Don't know how to use this forum, but kidnapping a Nissan Tech is a felony. I'll get right to it. 2003 Max GLE. nice car. bought it needing waterpump (allegedly). water coming from weephole when added to radiator. replaced waterpump by the book. no change. figured I must not have tightened it down far enough or seated properly. remove, inspect, all looks good. reinstall. this time tighten snug, pour water in radiator... still coming out. tighten more.. still coming out. tighten more.. snap of bolt head. snap off another trying to loosen. so here's the rub. there is a weephole channel going thru the center of the H2o pump body. it connects an upper hole machined into the block and the lower hole that exits the case. how does this work? is it possible the water isn't bypassing the seal ( highly unlikely having installed / inspected it twice)... but is coming from the upper hole in case, thru the pump body & out the exit. seems to pour out uninterrupted. can somebody please explain this ? don't want to undertake the near impossible task of extracting the broken bolts from the case... just to end up where I am at now. Replacing pump should be a pretty straightforward job. WTH?

 

I worked at a pet store and we adopted an umbrella cockatoo from the family of an old lady who ddied. The bird said a few random phrases while there were people around, but if the store was empty and the employees went in the back she would start screaming the most terrible things.

 

which Engine?

 

2003

 

there's no visible water pump weep hole on any VQ Maxima engine from 95 until now, they just leak internally into the engine oil when they go bad....

you may need to post a picture of what you are calling the water pump...

 

There is a hole in the water pump between the 2 O rings. It leads out to a weep hole in the rear timing cover. When the O ring leaks, coolant will drip out behind the alternator.

 

The upper hole is plugged.

 

JSutter aha! Mine is leaking exactly where you have shown this upper hole to be. I haven't been able to put an eyeball on it... But I can put a pick into it. I've installed this water pump correctly 5 times. After tightening it, I pour water into the radiator to check for seal before putting it all back together. Every time... I get a a quart or so of water in... It starts to run out of the location you've identified. It comes out like a stream, completely uninterrupted. That is why this hasn't made sense till now. I figure even an improperly installed seal would at least interrupt the water flow. So am I understanding you correctly? This upper hole does exit the inner timing chain cover we're it mates to the block... Above the alternator mount where the lower weep hole is located. So is a missing plug the issue? If so... How could this be repaired? I don't think I have confused where the leak is coming from. Removed the alternator and AC compressor so I can definitely see the source. For sure 2 in above the bottom of the water pump. So unless the lower weep hole gets routed up... The water is not coming past the seal, through the pump body and out the weep hole hidden behind the alternator mounting bracket. Really appreciate your reply. Took me awhile to log back in here. Anybody encounter and repair this issue before?

 

To clarify the above pics:
The lower hole, circled red in the 1st pic, is open to let any leaks drain freely.
The upper hole, circled blue in the last pic, should be sealed with some kind of plug.


Check the following,
Damaged O rings or they are mixed up, you changed these multiple times probably not the issue.
Pump shaft seal, could both pumps be defective?
Corrosion in the timing cover where the O rings seal, is there any damage to the hole where the pump fits?

 

I can't seem to get my reply past the moderators. Maybe I'm doing something wrong. Anywho... I think I am missing the upper plug. I can put half inch tip of 90-degree pick down a hole and move it around. Exactly where you show the upper hole to be. Assuming good water pump, proper seal... If pouring a quart or so of water in the radiator to check for good seal would come out the top hole if plug is missing... Mystery solved. Why Nissan engineer an upper water Channel and plug it? Is it pressurized by the coolant system or passive? If I am missing this plug... Any suggestions how to repair? Going to be very difficult to find someone familiar with this. I read another post of a guy who had exactly the same situation. The post ended without a resolution. I sure hope you can help. Much appreciated :-)

 

You need to put the cooling system under pressure.. somewhat.

Remove the alternator,compressor and its bracket, the a/c bracket is why you cannot clearly see this to have a closer look. I do have some 3.0 covers at my shop I can look at closely to verify plug or no plug. You could have shifted the gasket surface against the block, doubtful but a proper pressure test is the only way to ID This. The water Pump has 2 seals according to nissan, they are different in sizes and part #. Think of the rear cover this way the gear side of the pump seals oil, while the impeller side (Inside) seals coolant. So if your leaking coolant, I'de check to make sure the inner seal and surface are in fact correct and undamaged. Ide also suggest that you try a new pump, it could be leaking though its body. Its OEM or bust on these.

 

Reinstall original pump with new O rings and call it a day.

 

Dear CarterEdwards,

Reality sucks has just replied to a thread you have subscribed to entitled - Inexplicable H20 pump nightmare - in the 5th Generation Maxima (2000-2003) forum of Maxima Forums.

This thread is located at:
https://maxima.org/forums/showthread...6&goto=newpost

Your advice is appreciated. I've inspected and cleaned the inner timing cover water pump housing thoroughly. I've reinstalled both the original water pump and an after-market pump several times. New seals from Nissan look perfect every time I remove the pump. I have removed the alternator and AC compressor. After installing the pump, seating it and properly tightening it down... I start pouring about a quart of water into the radiator. No sooner do I get the water in, than it start pouring out in a stream just behind the inner Bolt at the apex of the timing cover cut out for the thermostat housing. This location is above the pump and precisely where Js indicated there is an upper whole that's supposed to have a plug in it. I've removed and resealed the thermostat housing and am confident it's not leaking from there. It comes out like a stream from a weep hole... Rather than a leak. I would definitely appreciate it if you could inspect your inner timing cover for this hole and plug. What type of plug is it? Do you think it's pressurized by the coolant system? What is its purpose? And you think there would be any way to repair it without removing the outer timing cover?
Much appreciated., I suspect this problem is a rare occurrence and not many could provide good advice.
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[QUOTE=Child_uv_KoRn;9246842]Reinstall original pump with new O rings and call it a day.[/QUOTE



