Changed water pump!

[twitchy]

hey all

well I sourced that coolant leak I posted about a week ago to be the water pump. Thankfully I got a friend who works at the parts desk at the local nissan dealer so I got the new water pump at cost very cheap. Tonight I installed it all by myself! (Well I had a friend help a bit)

Went off without an issue, really. I am posting this message as a resource for anyone thinking of doing their own water pump at some point, since there was nothing like this really available first hand when I searched.

TIPS:
Loosen the belt. Although you dont really have to it does make things easier.

soak all bolts with WD40 first, so they come off easier. In my case they were all factoy installed and have had 10 years without being budged, so they can be a little sticky.

contrary to the diagram in the owners manual, the drain plug on the rad is under the car, theres an access hole for it in the bottom of the underskirting. Use a phillips head to remove it


MISTAKES AND PROBLEMS:

-I lost my rad drain bolt. Instead I put a metal bolt in its place with some gasket maker on it to hold the liquid. Its on the lower side of the rad so theres no pressure there anyhow. I hope it holds till I get the replacement plug bolt thinghy.... Just dont be like me and loose yours!

-be careful reattaching the fan. There are these pins that came with my new pump, I had to install them myself into the plate on the water pump that the fan attaches to and one of them broke when I reattached the fan. I was worried although I just ended up taking one of the pins off the old pump. Dont tork them down too hard.

-BURP THE SYSTEM PROPERLY. I dont think I did this right so the cooling system was acting funny the first half hour I drove it...over heating and so on, till the air bubble worked itself out and I topped off the fluid. Now its fine, just be sure to take your time and be careful with burping it.

-Certain parts of the engine remain very hot long after you turn it off. Enough said.



Anyhow all in all it took me 3 hours. If I had to do it again right now I think it would take me about 1


Its really not that hard to do yourself, so good luck! Any questions ask!

Twitchy

[Bill Roberts]

I am sorry I did not reach your post fully. My puter had a problem

Take the belt off. It is not that hard to do.

Twitchy, I always take a carpet remnant or at least a large piece of cardboard to keep parts from being lost. I also bought a 36 sectioned number tray to put stuff in and start with 1, 2, 3 and so forth when taking things apart. It helps keep them organized. You should have replaced the thermostat..although it is not mandantory. I have a technique to burping the system. The KAE has a valve on the intake...but if it did not, I leave the radiator cap off for a 30 min idle or 10 min drive, slow at 2500rpm. just have a water bottle and keep refilling it.


Use 60/40 antifreeze or 50/50.

Make sure your OF tank is good...mine is marginal at best.

Barrs leak is an additive I recommend. It helps the system and is not a ghetto rig like the big pellets are (radiator cloggers).


Glad you are rolling. An overheating engine means a warped head, blown head gasket and a ruined engine. Never let it get past half way...do tests in the driveway and spray water on the radiator fins if needed to keep it cool.

How did you burp the system??

Like I say, the KAE has a bleeder valve. Always open it while filling a dry system or a drianed radiator. Got to be at work in couple hrs...excuse miss spells and typos...I am trashed right now...tired.

[DRFT]

Hey bill, so when i want to "burp" my system, I jsut leave the radiator cap off and turn the car on and let it idle for 30 mins? or drive w/the radiator cap at slow speeds? I know im just repeating what you said but i just want to make sure cause i jsut replaced my radiator, thermostat, thermostat housing and got new coolant in, and i the temp guage is a like 60% or a little about the middle. is that normal?