Author Topic: Garage recommendations sought (Read 4205 times)

Craig · « **Reply #20 on:** November 11, 2004, 04:25:33 pm »

Seeing as the timing belt is only 1 year old with 7,000 km on it, think I should bother replacing it? It's about $90 of the total repair bill.

barrie1 · « **Reply #21 on:** November 11, 2004, 11:43:57 pm »

You should be alright as long as there is no wear showing on it at all. Just make sure the tensioner is OK and save the money for now.

articsteve · « **Reply #22 on:** November 12, 2004, 04:30:43 pm »

The water pump may not have failed. I was reading that there is a steel tube running behind the water pump (connected to it) and this tube rots easy. Apparently a known problem on that motor.

Look for it on google. If you can't find it I'll try.

Craig · « **Reply #23 on:** November 12, 2004, 09:09:48 pm »

Brilliant! If the repair is less costly, I really hope this is it. See "Other areas to watch" in the below article:

http://www.allpar.com/mopar/3tech.html

Now, One thing I should have mentioned. When I took the car out for a spin, after the initial problem and with a jug of water to replace some of the lost coolant, what I noticed when turned left into a parking spot and pulled to a stop, was that the leaked coolant "splashed" out during the turn, but no leaked coolant was visible on the path I was driving before the turn. I suppose I parked rather quickly, and the belts and water pump ARE on the right side of the car, but I would have expected more uniform dripping from a leaking bearing. Unless, perhaps, the coolant was pooling somewhere? Hmm...

But, a corroded water pipe might explain the faster discharge of coolant, under steering to the left, assuming most of the rest of the coolant had already been discharged.

Elementary, my dear Watson.

articsteve · « **Reply #24 on:** November 13, 2004, 02:11:59 am »

Based on your post about the water pump only having 7000 km on it; that would lead me to think that it was the tube and not the water pump because it is rare for a water pump to fail after 7000 km.

You just never know. Real PIA

Craig · « **Reply #25 on:** November 13, 2004, 04:08:43 am »

The age (1993) is certainly a factor here, so I'm thinking you're onto something.

What I can't find is how difficult it is to replace this tube. Is it external, or will the timing belt, etc. have to be removed anyway?

It goes to the shop on Monday. If the tube is external, I'll ask to look at the car on the lift.

(Message edited by cphansen on November 13, 2004)

articsteve · « **Reply #26 on:** November 13, 2004, 04:56:59 am »

The water pump is mounted on the front of the engine and is driven by the timing belt. When replacing the motor, or even just the belt, check the water pump, and if in doubt, replace it. A tube mounts to the back side of the pump and runs down the valley between the cylinders. These tubes tend to corrode from the inside out. Check the tubes for corrosion, and if pitted severely, replace them. What may look like a cracked block leaking in the "V" may actually be just at corroded water tube.

I suspect that the drive belt(s) will need to come off and all the pulleys, idlers and cam covers to get a the water pump and hopefully the tube, if it is the tube, can be replaced with the pump in place.

So, IMO, some stuff will need to be disasembled.

You had better print that link and take it with you so they don't dismiss you as a pesky customer.

Craig · « **Reply #27 on:** November 16, 2004, 02:52:42 pm »

Update: Car is in the shop, and they just reported back that the coolant is flowing out of the transmission side,and "a little bit out of the pump"? Anyway, he thinks it's the tube as well.

According to him, it comes in two parts, and he has the troublesome part on order and is disassembling now.

wing · « **Reply #28 on:** November 16, 2004, 03:07:36 pm »

Ok, I'm a little late, I had something similar happen on my cavalier, it was easier to replace took an hour. But I was going to suggest instead of trying to drive it to see the problem, just start it and look under the car and follow the water trail.