Water Pump Replacement
Thread Starter
2nd Gear
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
Water Pump Replacement
Hi All!
I am a first time user of this forum, what a wonderful site for getting info on Corvettes!
I have a 1994 5.7 Corvette Coupe. During the past week or so, my power steering was giving me problems. Took it in to my dealership, result: water pump needs to be replaced. The service tech told me because of the water pump not working propley, it was leaking the power steering fluid and coolant. My first question, can this happen?
They gave me an estimate of $850 (in Canadian $) to replace the water pump, labour and taxes all including. Is this a fair price to replace the water pump with a new one? I have no idea and would appreciate it if someone can give me some advice on this.
Thank you in advance for looking at this.
I am a first time user of this forum, what a wonderful site for getting info on Corvettes!
I have a 1994 5.7 Corvette Coupe. During the past week or so, my power steering was giving me problems. Took it in to my dealership, result: water pump needs to be replaced. The service tech told me because of the water pump not working propley, it was leaking the power steering fluid and coolant. My first question, can this happen?
They gave me an estimate of $850 (in Canadian $) to replace the water pump, labour and taxes all including. Is this a fair price to replace the water pump with a new one? I have no idea and would appreciate it if someone can give me some advice on this.
Thank you in advance for looking at this.
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 40,156
Likes: 45
From: San Pedro CA
That's funny. $850.00 to replace a waterpump?
Even with exchange rates, that US$600.00! What a rip.What a joke.
They are absolutely right that coolant can leak on the belt. It happened to me a couple of years ago.
The waterpump on an LT1 is an easy DIY project.
Call Superior Chevrolet in Kansas City, KS and ask for Chris May. 1.800.728.8267. I am pretty sure he can ship over the boarder.
Tell him you are a forum member and that I sent ya.
That price is totally insane. I changed my last wp for about $130.00 in parts and under 2 hours of labour.
Thread Starter
2nd Gear
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
Originally Posted by bogus
That's funny. $850.00 to replace a waterpump?
Even with exchange rates, that US$600.00! What a rip.What a joke.
They are absolutely right that coolant can leak on the belt. It happened to me a couple of years ago.
The waterpump on an LT1 is an easy DIY project.
Call Superior Chevrolet in Kansas City, KS and ask for Chris May. 1.800.728.8267. I am pretty sure he can ship over the boarder.
Tell him you are a forum member and that I sent ya.
That price is totally insane. I changed my last wp for about $130.00 in parts and under 2 hours of labour.
Thank you so much for this info...I know the quote was high and now know that I am being rip-off.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 908
Likes: 1
From: Colorado Springs Colorado
I don't get the connection, is he saying the belt is slipping on the PS pump because of coolant on the belt?
Anyway, if you have coolant leaking and sloshing around in there, you need to get on that before your distributor gets contaminated. Then you are looking at big $$, its a real PITA.
When mine started to leak, I went ahead and replaced the Opti anyway. Maybe not completly necessasary, but it had 114K on it and enough cap and rotor wear I'm glad I did it. I feel beter having it properly vented now too.
Anyway, if you have coolant leaking and sloshing around in there, you need to get on that before your distributor gets contaminated. Then you are looking at big $$, its a real PITA.
When mine started to leak, I went ahead and replaced the Opti anyway. Maybe not completly necessasary, but it had 114K on it and enough cap and rotor wear I'm glad I did it. I feel beter having it properly vented now too.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 920
Likes: 1
From: Shelby Township Michigan
The water pump replacement is not that bad of a job. Just did it on my '89 coupe. Took my time, used a lot of recommendations from people on the forum and purchased AC Delco original parts from Chris May at Superior Chevrolet. He is excellent to deal with and a real help with forum members.
When I questioned the local Chevrolet dealership here in Michigan, they wanted $650.00 for the water pump R&R. I got the pump, upper and lower radiator hoses, serpentine belt and thermostat for about $235.00 from Chris.
Sounds like once you replace the water pump, the power steering problem goes away.
Good luck,
Dino
When I questioned the local Chevrolet dealership here in Michigan, they wanted $650.00 for the water pump R&R. I got the pump, upper and lower radiator hoses, serpentine belt and thermostat for about $235.00 from Chris.
Sounds like once you replace the water pump, the power steering problem goes away.
Good luck,
Dino
CF Community Team
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 5,226
Likes: 2,878
From: Charlotte N.C.
Mine leaks, maybe a drop or two a night usually after sitting for a couple of days, but after searching for weeks to see where it was coming from it's NOT leaking from the back seal or weap hole but from the front gasket. Since it's not leaking onto the optispark or anyplace important I'm waiting for warmer weather to fix it and the seaping intake manifold. It Looks like it still has the original pump so I'll end up replacing it instead of fixing it.
Racer
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 447
Likes: 0
From: Titletown WI
I just want to add, buy a quality (GM) unit. I bought an Advanced Auto $160 "Signature Series" pump for an LT1, what a POS. Leaked right away, and you could tell quality of the steel nipples(get you mind out of the gutter...
)was much lower than the pump that I replaced.
YMMV. »keith
)was much lower than the pump that I replaced. YMMV. »keith
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Instructor
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 197
Likes: 0
From: Ladysmith WI.
