Well, my 98 sprung a leak! I'm pretty sure it's the water pump. Does anybody have advice or instructions on how to remove and replace?

It may be straight forward but I thought I'd ask somebody who knows before I "dive in".

I did a forum search but I didn't find anything.

 

TTT

Anybody?

 

1. Disconnect battery
2. Disconnect the IAT sensor connector.
3. Disconnect the MAF sensor connector
4. Remove the fuel regulator purge line from air intake duct.
5. Remove the air intake duct/cleaner assembly
6. Remove the drive belts.
7. Drain the cooling system
8. Remove the radiator inlet and outlet hose clamps from the coolant pump
9. Remove the radiator inlet an outlet hoses from the coolant pump.
10. Remove the heater hose clamps from the coolant pump
11. Remove the heater hoses from the coolant pump
12. Remove the coolant pump pulley bolts
13. Remove the coolant pump pulley.
14. Remove six water coolant retaining bolts from the engine block
15. Remove the coolant pump.

install the new coolant pump gaskets with the tabs up.

Tighten the coolant pump bolts to 30 lb ft
Tighten the coolant pump pulley bolts a first pass evenly to 89 N m lb ft
Tighten the coolant pump pulley bolts a final pass to 18 lb ft.

I was supposed to do it today, but local store got the wrong pump. I will do it tomorrow.

 

Thanks for the help!

I'm disassembling tonight. My water pump is suppose to be at the parts store by 8AM.

 

should be pretty straightforward........good luck

 

Your 98 may have come with paper/cork gaskets (there are two identical ones). These have since been replaced with metal/rubber gaskets which are much better. Make sure you get the new ones.

Good Luck!

 

I replaced mine a couple of months ago. My '98 had paper gaskets. I used a razor blade to carefully remove them. I streched out over the surge tank to remove the gaskets. The pass. side was ok but the drivers side was more difficult. When I finished and flushed and filled the system and test drove and leak checked, I found a very small crack in the tube at the back of the surge tank. It has a small brass insert inside the tube. On mine the insert was out of its bung and allowed my weight on the tube to bend it to the point of cracking. So I had to replace the surge tank too. Be careful there. Also make sure you blow any coolant out of the 6 pump bolt holes. If you don't you may crack the block by compressing the fluid behind the bolt. I used factory parts. I called Bob at Fitchners and he did not have them in stock, but my local dealer takes real good care of me and matched Fitchners price. I paid 205.93 for the pump and 47.73 for the tank, and 14.09/ea for the coolant. Also my pump kit came with the new metal/neoprene gaskets and the pulley is a factory pressed on unit and I did not have to remove the old pulley as stated above. Good Luck.

 

Thank you to everyone who contributed to my post about replacing the water pump on my Nassau Blue 98. I disassembled it last night. No trouble at all with the step-by-step instructions privided by vette747. I picked up the water pump this morning as the parts store didn't have it in stock. $133 for a new water pump with a lifetime warranty. Not factory, but hopefully it will be just as good.

I just got home from work and after a little dinner, I'm going to put it back together. I'll let everyone know how it goes.

I really do appreciate all the helpful advice.

 

I removed the pump on my 97 earlier today. Good thing I saw the new posts before installing the new one. I just ordered the metal/neoprene gaskets. Great! I will have the new gasket for the new pump installation tomorrow.

Thanks a lot.

 

Job complete...well, almost. The water pump part went fine. There were a couple of things that didn't.

The air filter "holders" were no longer securly attached. I was able to, with great pain, get them to latch around something, but I'm afraid that when I check/clean the air filter again the holders will detach again. Anyone know what I did wrong?

I've got a major chirp/squeak. I had it to some extent before the water pump went bad, but now it is unaccepable. I tried spraying silicone on the belt and WD-40 on the pulleys, but so far no improvement. Anybody have any ideas on this one?

I drove around for an hour or so (clear warm night / top down) and the tempurature was fine...a couple of marks below 220. When I got home and tried to work on the chirp/squeak the tempurature went a mark or two above 220. Something it never used to do. I may have not put enough antifreeze in following the repair. I put 1 gallon of dextron and 1 gallon of water. In the morning, before I go to work, I'll add more. Any other ideas on this one?

Lastly, the check engine light came on the first two times I started it up. The third time the light went off and it hasn't been back on since. This may not be a big deal but it is something I didn't expect.

Thanks to all!!!

