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Replace WP with Timing Belt?

Replace WP with Timing Belt?

  • Replaced the water pump and have had no problems with it...

    Votes: 6 42.9%

  • Replaced the water pump and it has since failed on you...

    Votes: 2 14.3%

  • Did not replace the water pump and have had no problems with it...

    Votes: 5 35.7%

  • Did not replace the water pump and it has since failed on you...

    Votes: 1 7.1%
  • Total voters
    14
L

Lord Stanley

Hard-core CEG'er
Joined
Oct 25, 2007
Messages
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Why the Hockey Hall of Fame of course ;)
Here is a poll, simply pick one of the answers... I still do not know if I want to replace the pump when I do my belt... I know that people say it is preventive maintenance, but I want to see what the results of this poll say about the matter :cool:
 
Do it. Why put the old one back on if it has a lot of miles on it?

I replaced timing belt and water pump at 89k. Seemed like a no-brainer to me.
 
I must admit, however, that the Zetec WP is an absolute tank. My old one spun better than the new one was still in perfect shape...
 
you dont have to take it off, but if you have to replace it later, then you will have to remove the timing belt again. your better off just going ahead and replacing it while you have the belt off.
 
1998 and up don't bother. They usually outlast the car and if it does go, the timing belt isn't in the way. On earlier models I might replace it because you do have to remove the belt. Either way I wouldn't use an aftermarket pump, they're nothing but trouble.
 
Depends on the mileage. My timing belt got replaced at 68k from a bad pulley, so I didn't think changing the WP was necessary.
 
Matt R said:
Depends on the mileage. My timing belt got replaced at 68k from a bad pulley, so I didn't think changing the WP was necessary.
Click to expand...

I am at 70K and it sounds like a pulley is going... What did yours sound like? I get a noise on startup most of the time but after driving like a minute it goes away... It is definitely coming from the timing belt / PS pump area, so I am assuming it is that timing belt pulley...
 
BoSoxBruin said:
I am at 70K and it sounds like a pulley is going... What did yours sound like? I get a noise on startup most of the time but after driving like a minute it goes away... It is definitely coming from the timing belt / PS pump area, so I am assuming it is that timing belt pulley...
Click to expand...
Take off the cover and take a listen. You can drive without the timing cover on, it makes no difference.
 
if you do all the work to repalce the timing belt it would be a huge waste of time to not replace the water pump. Granted the water pump might last awhile longer why take the chance in having to fart around taking off the timing belt again if you dont have to?

FWIW the stock water pump died before my timing belt. The water pump locked up at 135k, and thats when I replaced the timing belt too.
 
BoSoxBruin said:
I am at 70K and it sounds like a pulley is going... What did yours sound like? I get a noise on startup most of the time but after driving like a minute it goes away... It is definitely coming from the timing belt / PS pump area, so I am assuming it is that timing belt pulley...
Click to expand...

Horrible, a loud clacking. Didn't go away.
 
zorrex said:
Take off the cover and take a listen. You can drive without the timing cover on, it makes no difference.
Click to expand...

I am not teh nub Zorrex :rolleyes:

I have started it with the cover off once, and that did not really do much to improve the sound of the noise... I would not be able to hear it when driving because the engine floods out the noise and by the time I reach the first stop sign or light the noise is gone, go figure...

Now do not tell me this is a "Zetec" noise unless they can randomly generate noises out of the blue which they have never made before... A couple of times it has been a real bad noise, but both times I did not have time to look at it because I was going somewhere with friends...
 
Matt R said:
Horrible, a loud clacking. Didn't go away.
Click to expand...

Now was that the bearings on it or did it crack? I am thinking my sound would be more bearing than cracking...

Do not flame me for the two posts, I am too lazy to edit and forgot to multiquote, but I bet if I had just edited my first post it would have been quicker than typing out this huge explanation :crazy:
 
You have to ask yourself 2 questions when you are thinking about this. How long ago was your water pump replaced, and if you dont know if it ever has been then you have to ask, Do I trust that a water pump is gonna last a lot longer than a timing belt. I just bought my first zetec tour a month and a half ago for the wife, but I have had other zetecs and had to replace water pumps on them, so we all know that eventually they wear out, why not just call it 60 bucks or so in saved labor later on, or an hour or so if you are doing it yourself.
 
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