Airtex waterpump

[zzyzzx]

Originally Posted by mfuller

I think the water pump design changed for 2002 or 2003. Early units used a cast impeller; later units had a stamped steel impeller.

According a piece of paper that came with my new waterpump, bought today, all the new ones you can buy, even for an older Alero should use the stamped impeller:

[03Alerosil]

New design looks like it should flow better

[03Alerosil]

New design looks like it flows better

[zzyzzx]

Originally Posted by 03Alerosil

Decided to go with the Ac/Delco one at rockauto. Cant beat $20 for factory parts. especially something as critical as a waterpump.

Did you take any pictures of it? Did you install it yet?

[03Alerosil]

No not yet. HAvent had the time with college and work

[Dynamix]

Hello guys,

I hope anyone of you can help me with my problem. Picked up my car from the shop and they told me my water pump is broken. I took the car back home and on the way it started overheating. I stopped instantly and let it cool down. Then I checked the coolant and it is not empty. Nontheless the warning light is on. On the rest of my way home the car did not overheat again. The temperature was ok (?????) at least when the temperature display is not wrong. It is strange that the engine is running pretty rough when idling. In the beginning when the engine was cold it was smoking pretty heavy. This disappeared after he got some temperature.

1st question: Is the water pump really broken?

2nd question: I checked the waterpumps on Rockauto and for some reason the most are pretty cheap. Only 2 waterpumps are not that cheap. Can anyone tell me why? What is the difference?

[01OhioAlero]

Check for sings of it leaking. Check the weep hole especially. Doesn't sound like a WP to me if the car has coolant and isn't loosing any. Also could be a stuck open or closed thermostat. Trying flushing the coolant system to see if there's air in it, Get the light scanned and tell us what the code is. Running rough sounds like a misfire and smoking can be a head gasket which would contribute to the misfire.

[Dynamix]

Hi,

thanks for the advice. I checked the coolant reservoir again and it is empty. There is a lot of water on the left side of the engine. There are also a few drops at the water pump housing. So it could be true what the guys at the shop told me.

Head gaskets and Intake manifold are fairly new. Oil is ok, so there is no water in it like it was as the Intake manifold gasket broke down. I can also see no signs of oil in the reservoir, so I think that should be fine especially cause I can not see any luquid at the heads.

So I think it is really the pump that broke down. Any Idea which I should take? I already checked rockauto and they have a few.

They also told me that the heat exchanger has broken down. Can this cause the rough idling? When i was driving, the engine was running normal. I heard that this rough idling can be also caused by air in the cooling system.

[Papa Rad17]

I would recommend ordering rock auto vs about any other place online or a local parts store. Obviously you know about LIMG issue on the v6 and have checked so I would say go for it. might be worth boiling your thermostat to make sure thats not it first.

[Dynamix]

We also replaced the thermostat during the head gasket job, so I think this also should be fine.

Which water pump I should buy? As already mentioned on rockauto the have several pumps and the most are pretty cheap while there are 2 Delco pumps that are a lot more expensive.

[01OhioAlero]

Delco would be the best since its OEM, but Im sure the others will be fine just make sure to use RTV around the waterpump if you do it yourself. I never heard of air in coolant system causing rough idle. Rough idle can be one of three things-spark,fuel, and compression. Start with getting the code scanned if you haven't already, the 2 issues don't seem related.

[Dynamix]

I ordered a new water pump a few minutes ago. Hope this will fix the coolant leak. I found a do it yourself video on youtube and it seems to be a pretty easy fix.

[smccarthy1883]

Real simple if you have the 3400. Right in the front of the motor on the passenger side.

[Dynamix]

Yes, I do have the V6 Any tip how I can tension the belt after the fix? I know that the belt tensioner is at a pretty bad location

[Redog]

Na the tensioner is in a pretty good spot. Try undoing it on a minivan, in the dark, with 10 guys standing around, when it's 15 degrees outside

If you get a belt tensioner tool, they are pretty universal and take like 5 seconds to finish up the belt. Before I had one I had to use a breaker bar that only came up to the idler pulley, so I needed somebody else to push the belt in place.

The water pump is pretty easy. Took me 1.5 hours to do that and replace the upper and lower coolant hoses (since the car was 11 years old when I did it) and the only reason it took so long was my clamp pilers broke and I had a hard time removing the bottom clamp Did all this in 2011, when my water pump started leaking thru the weep hole. With the right tools, it's a cake

[Dynamix]

Well, I changed the water pump but the engine is still running pretty bad when its cold. In the car the idle seems ok then, but when I stand behind the exhaust is is humming.

The engine is also still running hot. A good friend said the thermostat could be damaged.

[01OhioAlero]

I would change thermostat and do a complete coolant flush. Have you ever mixed dexcool and regular anti freeze in it?

[Dynamix]

Coolant system has been flushed before the coolant change. Thanks got I still have a thermostat left over!

Will see if this will help.

[zzyzzx]

Originally Posted by Dynamix

Yes, I do have the V6 Any tip how I can tension the belt after the fix? I know that the belt tensioner is at a pretty bad location

You need a serpentine belt tensioner tool. I highly recommend a ratcheting one, since I have also found it to be very useful for other things. I bought a Lisle 59000.
http://www.lislecorp.com/divisions/p...s/?product=528

http://www.amazon.com/Lisle-59000-Ra.../dp/B0019CQL2E

It can be had for slightly less at other places (even Rock Auto, but not sure on the shipping there). It's also made in USA.

Read the reviews on Amazon, everybody seems to love it. Expensive, but worth it. I have also used it as a long reach ratchet at times as well. As some of the Amazon reviewers mentioned, the ratcheting feature is very nice!

[zzyzzx]

Now that I have reread this thread, I have had my cheap "Tough One" water pump in for over a year, and so far, so good (although I don't drive the car much and not at all this time of the year).