Water Pump Replacement 3.5l

[krivasauto]

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[oldblu65]

I must congratulate you for this great post ! This is a job that I'm going to have to do soon and I think your pictures and narrative will make that job a little easier ! Thank you so much !

[carbon02]

Great post and pictures. The only thing I'll add is that the Intrigue does have a drain plug at the lower drivers side of the radiator. It doesn't look much like a traditional drain plug. (I believe the face of the plug is white. It's flush with the radiator. It turns using a 3/16" allen or square 1/4" socket extension. I've used the allen. Turn aproximately 1/2 turn counterclockwise while pulling out slightly. Double O-Rings seal in the radiator, you have to roll these o-rings out of their groves to start fluid flow.

Don't take plug all the way out. Just loosen it, and see where the fluid comes out. It takes a few minutes, but drains through part of the radiator support directly down into a pan. Very clean, and fairly good design, outside of turning the plug itself.

This should alow removal of water pump without draining the block using the block drain that was used above. I've heard people stripping the head of the block drain, and having problems with it sealing. I think the radiator drain is easier, but that's just me.

Thanks for the post!

Carbon02

[cleong]

Hey this is a great looking guide. I was planning on trying to follow this guide soon but had a question. When you take off the belt by pushing up on the tensioner later when you put the belt back on does it automatically go back to the right tension? Or is there some sort of adjustment that I would have to do?

[krivasauto]

Originally Posted by cleong

Hey this is a great looking guide. I was planning on trying to follow this guide soon but had a question. When you take off the belt by pushing up on the tensioner later when you put the belt back on does it automatically go back to the right tension? Or is there some sort of adjustment that I would have to do?

As long as the tensioner is in good condition, and it has the right tension before the repair, it will have the right tension afterward. So if it is not acting up now, it should not act up after. It is all automatic and spring loaded. However, you might want to spin the bearing on the tensioner pulley to make sure it is not about to fall off. Sometimes unloading it and then loading it again causes a weak sister bearing to fall apart.

I would mark the belt to make sure you put it back so it spins in the same direction if you reuse it. And seriously, look at the belt diagram - print it out and take it with you.

Hope it goes well for you.

[carbon02]

Autozone has a rent a tool that is quite long and thin that can be used to release the tensioner. I believe that this tool will allow you to remove the belt without moving any of the radiator hoses.

Since your removing the water pump, you'll have the system drained anyway so you can remove the surge tank to thermostat hose. I need to do the belt on the 2002, but I don't want to open the cooling system. Hope there's enough room. It looks like based on Krivasauto's shutterfly site for the powersteering pump this can be done.

Have yet to try it. Just getting warm enough up here in Minnesota to start attempting to address issues!

[krivasauto]

Originally Posted by carbon02

Autozone has a rent a tool that is quite long and thin that can be used to release the tensioner. I believe that this tool will allow you to remove the belt without moving any of the radiator hoses.

A 1/2" or 3/8" breaker bar works just fine - there are cutouts in the tensioner for that. If you don't have one, you should get one:

You do not have to remove any hoses, not even the hose to the overflow tank. In this photo you can see me pushing it out of the way for the picture - I don't even remember it getting in the way of the repair:

Originally Posted by carbon02

Since your removing the water pump, you'll have the system drained anyway so you can remove the surge tank to thermostat hose. I need to do the belt on the 2002, but I don't want to open the cooling system.

Seriously, just remove the drain plug in the front of the engine, don't drain the radiator. The less coolant you remove, the less you have to replace, and the less chance of introducing air.

[cleong]

this might be a stupid question but do you need to use the engine sealant and does it go on both sides of the gasket? How long does it need to cure before you can drive the car?

Also the guys at kragen didn't seem to know what it was so I got High Temp RTV silicone gasket maker by Permatex in a orange tube is this the same thing?

Thanks

[krivasauto]

Originally Posted by cleong

this might be a stupid question but do you need to use the engine sealant and does it go on both sides of the gasket? How long does it need to cure before you can drive the car?

The only stupid question is the one you already know the answer to.

I used it on the side that didn't have a stripe on it already. If your gasket is plain, you can use it (very sparingly) on both sides. It isn't really necessary on either side but a lot of people do it. It only needs to cure as long as it takes to put it back together. At least, that's all I waited.

Originally Posted by cleong

Also the guys at kragen didn't seem to know what it was so I got High Temp RTV silicone gasket maker by Permatex in a orange tube is this the same thing?

Yup, same stuff. Hope it goes well.

[cleong]

do you have a picture of the radiator drain cock and its location? the plug on the block is frozen in ther and i don't want to strip it.

[krivasauto]

Originally Posted by cleong

do you have a picture of the radiator drain cock and its location? the plug on the block is frozen in ther and i don't want to strip it.

LOL! You must have been talking to Dave. Drain plug is lower left corner of radiator. Don't remove it, just put the drive end of a quarter inch extension or ratchet or handle in it and turn a quarter turn out. This is what it looks like out, or in the drain position. Do not try to unscrew it more than a quarter turn or so, or you will mess it up.



If you have decent tools and clean the drain plug properly, it won't strip. But suit yourself.

[cleong]

Replaced the waterpump and belt at the same time. But now when accelerating I'm hearing some kind of high pitched noise. Maybe sounds like high pressure air coming out from somewhere? Any ideas?

[krivasauto]

Originally Posted by cleong

Replaced the waterpump and belt at the same time. But now when accelerating I'm hearing some kind of high pitched noise. Maybe sounds like high pressure air coming out from somewhere? Any ideas?

Double-check your work. Make sure none of the pulleys are rubbing on any of the bolts. Make sure the belt is properly seated on all th grooves. Look at the belt carefully and see if it is showing wear signs indicating its edge is rubbing on something. Look at the tensioner and make sure it is not rubbing. Get a pair of mechanic's stethescopes and listen for the noise:



Did you refill and bleed as directed?

[cleong]

Noise seems to have gone away so far so good. Great guide by the way

Would you happen to also have a guide on replacing the intake manifold gasket and the valve cover gaskets? Those are starting to leak on me.

Thanks for all the help

[Clam2]

Looking to replace a water pump with a bad bearing on a 1999 Olds Intrigue and the contents of "krivasauto" post back in 2009 have disappeared ? Where's a good place to look for those instructions and pictures?

Thanks.