Your advice is appreciated. I've inspected and cleaned the inner timing cover water pump housing thoroughly. I've reinstalled both the original water pump and an after-market pump several times. New seals from Nissan look perfect every time I remove the pump. I have removed the alternator and AC compressor. After installing the pump, seating it and properly tightening it down... I start pouring about a quart of water into the radiator. No sooner do I get the water in, than it start pouring out in a stream just behind the inner Bolt at the apex of the timing cover cut out for the thermostat housing. This location is above the pump and precisely where Js indicated there is an upper whole that's supposed to have a plug in it. I've removed and resealed the thermostat housing and am confident it's not leaking from there. It comes out like a stream from a weep hole... Rather than a leak. I would definitely appreciate it if you could inspect your inner timing cover for this hole and plug. What type of plug is it? Do you think it's pressurized by the coolant system? What is its purpose? And you think there would be any way to repair it without removing the outer timing cover?
Much appreciated., I suspect this problem is a rare occurrence and not many could provide good advice.

 

my reply to you is going to the moderators. You should see my intended reply to you in the thread. I think I've eliminated all possibilities except for this mysterious mystery plug in the inner timing cover, above and integral to the water pump housing. The water streams out above the water pump at the apex of the timing chain covers cut out for the thermostat housing. Just behind where the bolt closest to the firewall AKA innermost thermostat housing Bolt secures the housing. I would very much appreciate it if you could look at your inner timing cover to check for this plug. Threaded? What is it made of? Do you think it gets pressurised by the coolant system? Why is it there? Where does it go? What's its purpose? LOL... That's a lot of questions. Anyway... I think you know what I'm getting at. I'm hoping by you looking at it... might be able to figure a way to repair it. Preferably with the timing covers in the car. Like maybe pushing some solder up into the hole and heating up the block to melt the solder and seal up the hole. Any clues about this upper hole would be appreciated. Thanks to the Geniuses at Maxima forums :-) invaluable resource

 

The upper Hole is open... Ive checked 2 other covers I have also. No plug. Are you sure water is infact coming out of this hole and not leaking down from the thermostat housing.? Or inlet.? The area between the seals is dry. Unless the inner seal is leaking.. .. Use the flat point end of a zip tie or something and with the pump removed see if you can clean the lower hole. push it down through the lower weep hole to make sure its clear..from top side down. There is just no way the top hole is leaking but not the bottom. lmk

 

thank you very much. Your photographs make things very clear. If no plug... Then I still haven't identified the problem. I will follow your suggestion to clear the lower hole. The rationale being that if water is leaking past the seal... It would find its way out the lower hole first. I think first I'll remove the thermostat housing again and pour water in without the housing. I should be able to see the whole with a mirror and a light without the thermostat housing in place. Ninety-nine percent sure it's coming out of that hole and nothing coming out the lower hole. Then I can remove the pump again, inspect everything and verify whether the lower hole is clogged or not. I'll post the results. Thank you very much for your efforts. Very helpful :-)

 

That actually makes sense. They might've dumped stop leak in it for a long time? But still why would it be leaking?

 

how can I confirm the water pump is sealed? No matter how many times I install new pump Nissan seals perfectly... Water comes out the weep holes when I try to fill the radiator to confirm a good seal. Does that make sense? If properly sealed.. wouldn't possibly come out the weep holes. Correct? I've been 2 months at this, installed water pump half a dozen times, tightened down... Over torquing bolts, broke them off. Manage to extract and replace them. Had to drill one out... 2 are definitely well torqued. Put the water pump in and used a long screwdriver to pry against the Big Bolt I rethreaded on to the idler pulley stud... Definitely pushed the pump and presumably the seal into place. Some considerable resistance tells me the seal is being pushed into the housing. Still leaks out the weep holes if I pour water in the radiator. Every time I remove the pump to check the seal... Everything looks perfect. Housing looks perfect. I'm going to have to throw this beautiful 03 GLE silver with Dove gray interior 150k away if I can't solve this issue. New thermostat housing and Gasket. Not leaking there. Remove alternator and AC compressor so I can see where it's leaking. leaks from both weep holes after pouring about a half a gallon of water in the radiator. Had a real tough time with the top bold which I couldn't extract and had to drill out, tap and put number 7 bolt and washer in. Barely any threads... But tightened down pretty good. Is it wrong for me to assume water shouldn't leak out the weep holes when I dump water in the radiator to check for a good seal? For the life of me... I can't understand what possibly is wrong and how I could do anything else other than install the pump perfectly like I have done several times. Any suggestions? It doesn't seem to matter how many times I remove and reinstall it.. I get the same result. Some water does spill out when I remove the pump... Giving the impression that the pump and seal are holding back some water. Just don't know what to make of it and don't know what to do.

 

You wouldn't imagine the timing cover is somehow broken, but it must be. Cut your losses on the time invested and 2nd/3rd gen DE swap it. **** it.

 

well that sucks. LOL. Thinking it must be something else. But you definitely could be right. Not sure what else it could be. Anybody else have this situation with a broken inner timing cover? I'm not the best mechanic... But not bad either. I suppose realistically, removing the timing covers with the engine inside the car in a gravel driveway without the best tools having never done it before is probably a pipe dream... Or rather a recipe for disaster and further failure.