The Top DSM Community on the Web

For 1990-1999 Mitsubishi Eclipse, Eagle Talon, Plymouth Laser, and Galant VR-4 Owners. Log in to remove most ads.

Please Support ExtremePSI
Please Support Morrison Fabrication

1G I don't think my water pump is working...

This site may earn a commission from merchant
affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

TK9er

Proven Member
168
16
Jun 1, 2014
lincoln, Nebraska
Hey, this is probably the first in a long line of post I will need to make, but I want to try and figure the water pump issue out first. Well, there is good and bad news. The good is that I finally got the engine and transmission in my car, 1990 eagle talon awd. I have had to do a bunch of stuff to make it work. I am running speed density, 6 bolt with a 7 bolt head, 91 throttle body and cas, amongst the other supporting mods... well, against all odds (I have never done anything even this close to this ambitious) the car started. It runs, but it's not pretty.

So, jumping to the water pump. Once I got the car to "idle", I got outside and walked around to check for any leaks and what not. In a short amount of time the car got really hot and the fans never turned on. I first thought it was the fans, so I went through the trouble shooting and found that the fans seem to work, but the thermo sensor wasn't working. After a little more investigating I realized that the radiator that i was leaning against was cold compared to the rest of the engine. So I don't think the thermo sensor isn't even getting hot enough to turn the fans on. After discovering this, it makes me think it has to do something with the water pump... which really makes me mad... The car has a new water pump! Is there a way that it's not pumping? I don't have the original coolant over flow. I am using a universal expansion tank. I filled it off the thermostat housing. Do I not have enough coolant? After I guessed it might be the water pump I even took the thermostat out to check if there was coolant in the block, and under the thermostat, it was full of coolant. I'm at a loss and kind of confused... Any help would be appreciated.
 
Did you check the thermostat by placing it in some water & heating it to a boil & seeing if it opened & opened all the way while you had it out? Is the thermostat working? Did the top radiator hose get hot but not the radiator? Are both sides of the radiator cold or only one side?
 
I didn't check the function of the thermostat when i had it out... dumb move on my part. now I get to spill coolant all over my new engine again :(...

And, if I remember I don't think the hoses where hot. At least not as hot as ecmlink said the coolant got.
 
yeah, I was wonder how to burp it... is there a certain way of doing this?

Could also be a bubble in the system and needs burped. Might be worth looking into that as well before draining all the coolant.
 
Put your engine over your shoulder and gently pat it on the back until it burps, and be sure to put a rag over your shoulder! :)

But really, we normally squeeze the upper hose to get any air out of it and keep refilling until you can't fill it anymore.
If you have the thermostat out, look at it and see if it has a "jiggle" valve (a small hole in it with a brass rivet looking thing). If it does, make sure to put it "UP" in the thermostat opening, it allows air in the block to escape, and of course, the spring side of the thermostat goes into the block.
If it doesn't, I recommend drilling a 1/8th" hole in the upper part to allow any air behind the thermostat to bleed out. The OEM thermostats have them, but I am not sure all of the aftermarket units do.
I really can't imagine why a water pump wouldn't be moving fluid. Run the car with the radiator cap off and watch for flow. The pump is kinda fool proof.
Marty
 
Hmmm, I think I might your first burmping method. I tried screaming and yelling at it...I must of scared it :)

I'll give all these things a try and see what happens. Or, you live in Kansas... I live in Nebraska... I'll pay for your trip if you come up and fix it for me!
 
If I didn't have a 6 day a week job, I would take you up on it. Going to a Chiefs game, it is a 3 1/2 hr drive, as I live close to the Oklahoma boarder.
Thanks for taking the humor, I just wanted you to smile even though you are having issues with the car and I love the come back!!! :thumb:
 
I agree that this sounds like a thermostat issue. Water pumps are pretty simple, so long as their belt is on right. If you see the power steering pump spinning, then the water pump is almost assuredly doing the same. I would also think if the level of coolant was low, then your temp gauge would not read hot. There could be some air issues, so that that is a good place to check, as well. The service manual doesn't make a big deal about it, but I have wondered if using a hand vacuum pump might be a good way to bleed the air out. It works for similar things, but I'm not sure what might go wrong with a vacuum being pulled on the cooling circuit. If you do drain the coolant, I'd pull the rad hoses and just make sure nothing is blocking the coolant flow there, either (pesky squirrels!). Or you could just keep your drives really short. It'd be fine for running quarters!
 
I have seen things like leaving a service rag or such in a turbo before so I would look at the hoses also. Good idea to bring up just to be sure.
 
+1 on tstat

Pick up a spill free funnel. They’re about $30 and it’ll come in handy every time you have to deal with coolant. Another benefit is that you can just leave the funnel in place and let your car idle to get air out of the system. I’ve drain the coolant about 5-6 times in 2 years and never had air in the system.
 
Great tip Tony!
 
+1 on tstat

Pick up a spill free funnel. Another benefit is that you can just leave the funnel in place and let your car idle to get air out of the system. I’ve drain the coolant about 5-6 times in 2 years and never had air in the system.

Agree.....
This is a fairly decent coolant fill kit on the cheap;
https://www.eastwood.com/eastwood-c...MIxcLG2fKf5QIVhP_jBx2Aqw58EAkYASABEgJDZPD_BwE

Those who have a air compressor who are serious and or work on a lot of cars can get an air lift/vacuum cooling system bleeder as well.
Those you fill and bleed the car even before it's started.
 
Probably a blocking issue, thermostat in wrong or not working, or wrong water pump. BTW, squeezing the lower radiator hose (with the cap off to allow air to escape) is more effective than squeezing the upper hose.
 
How fast does it get up to temp (or hotter than normal)? Is it nice, steady and slow? Or is very quick and short? The reason I ask is because every time I drain the coolant and replace it, I know I will have air in the system. I notice a big difference between engine heating up times when comparing a system with air bubbles vs one that is burped correctly. my car, a 1g, it takes it a while to get up to temp with a burped system. Right after coolant servicing, though, it's a different story. The temperature rises very fast and it seems to be overheating quickly. Shortly thereafter I see the thermostat open and I procede to pour more coolant in there (you will know when it opens). I let the thermostat cycle a couple of times, replace the cap and call it good (make sure reservoir is full) I am not saying it's not the thermostat, I'm just saying that it would suck to drain the coolant, swap out the thermostat (that I'm assuming was working fine before), refilling the car, and still have the same issue. not sure if that helps. Just lots of information and all are plausible problems.

P.s. I'm not saying to let your car overheat. Just sharing what works for me.
 
Why drain the whole system? Only need to drain enough to get below the thermostat.
 
Support Vendors who Support the DSM Community
Boosted Fabrication ECM Tuning ExtremePSI Fuel Injector Clinic Innovation Products Jacks Transmissions JNZ Tuning Kiggly Racing Morrison Fabrications MyMitsubishiStore.com RixRacing RockAuto RTM Racing STM Tuned

Latest posts

Build Thread Updates

Vendor Updates

Latest Classifieds

Back
Top