water pump leak,new gasket or pump and gasket?

[Galaxy]

My theremostat stuck closed a few weeks ago on the way to work and by the time I pulled over the coolant overflow was bubbling and had blown most of the coolant out.I replaced the thermostat and it runs fine now but I'm loosing a very small amount of coolant daily.I'd say I have to fill the overflow once a week if that gives you an idea of the leak.I have no coolant in the oil and it seems around the water pump is where its leaking.I have to do the timing belt in a few thousand miles and will get to fixing that then.My question is is should I just replace the whole water pump as well or do you think it would just be the gasket?Since they're only about $50 I was gonna replace the whole thing but if its unneccesary then I would like to save some cash.

 

[wolf20043]

My theremostat stuck closed a few weeks ago on the way to work and by the time I pulled over the coolant overflow was bubbling and had blown most of the coolant out.I replaced the thermostat and it runs fine now but I'm loosing a very small amount of coolant daily.I'd say I have to fill the overflow once a week if that gives you an idea of the leak.I have no coolant in the oil and it seems around the water pump is where its leaking.I have to do the timing belt in a few thousand miles and will get to fixing that then.My question is is should I just replace the whole water pump as well or do you think it would just be the gasket?Since they're only about $50 I was gonna replace the whole thing but if its unneccesary then I would like to save some cash.

Honestly it is better to change it now, as you will already have the timing belt off, and to have to do it when/if it fails, you will need to do it again, and a new t-belt as well.
Mike

 

[baracuda645]

if your going to change your timimg belt anyway you should probably change your water pump to. Better to be safe than sorry. I would change the water pump if it were me.

 

[Galaxy]

Thats pretty much what I was thinkin,I'll replace it as well.

 

[Old Mitsu Tech]

Before you take it apart, get some ultraviolet dye and put in your cooling system. Run the engine and with an ultraviolet light check for leaks. They will show up irridescent green. If you are going to replace the water pump, might as well change the timing belt and tensioner also.

Then you are good for another 60k miles.

Good Luck

 

[talontsi01]

It sounds like your losing coolant from your waterpump through the weep hole. Before replacing the pump, find out were the coolant is leaking from. Odds are, it is the waterpump in which case you should replace with the timing belt. There are some good deals when you buy entire timing belt packages (some even come with waterpumps). I was not smart and bought seperate. I could have saved close to a hundred by getting the timing belts, tensioners, pulleys, and waterpump all in some kind of package deal.

 

[DSMGSX95]

By all means change the water pump. Since you're do for a timing belt renew you might as well do both, all of the damser's I know as well as my local mechanic highly recommend changing the water pump whenever you replace the timing belt.

 

[smoejoe1980]

on a 97 420a dont you have to pull the motor to do the timing belt and water pump?

 

[propeine]

We didn't pull the motor in my neon but it would have been a heck of a lot easier if we had.

 

[ontario AWD]

Like someone said,do the dye test.A rad cap that wont hold pressure can cause a coolant loss.

 

[DSM_Zak]

Sounds like the weep hole.

Do the ENTIRE kit, Timing belt, balancer belt (if you still have B/S), tensioner, tensioner pulleys OEM mitsu waterpump (my schucks one whined on me the first day I installed it), O-Ring, and gasket. Not a bad idea to replace the timing cover gasket as well!