Water pump/radiator

[SFCA1987lx]

Ok. So my 87 lx for the past few weeks whenever I was stopped for more than 30 seconds the heat would start to rise. As soon as I started rolling again it would cool back down, no problem. Pops just said, hm, let's keep an eye on it. Friday I'm in slow traffic and I hear a POP and look up and steam is pouring from my engine and I look at the gauge and it's in the red. I hop out, coolant everywhere. Push the car off the road and pop the hood. I noticed next to the radiator cap and large hole. Well, there's the problem. Got the radiator replaced (part and labor 300). My mechanic said that my water pump is leaking. Could this have caused the problem? If I continue driving with the leaking water pump will it affect the radiator again? How much does labor cost (about) for a water pump and I'm confused over whether or not the water pump is tied in with the timing belt or if it has its own belt. Thoughts and suggestions ¡por favor!

[Pico]

Water pump leaking is not a good thing to keep driving with. You should replace the T-Belt at the same time you do the water pump, along with the cam and crank seal and T-Belt tensioner .
Good time also to check or replace all hoses and replace the thermostat.

[Civic Accord Honda]

my water pump was ran by its own belt O.o only 3g that has a timing belt drivin water pump is the JDM B20A ... and i replaced my water pump last year it took about 6hours to do so cause i have a limited amount of tools and i was taking my time lol

[DBMaster]

True. The A20 water pump is driven by the alternator belt. Replacing the water pump with the timing belt cover off is MUCH easier so it makes sense to do it every 90K miles when you do the t-belt.

I've replaced the water pump both ways. You would rather do it at the same time the cover's off, believe me. Just stick with Honda and not aftermarket. One of the times I had to replace it was because my brand new top brand aftermarket water pump from NAPA went bad after only 18K miles. Honda's bearing and seal design is proprietary, supposedly.

[russiankid]

Water pump leaking is not a good thing to keep driving with. The T-Belt is driven by the Water pump and you should replace it at the same time you do the water pump, along with the cam and crank seal and T-Belt tensioner .
Good time also to check or replace all hoses and replace the thermostat.

Pico, take a day off you've been working to hard.

A20 has its own belt for the waterpump.

[Civic Accord Honda]

True. The A20 water pump is driven by the alternator belt. Replacing the water pump with the timing belt cover off is MUCH easier so it makes sense to do it every 90K miles when you do the t-belt.

I've replaced the water pump both ways. You would rather do it at the same time the cover's off, believe me. Just stick with Honda and not aftermarket. One of the times I had to replace it was because my brand new top brand aftermarket water pump from NAPA went bad after only 18K miles. Honda's bearing and seal design is proprietary, supposedly.

the GMB water pumps from autozone are really good as well

[russiankid]

True. The A20 water pump is driven by the alternator belt. Replacing the water pump with the timing belt cover off is MUCH easier so it makes sense to do it every 90K miles when you do the t-belt.

I've replaced the water pump both ways. You would rather do it at the same time the cover's off, believe me. Just stick with Honda and not aftermarket. One of the times I had to replace it was because my brand new top brand aftermarket water pump from NAPA went bad after only 18K miles. Honda's bearing and seal design is proprietary, supposedly.

My aftermarket one went 30k then it started to leak.

[Pico]

Pico, take a day off you've been working to hard.

A0 has its own belt for the waterpump.

Oooo Your right I just re-read my post....
All fixed now

[Dr_Snooz]

You can probably get away with driving it like that for awhile, provided you keep an eye on your coolant level; which is hard because the reservoir tank is buried at the bottom of the engine well and completely opaque by now. It's better to get it fixed quickly. If you plan to keep the car more than a year, take this opportunity to go over your entire cooling system carefully. The cooling system in these cars can be neglected for about 20 years. Once you start having problems, however, you are going to keep having them until you get things squared away. When you replace the pump, you will have the coolant out. Do a thorough flush of the system. Replace ALL hoses (the dozen little bypass hoses included, they are expensive) and the thermostat too. If you have an automatic transmission, the cooler hoses to the radiator are undoubtedly seeping and should be replaced as well(they are cheap). Also you want to plan on some problems from all the sensors that have been swimming in dirty coolant for the last 20 years.

The good news is that you can get it all sorted out and have a lovely, dependable car for another 20 years. Once you get there, do like DB Master says and consider replacing that water pump a 90k mile maintenance item.

