the other one i just put on still good?

What do you suggest

jholley

iTrader: (13)

If you just installed a new one then you can use it again. If you don't give it excessive torque then you can use a copper washer for more than 1 oil drain. I use them for 2 oil drains before I replace it.

If you read that EM.pdf file is gives you all the details you need for dropping and reinstalling the steel oil pan.

ampire

iTrader: (12)

Good job man, thats not a easy job for anyone.

Dimitri2000

Okay Jholley. Thank you. Got class so i will do it tomorrow morning and let you people know if its rectified.

I wonder if i can reuse this oil since i just changed it like a day or 2 ago.

Dimitri2000

Thanks ampire . Yea it wasn't easy at all. But now i stored all my experience in my noobie mind it won't be so hard if it happens again.

Hopefully that is ....

Dimitri2000

Okay. Followed the EM.pdf file instructions. But when i took it off i noticed 1 spot near the number 7 bolt or screw w/e it is that had oil seeped up to that one spot. Anyway i thought that was only cause i didn't RTV the pan properly. Now i know i RTV the pan properly and that number 7 nut won't lock tight.



It locks but not getting that tight traction lick the others.

Besides replacing the whole aluminum oil pan which the pdf clearly instructs how to do (it looks like a whole days work to do that and i don't think i can afford to purchase one.) is there something i can do like get a bolt size thats bigger or something.

(I am assuming that the threading is worn.... SIGH)

Gonna put in the oil in a couple of minutes maybe it won't leak. *I PRAY*

kel456

need to know as well. how tight should it be? a correct way to tighten those belts?

Dimitri2000

Well first of it should not be squeaky. Second i don't know how to explain it. What i did was to take note of mine before i took them off.

It was somewhat stiff. There should be no belly in the belt.

Also it must not be too tight. Let it be stiff but you shut be able to turn it a little.

I can't give specs or anything useful but i hope that helps. That just from my noobie experience.

jholley

iTrader: (13)

Those bolts require little torque so if bolt 7 does lock then it wouldn't cause a leak. If it is still loose after applying 7 lbs torque then try applying thread tape to bolt 7.

Dimitri2000

Kool thanks Jholley. To my surprise there is no leak or anything. If anything should arise i will resort to the threading tape for bolt 7.

Again thank you very much for your advice and help.
I greatly appreciate you and everyone on this forum.

Cheers.

That's all folks.

neocry

iTrader: (5)

Wow! You are rare, a Noob that actually followed our instructions and now pleased with the Org.

Congrats on your success of replacing the water pump and oil leak!