Tuesday, August 02, 2005 - 10:20 pm, by: Adam Brown
What are the signs that the water pump is on the blink? When i lifted the bonnet today, i discovered that there was coolant on the under tray, spilled everywhere under the overflow bottle, and generally sprayed around like it had hit the fan and gone everywhere. I started the engine and got it hot, and found that the system was pushing the coolant out into the overflow bottle and over flowing out the drain. I changed the coolant a few weeks ago, but i didn't think it took as much in, as what came out. Also i get the running water sound from the passenger side. Does this sound like an airlock? Please tell me that it is. I don't need any major problems right now! (like water pump, or even head gasket!) After i discovered the problem, i filled it up, took it for a drive to get it hot, then when i got it home i jacked the front end as high as i could and put the front on stands and left it. I'm hoping that the air will work it's way to the radiator and out of the system.
Tuesday, August 02, 2005 - 10:53 pm, by: Tony Trigger
My water pump was on the blink-car overheated . Then the pump ceased the timing belt just about melted off and I had a very nervous 2 week wait to see if the valves were cactus. See a mechanic quick is my advice regards Tony
Thursday, August 04, 2005 - 08:30 am, by: Adam Brown
Yep, it's the water pump. Started getting it off last night. Need a puller to get off the harmonic balancer, but otherwise a job that i think is easy enough to do yourself. Not very glamorous though. Can it be re-conditioned? It is leaking out the shaft seal, and there is a bit of play in the bearing. Or do i have to buy the whole thing? Alternately, i really only need the front half of the whole assembly, and appropriate seals. Or, is there a non-genuine one available?
Thursday, August 04, 2005 - 09:26 am, by: Michael Keen
I recommend you buy a new unit. I have not heard of anybody reconditioning it. I don't think you can get to the bearing and seal. I haven't heard of anybody buying an aftermarket unit, but did hear a rumour that it was possible. Others have asked, but nobody has come up with an aftermarket unit that i've heard of. I recommend you buy a new complete unit from Toyota. If you want to split it you can and the gasket is likely to be reuseable. Maybe an idea to add some stag sealant or something as well of it doesn't come off cleanly. Splitting the waterpump is a much easier install than the whole unit. Replacing the whole unit is 3 times the work. I replaced the whole unit on mine as no other advice was available at the time. But, I also rest in the comfort that the rubber o-rings seals have been replaced on my car and are not likely to cause me any problems in the future. (1 large between pump housing and the block - came with new pump, 2 on top water feed pipe into the top of housing - not available from Toyota when I did mine - so Bearing shop had them). Note: I do not know if rubber o-ring seals do actually perish enough to cause a leak. Maybe somebody else can ad to that thought. Anyway, buy a new unit from Toyota. Cheers
Thursday, August 04, 2005 - 02:06 pm, by: Adam Brown
Yeah, thanks Michael. I ordered a new unit from Toyota today. $183, which isn't too bad in my books. How much extra work is it to replace the whole thing. I would like to, but would like some instruction on how to do it, as i am doing it myself. I would like the same peace of mind. Do it right, do it once!
Thursday, August 04, 2005 - 04:26 pm, by: Michael Keen
Adam, do a search on the old ALSC site. I ahve posted some pics of what the pump looks like etc. I'll attach some here too. If you car is off the road, and you've ordered the pump, then take the old pump out and you'll see the o-rings you need to buy. Take the unit and o-rings to a bearing mob and get some new rubber o-rings that are meant for use in water.
Remove bottom radiator hose. Disconnect the pipework that to connects to the back of the pump, under the turbo's. Remove all the bolts at the front of the water pump. Remove the section that goes into the water pump from near the top radiator hose pipe on the head. Then you should be able to remove the pump. Get some black sealant goup that doesn't ever go hard (Permatex? stuff)- use on new rubber o-rings to hold in place and help slide them on. Get some Stage red gasket stuff to use on the nest of the metal gaskets when replacing. Most gaskets are metal and reuseable. I think you'll find that you have to remove the timing belt to get the pump out. So this means removing the tensioner underneath. (put in vice to compress it, and use a nail thru the aligned holes to hold it compressed so you can replace it. If you haven't changed the timing belt in the last 50,000k's then change it now. Some of these pics may give you a good idea.
Thursday, August 04, 2005 - 05:00 pm, by: dragan vidic
hey michael....i got coolant all over rocket cover but i cant c where its coming from....everyone says its the pump but which part of the pump is it coming from
Friday, August 05, 2005 - 09:33 am, by: Michael Keen
Don, I recently passed the same info onto somebody who was doing water pump and timing belt. I think he is going to take a few more pics and produce a tutorial. I have some more info, send me an email if you'd like it and maybe you can help out with tutorial as well. Get your digital camera taking some good pics as you go?
Dragan, Once the bearing and seal is work they usually leak out of a weep hole on the bottom die of the water pumps shaft housing. Its near impossible to spot the drip when the car isn't under a lot of heat load, driving etc. I had a lot of difficulty getting my head under the fan to spot the drip while I was driving it hard :-). So whats happening to you I think, is you have quite a substantial leak, and the fan if blowing the water all over the engine and rocker cover. I'd fix it immediately. If you are topping up with water you will be diluting your rust inhibitor, and risking the metal head gasket rusting, which can cause a blown head gasket. Start buying the parts you need and keep in touch with Don. Likewise, if you want more info, send me an email. Do the forum a favour and take digital pics as you go, then we should all be able to compile our info into a very good tutotial/instructions.
Friday, August 05, 2005 - 10:27 am, by: Michael Keen
Sorry Don, I meant to address that comment to Adam really, about the extra info anyway. When we get enuf info together we can talk to Peter Nitschke about adding to the tutorials. Cheers
What you are doing is excellent. More tutorials is a good thing!
If anyone is doing work on their car, taking some photo's and detailing the steps then posting it up here would be much appreciated. It doesn't have to be anything fancy, I am quite happy to tidy it up to make a tutorial from the information.
Friday, August 05, 2005 - 12:06 pm, by: Adam Brown
What Michael has described is exactly what happened to me, although the coolant leaked out AFTER i had been driving it as it was cooling down. Now i have it pulled off, i can feel the play in the bearing, and can see that the coolant leaked out through the main shaft seal. I could probably take a tutorial of photo's as i put the car back together, and just post them backwards. I did a search on the alsc archive, and one guy recommended that unless you do this stuff all the time, pay someone else to do it, as you need specialised tools, etc. I recommend that you DO do it yourself. It is not a glamorous job, but easy enough to do yourself. The only specialised tool i needed was a harmonic balancer puller, which i hired for $14, a damn sight cheaper than paying someone to do the job! I pulled the radiator out too, which gives you a lot more room. Interestingly, i took the radiator to get cleaned, and they said that it was about 95% blocked! I have never had an overheating problem though! When i said that the water pump just died, he said he wasn't surprised, as effectively it would have been pushing against a brick wall! So i suggest that you get your radiator checked out at the same time!
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Started getting it off last night. Need a puller to get off the harmonic balancer, but otherwise a job that i think is easy enough to do yourself. Not very glamorous though. 