 

Air filter holders: I had this problem on my car and my friend’s 99. I remove the holder and manually bend the metal straps close to 180 degrees at the upper corner of the air filter assembly. When I release the strap, it has a greater angle; therefore, it holds better and never came off since then.

Chirp-Squeak.: I had to clean the engine compartment a few times for several reasons. I noticed than when water goes to the AC pulleys, they tend to squeak. It goes away after 10-20 minutes. My pump was leaking for a few days an I noticed that because dexcool was going on the pulley, I had squeak. It looks like pulley does not like water or dexcool. When you removed the water pump, even if I had flush the dexcool, some coolant went on the AC, idle and tensionner pulley. Hopefully, this is the case for you. Yesterday, I removed the AC belt, AC idler pulley and it looks ok. There is a sealed bearing. I also check the AC tensionner bearing. Looks nice. The AC pulley from the AC compressor has a bit of slack and make some noise when I manually turn it. I think my AC compressor bearing is coming loose. While I was there I also check power steering pump, alternator and all other pulley. I noticed that one of the Idler pulley under the alternator is also making some kind of noise when I turn manually. If I ear noise again, I will change it along with the AC idler and tensionner pulley, and may be the AC compressor bearing. My theory about water-coolant causing squeak is not scientific, just my 02 cents. If this is not caused by water-coolant, you will find several thread on the topic.


Engine temp. If AC is off, the PCM command low speed fans ON at 226 and OFF at 217 and high speed fans ON at 235 and OFF at 219. However, it the temp went to 200 when driving you might have air in the system.

If you want to make sure you have enough coolant, here is the procedure. An other method to remove air is to disconnect the hose going to the radiator to the throttle body and fill coolant until the coolant exit out of the hose.


...
7. Fill the system through the radiator surge tank opening up to the base of the neck.
8. Start the engine.
9. Idle engine for 1 minute.
10. Install radiator surge tank cap.
11. Cycle the RPM, idle to 3000 for 30 seconds intervals until engine coolant reaches 210 F.
12. Shut off the engine.
13. Refer to step 3 above to remove the radiator surge tank cap.
---3. Opens the radiator drain ****. (It looks like a white plastic plug below the lower radiator hose. You can see it if your car is jack and you are under it).
14. Start the engine.
15. Idle engine for 1 minute and fill surge tank to ½ above COLD Full mark on the radiator surge tank.
16. Install the radiator surge tank cap.
17. Cycle the RMP, idle to 3000 in 30 seconds intervals until engine coolant reaches 210 F.
18. Shut off the engine.
19. Top off coolant as necessary, to ½ above COLD Full mark on the radiator surge tank.
20. Rinse away any excess coolant from the engine and the compartment.
21. Inspect the concentration of the coolant.

Do you get any code. Most of the time, if the check engine goes on, a code should be generated.

I will put mine on this evening. I hope everything will be fine.

Cheers,

Stock 1984 & 1997 A4 Z51 3.15. BestTime 13.36 on Michelin Pilot. 18 inche wheels all around for the look. Hawk HP+ for braking & Corsa for the sound.

 

Okay! I've about got it all worked out. The only thing I haven't resolved is the engine heating a little more than I think it should when at idle. It's fine when running/moving (2 marks below 220) but when idling for a while, like at a long red light, it heats up (2 marks above 220). It never seems to go above the 2 marks over 220, but I haven't tested that point thoroughly.

My theory for this is that the parts store either sold me a defective thermostat or one that is a higher degree than the original.

My plan is to try the steps that vette747 recommended and if that doesn't work, I'll put the old thermostat back in to see if that resolves the problem. Boy...I hope they didn't sell me a bum water pump!

Anyway, here were the fixes for the other issues.

squeel/squeak - replaced the tension idler that mounts to the water pump. Seems to have done the trick. ($13)

check engine light - just went away. Probably came on because I cleaned the throttle body and it got unexpected "flow".

air filter "holders" - I'll try bending them the next time I clean the air filter (if they come off)

Thanks to all for your help and support.

Good luck on replacing yours, vette747 !

 

I had my H20 pump replaced at the dealer (long story, blew out on my way to work) anyway, after $675 they had it done for me! I had a 180 T-Stat in my old unit that I forgot about...the new pump assembly has the t-stat included at stock settings...some where around 196*. My running temps are around this number- but at a stop it goes up to as much as 230 too hot for my liking...my old 180* stat never got above 210 in the same conditions...its not defective- more likely higher set then the older one that may have been lower or just worn out...