Water pump and belt brands, GM 3.1 v6

[Jimzz]

Get the carquest one from advance with coupon. The WP on those cars is not to hard and the carquest one is no worse than most others out there, let alone can;t be worse than Gates junk water pumps. The driveworks belt from advance is usually a US made belt now so I have used them a fair amount now with great track record.

 

[stephen9666]

I’d probably get the Hitachi. The AC Delco Pro is probably just a reboxed aftermarket part, but could still be pretty good. I’ve been unimpressed with Gates hard parts. The ones I’ve bought were just generic white box parts with a Gates sticker.

 

[andyd]

Mebbe apples and oranges. For the 528e, I found that GNB pumps outlasted the various German pumps and were 1/2 the price. Never a bit of trouble Great video of the guy using a dial indicator to show run out.

 

[Nick1994]

If Gates makes the Napa ones that's what I'd get. My mom got rid of her Rendezvous in Spring 2016 and the water pump was screaming, I'm talking LOUD. Would have probably been the 5th one if I had replaced it. Auto Zone junk.

 

[901Memphis]

Originally Posted By: Jimzz

Get the carquest one from advance with coupon. The WP on those cars is not to hard and the carquest one is no worse than most others out there, let alone can;t be worse than Gates junk water pumps. The driveworks belt from advance is usually a US made belt now so I have used them a fair amount now with great track record.

That's what I have in my cart now, it's about $48 before coupon codes and I will need another gallon of coolant too.

 

[nthach]

FWIW, I have a Chinese-made pump on a friend's Explorer and it's holding up just fine, after 1.5 years of service. The Motorcraft one he bought off Amazon had a porous housing, and I would have preferred to install a GMB or OEM pump. For cars with decent water pump access(not timing belt/chain driven or Nissans), an Chinese one is OK. If you can get a ACDelco or Hitachi/GMB pump locally, go for that. For belts, I like Gates, Goodyear/Conti or Bando. O'Reilly's house brand belt is Gates' value series but still good.

 

[Jimzz]

Originally Posted By: andyd

Mebbe apples and oranges. For the 528e, I found that GNB pumps outlasted the various German pumps and were 1/2 the price. Never a bit of trouble Great video of the guy using a dial indicator to show run out.

I've found that GMB has improved quality in their water pumps from the old days when I was a tech. But Gates has dropped like a rock. Good belts but horrible water pumps.

 

[Rock_Hudstone]

Originally Posted By: 901Memphis

[quote=Merkava_4]I . Does anyone know if you can do this job without draining the radiator?

Since the water pump is located high on the 3.1L the radiator needs only to be drained partially (about a gallon or so). Otherwise, coolant will spill all over the place when the pump is pulled off. Remember when refilling the coolant on these engines to loosen the air bleed screws on the bypass hose and T-stat. Also helps if the vehicles nose is raised or on an incline.

 

[Trav]

I usually vacuum fill most cars today, I neither have the time or the patience to messing around with funnels and letting it get hot enough to burp on some engines that don't like to bleed. I use this one most of the time but have a couple of others, this does fit most GM also, you do need a compressor. https://www.ecstuning.com/b-schwaben-parts/coolant-refill-air-purge-tool/003466sch01/ Edit: Added link

 

[901Memphis]

Originally Posted By: Rock_Hudstone

Originally Posted By: 901Memphis

[quote=Merkava_4]I . Does anyone know if you can do this job without draining the radiator?

Since the water pump is located high on the 3.1L the radiator needs only to be drained partially (about a gallon or so). Otherwise, coolant will spill all over the place when the pump is pulled off. Remember when refilling the coolant on these engines to loosen the air bleed screws on the bypass hose and T-stat. Also helps if the vehicles nose is raised or on an incline.

I know about the T stat bleeder, but I've never heard or use the other one you mentioned? Maybe that's why I have trouble sometimes. I can't afford a vacuum bleeder, but I might get one of the Lisle funnels

 

[andyd]

I know about the T stat bleeder, but I've never heard or use the other one you mentioned? Maybe that's why I have trouble sometimes. The BMWs had a bleeder on the T'stat housing. They were useless. because it wasn't the highest point in the system. Plus the potential of shearing it kept me from using it

 

[901Memphis]

The bleeder on the T stat housing is the highest point, you can easily tell when you have air in the system on my Buick, because the heat won't work until you get all the bubbles out.

 

[nthach]

Originally Posted By: Trav

I usually vacuum fill most cars today, I neither have the time or the patience to messing around with funnels and letting it get hot enough to burp on some engines that don't like to bleed. I use this one most of the time but have a couple of others, this does fit most GM also, you do need a compressor. https://www.ecstuning.com/b-schwaben-parts/coolant-refill-air-purge-tool/003466sch01/ Edit: Added link

I have the UView version of that, it was used to refill and bleed the cooling system on a Nissan Quest that also had it's high point near the IACV. It also works quite well on a Prius which has 2 cooling loops, with the 2nd gen cars having a coolant thermos. It doesn't seal well with some radiator/surge tank necks, caveat emptor. http://uview.com/index.cfm?DSP=ProductDe...ng&id=45700

 

[901Memphis]

I got the CARQUEST new pump (made in Mexico if anyone's wondering), and the fel pro gasket from advance, and I ordered the Continental Elite Poly-V belt and a Lisle spill free funnel off Amazon, should be here this Saturday.

 

[901Memphis]

I looked at the YouTube video for this job and it's even easier than I thought, I didn't know the pump was just a replacement part into the housing on the engine , you don't even have to remove the hose for this job, it's going to be a fast job.

 

[Drew99GT]

I wouldn't worry about draining the rad; even if you do, coolant will still spill out everywhere when the pump comes off. Open all the bleeders, then fill with the lisle funnel until coolant comes out the bleeders, close them, and run the engine with the lisle until the thermostat opens/fans come on with the heater on, BUT don't overfill with the Lisle since it needs room to expand. Fill the syetm so there isn't even any coolant in the funnel - just so you can barely see some at the top of the radiator or the bottom of the pressurized overflow tank. In fact, having used mine so many times now, I drilled a vent hole in the lid and use it with the lid on because as the coolant gets to operating temp with no pressure in the system, it will start boiling in the funnel and occasionally blow out everywhere. LOL.

 

[901Memphis]

Unfortunately I think I need to drain the radiator and add some full strength coolant because since it's been leaking I've been adding quite a bit of water every day to keep it full, so my I'm guessing MOST of my $40 worth of G05 ended up on the ground somewhere, so I'll try to add a gallon and hopefully have a good amount of coolant to water.

 

[Nick1994]

I never drained the radiator when doing those water pumps, just pop it off with a drain pan underneath. It'll probably spill out anyways even if you drain the radiator.

 

[901Memphis]

Originally Posted By: Nick1994

I never drained the radiator when doing those water pumps, just pop it off with a drain pan underneath. It'll probably spill out anyways even if you drain the radiator.

Yeah like I said I need to drain the radiator so I can get more room in the system to add full strength coolant to make up for the extra water in the system since it's leaking

 

[WyrTwister]

We have owned 4 - 5 Chevy Luminas & I think all had the 3.1L V-6 . I have replaced the water pump an 2 - 3 of them . ( One only had a bad gasket . ) Not too difficult of a project . Best of luck to you all , :-)