Club 80-90 Forums

During my recent clutch replacement, the garage noticed that my water pump was leaking slightly.

I’ve since had a quote from another independent garage of £480 + VAT (based on 4 hours’ labour), which doesn’t include replacing the fan belt.

Does that sound like a reasonable price? The fan belt looks quite worn, so I’m thinking it would make sense to replace it at the same time while everything is apart.

I’m still waiting to hear back from two other garages before making a decision.

Er...daylight robbery?

Slack off the alternator, rmove belt.

Undo the 30mm a/f bolt securing the crank pulley, remove pulley for access.

Remove pump pulley, 3x M8 bolts (jam something behind the triangular pulley flange to lock it)

Two M8 caphead bolts for the lower coolant pipe connection and the same for the big coolant pipe. One has a gasket, one has an O ring. Always put sealant on the gasket as that pipe flange will no longer be flat.

3x M8 nuts securing the pump to the crankcase/block. Big O ring alwats included with a new pump.

Get a big bowl under the engine to catch the worst of the coolant.

Totally DIY able with basic tools.

PS its all detailed in the Haynes Book of Lies which should live under your passenger seat.

it should be straightforward, but depending on how long since last done, how clean the coolant has been, how long stood and general corrosion issues it can become a bigger job
4 hours is quoting for worse case scenario, and if anything doesn't go to plan then you could be needing additional parts as well which they should warn you about up front
New belt is a given, and like £10
Do they not want the work ?

Local independents near me charge £108 an hour , it’s easy to rack up £500 , chances of an Allen headed bolt be rounded , pretty high , chances of a snapped bolt pretty high, draining and topping up coolant , cleaning gasket faces etc , it’s easily a couple of hours if all goes well, it’s not a terrible price

That would be my biggest fear of undertaking it myself that if nuts/bolts are seized and start shearing them off.

They van has only done just over 33,000 so would think it’s the original pump and never been removed.

Even if you sheared off all the cap heads (unlikely, more chance of the old threads in the pump being gone to white dust) the old pump is going in the bin, so no drama there.
A bit of penetrating oil on the three studs the night before and ALWAYS give them a tightening tweak before attempting to undo them, it helps to break any corrosion in the threads.
Tools:
30mm flat ring spanner or socket. Get a s/h one off ebay if you don't have one.
Lump hammer to tickle the above, it should only be tight to be 70Nm iirc
13mm deep socket.
13mm ring spanner
6mm hex bit and/or key
A pair of ramps, again everyone should have a pair, makes life easy for so many jobs.

Even if it takes you all day, you could be £500 up and will have learned a few things along the way.

The cost of the pump is minimal.