coolent leak

[weeds]

hey team

i have notice a small coolant leak from the back of the water pump. i cannot see exactly where it is coming from but i'm guessing it from where the back half of the water is bolted to the motor.

is it just a gasket i have to replace or do i just use some sealant

what bits and pieces do i need to do the job

i had a close look at he drive belts and will replace them at the same time

[CraigE]

I believe it would be the tell tale hole to let you know the water pump housing is shagged. I would be thinking it is time for a new water pump.
:cry:

[camel_landy]

OK.... I'm guessing that as you've got a '95 Defender, you've got a 300TDi fitted. If so, it's probably the "P" shaped gasket that sits between the water pump housing & the engine block that's gone. If so, you'll probably be able to see it leaking down the front of the engine block.

LandRover had some problems with the original gasket & water pump bolts so it wouldn't surprise me to find it's that which has gone. The later part is a metal gasket (rather than cork/paper or whatever it was) and there are some longer replacement bolts.

It's a fairly simple job to do (although appears quite daunting initially) and should take 2-3 hrs. The process is:

Drain cooling system.
Remove serpentine belt.
Romove fan.
Remove the top intercooler hose, radiator hose and various other hoses!
Unbolt & move to one side the alternator & power steering pump.
Unbolt & remove the tensioner.
Unbolt & remove the waterpump & housing from front of engine.

Clean up faces & re-assemble using the new parts.

There's probably one or two things I've missed but that's the basic idea.

HTH

Mark.

[one_iota]

Originally posted by weeds
hey team

i have notice a small coolant leak from the back of the water pump. i cannot see exactly where it is coming from but i'm guessing it from where the back half of the water is bolted to the motor.

is it just a gasket i have to replace or do i just use some sealant

what bits and pieces do i need to do the job

i had a close look at he drive belts and will replace them at the same time

For the princely sum of ~$80 it is worth replacing the pump as well.

The standard P gasket usually does the job but when I did mine we used red RTV gasket goo as well. So far so good. Check the condition of the bolts as well.

See these excellent threads also:

http://www.aulro.com/modules.php?name=Foru...ewtopic&t=10316 (http://www.aulro.com/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=10316)

http://www.aulro.com/modules.php?name=Foru...iewtopic&t=7456 (http://www.aulro.com/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=7456)

[CraigE]

I would if you have it off anyway. At least then you will know it is right for a long while.

[camel_landy]

What ever happened to: "If it ain't broke, don't fix it"?

:?

Mark

[one_iota]

Originally posted by camel_landy
What ever happened to: "If it ain't broke, don't fix it"?

:?

Mark

There is some truth in that but how do you know when the bearing will go

I have had the pump replaced twice in ~150,000 km. Bearings being the problem in the first instance second just for insurance. The second time the pump seemed OK...spinning well.

So preventative maintenance on an 11 year old vehicle is the name of the game.8)

It was a PS pump failure that precipitated this for me...so all bearings checked and tensioner bearing replaced...new belts..the new serpentine was the textured job...not the smooth...water pump leak dealt with.

Engine bay no longer squeals like a banshee.

And I know that all the variables have been dealt with. We should deal with systems not components...the space shuttle is a catastrophic example of a component approach https://www.aulro.com/afvb/

If I spend hours taking off the front of the donkey engine ....might as well deal with everything attached to it.

[camel_landy]

OK... Just to play devils advocate for a moment... :twisted:

I've actually knackered more alternator bearings than I've done water pumps and IMO the alternators are more venerable than water pumps. While you've got the alernator off, why not change that? Why not change the tensioner pulley too? What about the viscous fan unit? Where do you draw the line...

:?

(Sorry to hijack the thread)

Mark.

[weeds]

thanks guys

good idea to replace the water pump, 220K on the clock will do the water pump and p gasket

do i have time to do it myself or get the perts to do it??????

only a month to easter

[one_iota]

Originally posted by camel_landy
OK... Just to play devils advocate for a moment... :twisted:

I've actually knackered more alternator bearings than I've done water pumps and IMO the alternators are more venerable than water pumps. While you've got the alernator off, why not change that? Why not change the tensioner pulley too? What about the viscous fan unit? Where do you draw the line...

:?

(Sorry to hijack the thread)

Mark.

Fair comment. But the truth lives in the middle.

If you are still running on the original alternator on a disco after eleven years on dusty and muddy roads then start saving for the $400-$500 required for a replacement. Talk about exposed to the elements https://www.aulro.com/afvb/

The tensioner pulley bearing costs less than $20 so worth doing while you are at it.

The viscous fan still seems to work OK. :wink:

[weeds]

looks like i won't need to change the water pump, i have just been looking through all the receipts for work the previous owner gave me and the water pump was replaced in feb 04 by the dealer in rockhampton

[CraigE]

Generally if I have a water pump out on most cars and it has been in for more than two years I will change it out anyway. Nothing worse than a water pump failure on the side of the road. Preventative maintenance goes a long way and as Murphy's law states if you dont fix it while you got it apart it will self destruct at the most in-opportune time.
Really it all depends on the cost and availability and how much spare change you have. It is one of those jobs that is a pain in the butt and to repeat it a few months down the track is not on.

[camel_landy]

Originally posted by CraigE
Generally if I have a water pump out on most cars and it has been in for more than two years I will change it out anyway. Nothing worse than a water pump failure on the side of the road. Preventative maintenance goes a long way and as Murphy's law states if you dont fix it while you got it apart it will self destruct at the most in-opportune time.
Really it all depends on the cost and availability and how much spare change you have. It is one of those jobs that is a pain in the butt and to repeat it a few months down the track is not on.

OK... All I was getting at was, why don't you just inspect the flippin' thing before replacing. :roll: If it feels OK & you're that concerned, just carry one as a spare. Hell... A TDi with 220k on the clock, you'd better replace the whole motor if you're that concerned.

Mark.

[weeds]

ok the shopping list

1 x p gasket
3 x 125mm bolts
gasket gue whats the best and from where
2 x drive belts
coolant of some sort whats the best and from where
1 x chain clamp for the pulley
1 x set of ezyouts on standby

what else do i need

[one_iota]

Well a couple of pointers:

If you are doing the job yourself:

Relieving the tension on the main belt tensioner for the belt's removal will require a double ended 17mm on one end ring spanner, a long screw driver and something to wedge under the screw driver.... 8O this needs photos and that I am happy to provide...but not tonight :wink:

The removal of the viscous fan on a Disco requires a "special "thin spanner but it is possible to remove both belts with out removing the fan...just a bit of a fiddle.

Get the main belt with the "hatched" as opposed to the smooth surface (the other side to the grooved face). This will reduce the belt squeal.

Fitting the main (serpentine) belt requires patience and the prodigiuous use of foul language muffled from spectators because you are lying underneath the vehicle as you just manage to get the eff'ing thing around the crank shaft pulley.

Don't forget copious amounts of self adulation and a couple of cold ales afterwards https://www.aulro.com/afvb/

[weeds]

with my next two weekends now booked out with family stuff and the leak getting worse the fender is off to m r automotive toomorrow to be fixed, i hate paying for other people labour but have no choice

thanks for you input guys, at i know what i need to do if i'm stranded somewhere

[p38arover]

Originally posted by camel_landy
IMO the alternators are more venerable than water pumps.

Venerable or vulnerable?

venerable
• adjective 1 accorded great respect because of age, wisdom, or character.

vulnerable
• adjective exposed to being attacked or harmed.

A slight difference! https://www.aulro.com/afvb/

Ron