So the 01 Saturn sl1 I just bought runs great . However it has 122,000 miles and what appears to be the original water pump. I know when these go they tend to go all at once on the s series. Would you replace it now or just wait till it goes out? It's abiur 35-40 bucks take abour 60-90 mins to replace it. Your thoughts.
Replace water pump or wait
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With the failure rate of new parts these days I would run the original until it fails.
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Originally Posted By: Duffyjr
With the failure rate of new parts these days I would run the original until it fails.
+1
With the failure rate of new parts these days I would run the original until it fails.
+1
If it's not leaking or making awful noises, run it.
I’ll vote the other way. If you you don’t mind working on it, why not. If you put an OE pump on it you’ve increased the reliability of your car vs having a breakdown on the interstate.
Mine went out at 230+k on my 95 and something similar on my wife's 00. The rebuilt pump from AA had a very nice gooey thick gasket that filled the minor imperfections in the block. The brand new pump had a thinner gasket-- think I smeared RTV to compensate.
If no indications of the WP leaking,etc, then leave it alone
Originally Posted By: Snagglefoot
I’ll vote the other way. If you you don’t mind working on it, why not. If you put an OE pump on it you’ve increased the reliability of your car vs having a breakdown on the interstate.
by your logic he should do the starter, alternator, belts, hoses.....engine....wait, just replace the whole car...lol
I’ll vote the other way. If you you don’t mind working on it, why not. If you put an OE pump on it you’ve increased the reliability of your car vs having a breakdown on the interstate.
by your logic he should do the starter, alternator, belts, hoses.....engine....wait, just replace the whole car...lol
I had a different experience on my 1999 SL2. First one failed at your mileage. Shop replaced and it lasted 80k. On the second engine I just bought a water pump from Rock Auto to have on hand. Sure enough, coming home from work one day noticed pump leaking, so just replaced it after work. My vote is have the part on hand, but wait. With your training and tools it should be easy. Before failing all of water pumps leaked or made noise before they failed.
I just followed FiremanCV's YouTube and did fine, plus I got a good laugh.
Saturn S-Series Waterpump Replacement
If you do the water pump now I would also replace the thermostat. At 100k miles or less mine started failing or failed.
I just followed FiremanCV's YouTube and did fine, plus I got a good laugh.
Saturn S-Series Waterpump Replacement
If you do the water pump now I would also replace the thermostat. At 100k miles or less mine started failing or failed.
Originally Posted By: MONKEYMAN
I had a different experience on my 1999 SL2. First one failed at your mileage. Shop replaced and it lasted 80k. On the second engine I just bought a water pump from Rock Auto to have on hand. Sure enough, coming home from work one day noticed pump leaking, so just replaced it after work. My vote is have the part on hand, but wait. With your training and tools it should be easy. Before failing all of water pumps leaked or made noise before they failed.
I just followed FiremanCV's YouTube and did fine, plus I got a good laugh.
Saturn S-Series Waterpump Replacement
If you do the water pump now I would also replace the thermostat. At 100k miles or less mine started failing or failed.
When I had my 1973 Bavaria back in the '80s the average life for an M30 water pump was @60k miles. I kept a spare pump and a small tool kit in the trunk so that I could replace the pump if it died. I got over 100k out of the pump before I replaced it as a precaution before a long road trip.
I think keeping a spare part in the trunk can double the life of that component.
I had a different experience on my 1999 SL2. First one failed at your mileage. Shop replaced and it lasted 80k. On the second engine I just bought a water pump from Rock Auto to have on hand. Sure enough, coming home from work one day noticed pump leaking, so just replaced it after work. My vote is have the part on hand, but wait. With your training and tools it should be easy. Before failing all of water pumps leaked or made noise before they failed.
I just followed FiremanCV's YouTube and did fine, plus I got a good laugh.
Saturn S-Series Waterpump Replacement
If you do the water pump now I would also replace the thermostat. At 100k miles or less mine started failing or failed.
When I had my 1973 Bavaria back in the '80s the average life for an M30 water pump was @60k miles. I kept a spare pump and a small tool kit in the trunk so that I could replace the pump if it died. I got over 100k out of the pump before I replaced it as a precaution before a long road trip.
I think keeping a spare part in the trunk can double the life of that component.