Originally Posted by EvanD
Mine leaks, maybe a drop or two a night usually after sitting for a couple of days, but after searching for weeks to see where it was coming from it's NOT leaking from the back seal or weap hole but from the front gasket. Since it's not leaking onto the optispark or anyplace important I'm waiting for warmer weather to fix it and the seaping intake manifold. It Looks like it still has the original pump so I'll end up replacing it instead of fixing it.
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 2,730
Likes: 1
From: Atoka Oklahoma
St. Jude Donor 06
I agree. Do it yourself and save a pile of money. Here was my original wp with about 133000 on it. Was working when I pulled it but made a heck of a noise and the bottom side of my hood had coolant tracks all over it....
Last edited by okies93; Dec 16, 2005 at 06:44 PM.
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 40,156
Likes: 45
From: San Pedro CA
Originally Posted by corvette1989bham
Replace the Opti-Spark while your in there if you do replace the water pump. Save yourself the double charge and pay the extra $500 now.
1) Is the optispark wet from coolant. A small drip, hitting the belt may not have reached the opti yet.
2) Mileage on the opti. If it's over 60k miles, I would replace a Gen 1 that has been potentially exposed to coolant.
If you decide to do the opti, it would add about 3 hours to the project, and about US$350 for the part.
I would also replace the drive belt. It's cheap insurance against a coolant damaged belt failing.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 5,841
Likes: 19
From: CLT, North Carolina
Water Pump & Opti to be Safe
If you do replace the pump yourself be sure you get all the air out and get the system completely full. Due to the way the water flows (top down rather than conventional bottom up) the LT-1 reverse flow cooling system design requires a little extra effort to get full. Your 94 Optispark is the older nonvented design and because the waterpump is right above it is very prone to getting wet and failing. If it did get wet it will most likely fail soon after the pump replacement. Your dealer should have pointed this out to you. If your pump is leaking enough coolant to get the belt wet enough to slip the power steering then the Opti is getting wet too.
Greg
Greg
CF Community Team
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 5,226
Likes: 2,878
From: Charlotte N.C.
Originally Posted by quasarblue92
My 92 quasar blue started leaking at the water pump one winter during storage at about 85K. Next spring when I went to drive it the opti was shot. By the way I like the ZR 1 wheels on your car. Nice touch. Mine just has the shredders. You just have to love those blue ones.
I've heard now from some people that have "Autozone" pumps and like them, people that say only use Delco, and people both way on changing the optispark, one person even took the optispark apart to see what was inside after replacing it. Seems that the cap, rotor, and stainless disk could be cleaned then reassembled and reinstalled. Any thoughts? I have a feeling a few people are going to say no, replace it...
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 40,156
Likes: 45
From: San Pedro CA
Originally Posted by EvanD
Thanks, the wheels are what sold me the car, and I was only looking for blue one's when I went looking.
I've heard now from some people that have "Autozone" pumps and like them, people that say only use Delco, and people both way on changing the optispark, one person even took the optispark apart to see what was inside after replacing it. Seems that the cap, rotor, and stainless disk could be cleaned then reassembled and reinstalled. Any thoughts? I have a feeling a few people are going to say no, replace it...
I've heard now from some people that have "Autozone" pumps and like them, people that say only use Delco, and people both way on changing the optispark, one person even took the optispark apart to see what was inside after replacing it. Seems that the cap, rotor, and stainless disk could be cleaned then reassembled and reinstalled. Any thoughts? I have a feeling a few people are going to say no, replace it...
Cleaning the inside of an opti means you have a clean opti and no bearing in about a year.
The other problem is carbon tracing. That's gnarly. It's bad enough as it is, but add coolant to the equation, forget it.
the best bet is to seal the opti cap with RTV. That will keep anything out.
There are options to install vent lines to the opti, and they help, for sure, but the RTV is easiest.
Racer
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 447
Likes: 0
From: Titletown WI
Originally Posted by EvanD
I've heard now from some people that have "Autozone" pumps and like them, people that say only use Delco,
"autozone" here didn't stock it and I needed the car for a track event the next day, so I had to run whatever I could find, but I wasn't happy about using Bars-Leak on a brand new pump.
I got some opti work to do also, and as I read this, looks like I may need to take a second look at a whole distibutor instead of a simple cap/rotor if my bearing appears compromised.
YMMV, »keith
Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 908
Likes: 1
From: Colorado Springs Colorado
Replacing cap and rotor just doesn't make sense IMHO. At $160 for these two parts, why not spend an extra hundred twenty and get the whole unit. It's not a job you want to do over again.
Be carful taking the balancer off. You need the smallest puller you can find to clear the steering rack. And if you get it twisted, you could break the balancer by pulling the spokes away from the hub.
Be carful taking the balancer off. You need the smallest puller you can find to clear the steering rack. And if you get it twisted, you could break the balancer by pulling the spokes away from the hub.
Racer
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 447
Likes: 0
From: Titletown WI
Originally Posted by scranage
Replacing cap and rotor just doesn't make sense IMHO. At $160 for these two parts, why not spend an extra hundred twenty and get the whole unit. It's not a job you want to do over again.
thanx for the balancer tip, also. »keith