AE101 GTZ Waterpump

[AE82 FXGT]

Hey, I think my waterpump is leaking, I'm yet to pressure test it so I'm not 100% sure yet, but if that is the case can some one tell me how much work is involved?

I had a quick look and figured I'll have to drain the coolant, remove the top hose etc.
Then the Power steering hoses get in the way, do I have to undo these or is there a way to unbolt the reservior and move the lines?
I think the AC lines get in the way aswell, how do you get around this?
Do you have to undo the engine mount that's there?
Does the cambelt have to come off?

Once all this is out anyway it doesn't look like the pump will come out and go in easy as there's not much room there.

Any help or suggestion would be good.

[evil_si]

a/c is fine, powersteering hoses just undo the bracket that holds them and they move enough,

if waterpump is leaking replace cambelt and idler at same time, have to remove it to hget to waterpump anyway,

remove lower stone guards, belts, radiator hose, engine mount, cam belt covers, not a bad job to do,

pretty easy really, dont need much in the way of tools,

17mm socket for crank pulley, T bar pulley to remove crank pulley,
10mm socket for covers, 14mm socket for tensioners, 12mm for adjusters and waterpump bolts. 10mm spanner for waterpump pulley, pulley does come out can be a tight fit between chassis rail thou.

[AE82 FXGT]

OK Cool, when I remove the engine mount what can I support the engine with? I don't have much in the way of an engine crane or anything.
Could I support the engine with a strategically placed axel stand or something?

[evil_si]

yea or blocks of wood, or trolley jack

[Loudtoy]

a/c is fine, powersteering hoses just undo the bracket that holds them and they move enough,

if waterpump is leaking replace cambelt and idler at same time, have to remove it to hget to waterpump anyway,

remove lower stone guards, belts, radiator hose, engine mount, cam belt covers, not a bad job to do,

pretty easy really, dont need much in the way of tools,

17mm socket for crank pulley, T bar pulley to remove crank pulley,
10mm socket for covers, 14mm socket for tensioners, 12mm for adjusters and waterpump bolts. 10mm spanner for waterpump pulley, pulley does come out can be a tight fit between chassis rail thou.

You don't actually need to remove the cambelt to get at the water pump, it may help but not essential. Like he says it's pretty straight forward, make sure you take the pully off the pump before removing it otherwise its a pita to get out. Took me about 6 hours but i did have to go get a family photo half way through so really about 4 should do it.
Also don't need to take the engine mount off either so really all you need is 14mm socket, 12mm socket and ring spanners and 10 mm ring spanners and socket.

[AE82 FXGT]

OK, the cambelt is due for replacement anyway. Is replacing that straight forward?
Is it possible to mark the belt and cams/crank with twink (like a line along one of the notches on each cam and the crank) then take that belt and transfer the marks to the new belt and then just line up all the marks?

Or will it be easier to use the marks that are there?

It's my frst cambelt and I don't want to screw it up (I've been fidiling around with damn chains...)

[evil_si]

yea it is that easy, some people just confuse them selves and others

there are 3 marks, 2 on each cam, must be facing up and line up with the marks on the cover behind them
and a dot on the crank gear, there is also a cast rib on the oil pump housing were this lines up,

dont try and transfer twink marks onto new belt, just asking for trouble IMO.

i have done cambelt and waterpump on fwd ae101 drive in drive out in about an hour and a half, first time and inexperienced may take a bit longer thou

[cr1mnl]

just line it all up to tdc #1 cylinder before you take the old belt off. ie notch on crank pulley inline with pointer and cam pulley timing marks aligned. cant go wrong really.

edit: damn you beat me to it

[AE82 FXGT]

OK I'll have a shot at it.

Does the cambelt run anything else at all, or is it just the cams and crank?
So I have to get, a cam belt, cam belt tensioner, and waterpump.

Thanks for the help guys.

[Lloyd]

dont try and transfer twink marks onto new belt, just asking for trouble IMO.

Personally I mark the notches with twink so you can see them (usually fairly obvious once you've lined up the crank anyway, and usually obvious if you're 180° out). I make marks on the belts too and transfer them over, but always double and triple check those.

[bluemaumau]

OK I'll have a shot at it.

Does the cambelt run anything else at all, or is it just the cams and crank?
So I have to get, a cam belt, cam belt tensioner, and waterpump.

Thanks for the help guys.

yup thats it. the toothed crank pulley (runs the cambelt) is behind the crank pulley which runs everything, so if youve got worn/squeaky belts its probley a good idea to do them in the same go.

also you may need a pulley puller to get the crank pulley off, as there sometimes c**ts, just go borrow one from a mechanics if you need one tho!

sweet

[AE82 FXGT]

The puller will just be one of those 2/3/4 jaw pullers eh?
Are there any other specialist sort of tools needed?
I have the basics covered, sockets, screwdrivers, spanners, pliers etc.

[AE82 FXGT]

So I pressure tested the cooling system to find that there are no leaks in it when it's running at 1 bar (the cap holds it at 0.9 bar).

I was told to take the rocker covers off and make sure the heads torqued down correctly, if that doesn't do anything I might have a headgasket leak ...

I suspected the leak because the car overheats (goes past half way, only when giving it shit or long trips) and does swallow up some coolant, I have to top up the overflow every couple of days.

Does anyone else have any suggestions?

I think the diagnosis is right but hey if anyone else has ideas I'll be glad to hear them.

I'm going ahead and replacing the waterpump anyway because I might as well now that the cambelt is due.

[Mr Revhead]

is your fan working?
have you had the head off?

[AE82 FXGT]

yep, fans working.

no I have never had the head off, but it's high kms so someone else might have...

[Mr Revhead]

teekay test it

what point are you filling the overflow up too?
do you have the correct cap? not just pressure but fitment
some aftermarket caps hand subtle differences from genuine meaning they dont work properly

[AE82 FXGT]

Yeah I'll do a teekay test on it, suppose thats the solid way of finding out if the gaskets leaking.

There was an aftermarket cap when I got the car, so I don't know what the factory one looks like but I replaced it with a tridon equivalent. It fits like it should as in it's no mission or anything to get it on and it wotks the overflow bottle.

Lately I've been topping up the overflow bottle to full because I don't care if it dumps any extra coolant as long as the radiator gets the coolant it needs.

[Mr Revhead]

if you fill it past the full mark then yeah it can spit some out every time
if it just emptys it right out then theres an issue

genuine cap is $10 maybe worth a go to rule it out. doesnt sound like thats ya issue though

[AE82 FXGT]

It has emptied right out before, I'll stop topping it up and see if it runs empty.
My look into getting a new radiator cap.

[sergei]

Well, I don't know if it relevant, but in my ST165 after a good blast, if I switch off straight away, the coolant starts boiling (in the turbine jacket - i think) and pushes the water way above full mark, but then eventually will cool down and suck it all in.