[russiankid]

Oooo Your right I just re-read my post....
All fixed now

We have all brain farts.

[nfs480]

We have all brain farts.

I'm trying to figure out if you did that on purpose or not, lol.

[Civic Accord Honda]

I'm trying to figure out if you did that on purpose or not, lol.

haha yeah i was thinking the same thing

[DBMaster]

The genuine Honda pump is actually around the same price or cheaper from Majestic Honda. I am personally not even going to think about aftermarket. I have used GMB pumps before on older cars with belt driven fans. Those installations transmit a lot of vibration from the fan to the water pump bearing so they never last as long as our type of installation. On the off chance that Honda's bearing design is actually better than enything else I would stick with a pump that you KNOW will go the distance.

[Dr_Snooz]

The genuine Honda pump is actually around the same price or cheaper from Majestic Honda. I am personally not even going to think about aftermarket. I have used GMB pumps before on older cars with belt driven fans. Those installations transmit a lot of vibration from the fan to the water pump bearing so they never last as long as our type of installation. On the off chance that Honda's bearing design is actually better than enything else I would stick with a pump that you KNOW will go the distance.

I'm starting to wonder about you DB. You blow out water pumps in 18k miles. You replace master cylinders every 50k miles. I don't know about you.........

[griffonks]

the GMB water pumps from autozone are really good as well

Agreeing with Dark, I put a GMB water pump in my 89 LX three years ago when I inherited it after it sat for 9 years and brought it back to life to sell it- before I decided that I needed to keep it. 65K miles since, no problems. In fact none of the Autozone Parts have failed....all the rubber, gas lines, O2 sensor, master cylinder, axles etc. That's when I found you guys, thanks!

I am about to do the T-belt, crankseal & tensioner again along with a new dizzy and brushes in the alternator. I'll use better parts this time since it's MY car now. Auto-Zone is expensive these days anyway. Thanks for the Majestic Honda clue!

Sounds like OP's accord needs a pump ASAP, if not a head gasket too.

[DBMaster]

I'm starting to wonder about you DB. You blow out water pumps in 18k miles. You replace master cylinders every 50k miles. I don't know about you.........

I never said I drove like the "little old lady from Pasadena." It's 90K miles on the M/C's, though. Original one went out when the car had less than 100K miles on it even after changing the brake fluid every 30K miles just like the maintenance schedule indicates.

I should modify my water pump story. The GMB pump I got at NAPA was $45. I paid about the same amount for an OEM pump from Majestic. I bought the pump at NAPA when I did the timing belt in 1999. I just thought it would be more convenient since I was buying the other parts there. They sell Gates belts. That's the only aftermarket brand I am willing to use. My water pump pulley was not "true." It had some wobble to it. The Honda pump was able to last even with that, but the vibration started causing the bearing in the GMB pump to make noise and then the seal started leaking. I ran the Honda pump for several months before deciding to go ahead and get a new pulley. Even with the bad pulley the Honda pump did fine. You should be careful about how to secure the pulley when loosening the bolts that attach it to the pump. I think I may have bent it at some point.

That's the risk of doing a lot of work yourself. If you don't do it for a living occasionally you may break something while working on something else. Overall, I am way ahead on repair bills, though.

[Dr_Snooz]

That's the risk of doing a lot of work yourself. If you don't do it for a living occasionally you may break something while working on something else. Overall, I am way ahead on repair bills, though.

The risk of taking it in to a shop is the same. At least you take responsibility when you break stuff and you care enough to try to avoid doing so in the first place.

Don't apologize for doing your own work.

[DBMaster]

I do recall explaining to a mechanic at the Honda dealer about the wobbly pulley. I think he was the guy who told me that Honda's bearing was unique. So, is it really?

You are right, Dr_Snooz. The Accord has only been to good shops in its life. It was McNatt Honda in Lewisville while under warranty and then Automotion in Carrollton and Danny's Import Services in Lewisville. When I don't want to do the work myself Danny's guys actually seem to CARE about the car. Of course, one look at it and they know I notice everything and take care of everything. When I was married my wife's car was a Ford Escort wagon. We had the car nine years. The shops that car visited, including the dealer, treated it like a piece of shit. They broke things, left parts out, and did generally sloppy work. This was at more than one Ford dealership as well. So, do I lament the thought of Ford going under?