I'm doing a timing belt job on my 26k mile 2004 Evo. I'm having my doubts about pulling the water pump off and fixing what's not broken. I'm afraid to create a new problem when mine is working fine and not leaking. My car is garaged and corrosion is not an issue. Should I keep my new OEM pump on the shelf for now and fix it when the original one starts leaking? I'm leaning in that direction, particularly since I do my own work.

If you know, at what mileage and age (years) did your original water pump fail (the one that came with the car, not a replacement)?

Thanks!
Rich

 

65k

 

On any car I do a timing belt on, I swap the water pump. You are in there, it only takes an extra 5mins. Due to this, I've never had a water pump failure. Getting towed, having to pull the timing belt AGAIN, and doing the repair is far too much work for me, considering I was about six bolts away from doing it in the first place.

 

I always do it on daily cars, but you’d change one out with 25k miles?

 

Considering how many miles would be on it when the timing belt is due again, yes.

 

I replaced the original at 60k, and the second at 120k. They never failed, or leaked, but I was in there doing the belt, so why not. The first replacement was a GMB, and the second was a gates. I have 40k on the gates now. Daily driven spiritedly, at 160k.

 

Takes a lot longer than 5 minutes to drain coolant, refill, burp, etc...

 

Now this resonates with me as a good reason to go ahead and do it. Going to bite the bullet. Thanks all.

 

Very true, I was only referring to the pump itself. We'll tack on an extra 30mins to fill and burp

If it were crazy expensive or easy to get to, I'd say "meh" because I'm not about doing extra work or spending extra $$$ just to feel warm and fuzzy.. but swapping the pump out makes really good sense, on both ends, IMO. The thought of doing the whole timing system again, just do a water pump, doesn't make me happy

 

I replaced mine with an OEM pump at 118k miles with my second t belt change. That was in 2017 the car has 122k miles now no issues. It is no longer a daily since 2017.
The pump wasnt leaking, just changed it as a precaution.
I would change it along with all the pulleys simply to have everything in there fresh.

 

I believe old coolant is worse than an old water pump. I swap the turbo out almost every year so I flush the coolant at the same time.

 

If I've drained the radiator, pulled the lower radiator hose and removed the water pump, is the system drained enough to add new coolant (which may be a different brand than what's in there)? Or do you need to pull that really hard to reach block plug by the oil pressure sender?

 

Water turns acidic and corrosive. If you run water in your cooling system, it's good to flush, once in a while.

Brands don't matter so much as the type. You got most of it. Should be good to go, IMO.

 

I usually flush it with Distilled water. Here is a thread that has instructions. https://www.evolutionm.net/forums/ev...ant-flush.html

 

I would say the Ph level of the water/coolant is more important than what water you use to fill it with. Yes, it's something probably not one person on here checks but makes perfect sense if you know the reasoning behind it.