Replacing Waterpump During Cambelt Change

kiwi · Post by **kiwi** » Sat Nov 12, 2011 9:34 pm

Something I become very aware of out here in NZ is the obsession to change cambelts when you buy a car. Ok fair enough but the one thing our local garage also does is say that the water pump should be replaced at the same time.

My view is if it aint broke dont fix it unless it is something as crucial as a cambelt.

So whats the verdict on a 1992 TXD should the waterpump be changed or not?

MULLEY · Post by **MULLEY** » Sat Nov 12, 2011 9:42 pm

Your choice i'm afraid.

I've had 2 cambelts changed on my txd & the waterpump has been inspected & was fine so wasn't changed.

Lots of people do just change it anyway to avoid the potential extra risk of it going wrong & causing the cambelt to come off if it got snarled up by the waterpump seizing.

Sorry i can't be of any more help, perhaps others might share their experiences & why they've done what they've done?

Post by **docchevron** » Sat Nov 12, 2011 9:53 pm

I always do. It's £20 here and adds no more than 20 minutes to a cam belt change.

Oscar · Post by **Oscar** » Sat Nov 12, 2011 9:55 pm

docchevron wrote:I always do. It's £20 here and adds no more than 20 minutes to a cam belt change.

Me too. Worth doing if you don't know whether it's been recently changed.

MULLEY · Post by **MULLEY** » Sat Nov 12, 2011 9:56 pm

Doc, are there any particular non genuine citroen branded one's that you recommend over others, i'm guessing that you can't buy a genuine one for 20 smackers anymore?

Post by **docchevron** » Sat Nov 12, 2011 10:03 pm

you can if you get them for cost price

That said, I've used Airtex for years on countless cars and never had a problem. I always change the tensioner / idler / pump every other belt change (I change belts every 20K miles) and the pumps have always looked and felt as good as the day they went in..

electrokid · Post by **electrokid** » Tue Nov 15, 2011 10:11 am

My local ex Citroen independent - Andy's Autos always changes the water pump and idler when fitting the new cambelt - "not worth the hassle if it goes wrong soon afterwards". I agree with that sentiment - not worth the hassle for the customer either and for what it costs (mine was done yesterday and the water pump was charged at £35) it's worth doing.

Might be worth considering a regular alternator belt change as well - say once every 2 or 3 cambelts because if that falls off it tends to tangle with the cambelt anyway - now why didn't I think of that yesterday !

Post by **Defender110** » Tue Nov 15, 2011 10:41 am

Welcome back Brian, where've you been hiding?

Ref. Waterpump. I would change it if fitting a genuine or OE quality one. Unfortunately some of the after market onse are cr-p and you may be changing a good genuine one for a worse AM one if you're not carefull.

MULLEY · Post by **MULLEY** » Tue Nov 15, 2011 1:06 pm

As above, & how do you tell what a quality non citroen one is?

electrokid · Post by **electrokid** » Tue Nov 15, 2011 1:09 pm

Thank you Kevan

this is the first time for ages I've had the time to sit down and chat on-line ! Good point re third party components.

And I should of course mention that if your garage is still mixing your coolant with tapwater and not de-ionised water then it's time to drag them kicking and screaming into the 21st century - if they're doing the job properly they don't mind being asked - and if they're not doing the job properly they need to be told !

Post by **mat_fenwick** » Tue Nov 15, 2011 1:36 pm

Defender110 wrote:Welcome back Brian, where've you been hiding?

+1

I just assumed he'd blown himself up, or maybe that he'd decided to build a new PC from components, or another little project like that...

themildbunch · Post by **themildbunch** » Tue Nov 15, 2011 5:08 pm

there's a seller on eBay with a lot of these NOS, FAI waterpumps...

I bought one recently - never seem to get above £5.99...

I've not had a problem with FAI parts yet..

kiwi · Post by **kiwi** » Tue Nov 15, 2011 6:22 pm

Defender110 wrote: Waterpump. I would change it if fitting a genuine or OE quality one. Unfortunately some of the after market onse are cr-p and you may be changing a good genuine one for a worse AM one if you're not carefull.

Exactly the reason for asking this rather obvious question.

After Market + Quality thats a delicate balance.

Conceeded that replacement should be done during the cambelt chnage however hesitant that a quality after market one is available. I have this sneeking feeling that the one that was replaced in the TZS a few years ago was not genuine and probably one the reasons for the cooling system problems it is experiancing.

Might jump on the garage this AM and get a genuine waterpump fitted and bugga the expense. Already some oil seals being replaced and the clutch is coming out as there is a prolem there as well I want sorted. While it is out will be investigating something else have learned (see other post)

electrokid · Post by **electrokid** » Wed Nov 16, 2011 12:09 pm

I just assumed he'd blown himself up, or maybe that he'd decided to build a new PC from components,

It's been an explosion-free year (so far anyway

) but both my high-end computers died and needed fixing last week ! Still too many projects though.

Kiwi - why don't you call in to a few independent garages - ask if they have an opinion about water pump manufacturers - you may at least get some pointers as to which ones to avoid.

KevR · Post by **KevR** » Wed Nov 16, 2011 4:42 pm

themildbunch wrote:there's a seller on eBay with a lot of these NOS, FAI waterpumps...

I bought one recently - never seem to get above £5.99...

I've not had a problem with FAI parts yet..

+1 for that - about 60,000 miles on the most recent one with no problems. I've got two Motaquip ones on the shelf that I hope will be just as good – need to change the one in the other TZD imminently.