I would replace the pump only if the car is driven some distance away from home. If it's a "town car" I wouldn't worry until it starts to leak or make noise.
If you want no break down FYI: Do not charge cell phone, etc. using cigarette lighter socket! You can bypass pin F5. I ended up running wire from battery to double headed sockets I bought at Wal-Mart. I installed under the dash. The technically competent had other solutions for wiring. Only time I was towed is when I fried pin F5 and had to install new fuse panel.
Fixing the F5 Issue
Fixing the F5 Issue
Originally Posted By: ram_man
To respond to the spending money on a car I bought to save money......a water pump or cheaper than. A tow I'll be driving it about 400 miles a week starting at the end of August.
This is what CAA/AAA is for. If it is a commuter car, then you will never be that far from home. Therefore the tow will be covered and you can just slap the new pump on. If you are concerned buy the pump and wait, it sounds like you are going to racking up the miles big time and will need a pump replacement at some point during your ownership.
People are super conservative on here about replacing parts: specifically batteries. I understand that some people have cars that girls drive who should not really be left stranded, but CAA comes within a half hour 90% of the time.
If you drive a heap you should get it for REAL piece of mind. I have the platinum level because I used to travel pretty far (3-400 km) to visit friends.
To respond to the spending money on a car I bought to save money......a water pump or cheaper than. A tow I'll be driving it about 400 miles a week starting at the end of August.
This is what CAA/AAA is for. If it is a commuter car, then you will never be that far from home. Therefore the tow will be covered and you can just slap the new pump on. If you are concerned buy the pump and wait, it sounds like you are going to racking up the miles big time and will need a pump replacement at some point during your ownership.
People are super conservative on here about replacing parts: specifically batteries. I understand that some people have cars that girls drive who should not really be left stranded, but CAA comes within a half hour 90% of the time.
If you drive a heap you should get it for REAL piece of mind. I have the platinum level because I used to travel pretty far (3-400 km) to visit friends.
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Originally Posted By: ram_man
To respond to the spending money on a car I bought to save money......a water pump or cheaper than. A tow I'll be driving it about 400 miles a week starting at the end of August.
You may want to check or even replace radiator hoses also. At 135k miles on second engine the upper radiator hose burst passing someone going up a hill 70 miles from home. That hose came with the engine when they installed it. Wrapped it with self fusing silicone tape, filled with water, and drove home. I had just replaced the water pump. Would have been better for me and the engine if I replaced hoses at same time. I ended up replacing them anyway.
To respond to the spending money on a car I bought to save money......a water pump or cheaper than. A tow I'll be driving it about 400 miles a week starting at the end of August.
You may want to check or even replace radiator hoses also. At 135k miles on second engine the upper radiator hose burst passing someone going up a hill 70 miles from home. That hose came with the engine when they installed it. Wrapped it with self fusing silicone tape, filled with water, and drove home. I had just replaced the water pump. Would have been better for me and the engine if I replaced hoses at same time. I ended up replacing them anyway.
Originally Posted By: MONKEYMAN
Originally Posted By: ram_man
To respond to the spending money on a car I bought to save money......a water pump or cheaper than. A tow I'll be driving it about 400 miles a week starting at the end of August.
You may want to check or even replace radiator hoses also. At 135k miles on second engine the upper radiator hose burst passing someone going up a hill 70 miles from home. That hose came with the engine when they installed it. Wrapped it with self fusing silicone tape, filled with water, and drove home. I had just replaced the water pump. Would have been better for me and the engine if I replaced hoses at same time. I ended up replacing them anyway.
Yeah actually the car has new hoses because in May I guess the radiator went out and they replace the radiator and the hoses so I kind of dodged a bullet there
Originally Posted By: ram_man
To respond to the spending money on a car I bought to save money......a water pump or cheaper than. A tow I'll be driving it about 400 miles a week starting at the end of August.
You may want to check or even replace radiator hoses also. At 135k miles on second engine the upper radiator hose burst passing someone going up a hill 70 miles from home. That hose came with the engine when they installed it. Wrapped it with self fusing silicone tape, filled with water, and drove home. I had just replaced the water pump. Would have been better for me and the engine if I replaced hoses at same time. I ended up replacing them anyway.
Yeah actually the car has new hoses because in May I guess the radiator went out and they replace the radiator and the hoses so I kind of dodged a bullet there
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