Water pump going south

[GroceryHauler]

My 97 is in the shop and I just found out I need a new water pump. They want something like $600 (just labor I think) to do it. I'm trying to decide if I should try my hand at it myself. I'm more familiar with doing suspension/brake related stuff, but I want to learn how to do more. What's the difficulty of this job? Are there any special tools required? What else should I think about doing at the same time?

Thanks!

[sammm]

Might as well do the timing belt, camshaft seals and idler pulleys if they haven't been done lately.

[trickyrix]

Might as well do belts and hoses while you're in there.

[POS Racing]

Hold on a Minute $600.00 to replace just the water pump! Really??

[GroceryHauler]

Hold on a Minute $600.00 to replace just the water pump! Really??

If I understood correctly. But that might have included some of the other stuff too.

[00MugenS2]

Im a mechanic if you want to save some money. I need to to my timing belt/seals next week too.

[POS Racing]

Yikes! I'd definitively get some clarification on that one!

[GroceryHauler]

Im a mechanic if you want to save some money. I need to to my timing belt/seals next week too.

Probably going to try doing this job with a buddy. That said, I really don't know what I'm doing yet. But isn't that part of the fun?

Yikes! I'd definitively get some clarification on that one!

Told them not to do it haha

[black roadster]

BTW, for clarification, you get way more that a water pump if we do the job!

[GroceryHauler]

BTW, for clarification, you get way more that a water pump if we do the job!

Do tell...

[Rob®]

For $600 you better be getting an entire timing belt job: t-belt, water pump, idler pulleys, tensioner, cam seals, crank seal (with bolt and key, especially for a short nose 1.6), valve cover gasket, CAS o-ring, new main water hoses, new accessory belts, and I'd hope even new spark plugs. Possibly even an oil change for completion. Could even argue a thermostat if it's old enough (I would personally, but I can see why some people wouldn't).

[Titus]

For $600 you better be getting an entire timing belt job: t-belt, water pump, idler pulleys, tensioner, cam seals, crank seal (with bolt and key, especially for a short nose 1.6), valve cover gasket, CAS o-ring, new main water hoses, new accessory belts, and I'd hope even new spark plugs. Possibly even an oil change for completion. Could even argue a thermostat if it's old enough (I would personally, but I can see why some people wouldn't).

Not at most shops. Book time on the water pump alone is 4.7 hours. IIRC, If you went to a Mazda service center you would be looking at over a grand parts and labor for TB and WP.

[Rob®]

If you take a non-warranty car to a dealership for work of that nature, you deserve to pay $1000. Sorry, but that's dumb. It's an enthusiast car: I'd be willing to bet there are more people here that would do a better job than a dealership, for about half the cost. That's how it is for practically any enthusiast car.

[NissanFairladyZ32]

If you take a non-warranty car to a dealership for work of that nature, you deserve to pay $1000. Sorry, but that's dumb. It's an enthusiast car: I'd be willing to bet there are more people here that would do a better job than a dealership, for about half the cost. That's how it is for practically any enthusiast car.

Exactly, i dont understand why people take there 15 year old cars to dealers

if i took my TTZ to Nissan to fix something they would probably mess something up and charge me more then the car is worth.

[Rob®]

Zs especially. The local dealership to me in NJ would ask me if I could do their timing belt jobs for those since they didn't have any techs that could/wanted to bother (the parts manager is married to my sister-in-law's sister). But a timing belt job on a Miata is about as easy as they come.

Any general shop that has a tech that even slightly knows what he is doing can handle it with ease. I agree they will charge book labor, which is more than needed (usually is), but it's still a better option than a dealership.

An even better option, since it's a very popular enthusiast car, is to find one of the local tech guys and have them do it for you or help you with it (which is what it seems like the OP is doing here). I'd bet that it gets done faster, cheaper, better/more stuff done for the time/money, and just generally more care put into it. Hell, pay me $600 and I'll do all I said AND wash the thing when I'm done (I'm bad at washing cars though, so it'd be a little better than a touchless car wash).

[Awdieee]

Just do it yourself. It is not that hard, plus that will give you time to bond with your Miata. If you need to borrow tools for the timing belt, I got the crank bolt tool, crank seal installer and new just got today the FM cam gear ninja tool.




Lee

[GroceryHauler]

Just do it yourself. It is not that hard, plus that will give you time to bond with your Miata. If you need to borrow tools for the timing belt, I got the crank bolt tool, crank seal installer and new just got today the FM cam gear ninja tool.




Lee

Sweet. I may take you up on that, if you don't mind being paid in the form of beer. I was just looking at that tool! Love the picture....but it is a twist off...

[Awdieee]

I know it's a twist off, just want to try out my new beer opener.

The crank bolt tool and crank seal installer are not with me but I am heading back to Arkansas next weekend and will bring them back with me. Let me know when you need it.


Lee

[GroceryHauler]

I was hoping to do it this coming weekend, but it looks like I won't be ready by then.

This looks like a pretty inclusive kit that isn't too expensive:

http://www.rspeed.net/R_Speed_Timing.../nab-72007.htm

Is it missing anything?

Any thoughts on the Gates "Performance" timing belt? http://www.good-win-racing.com/Mazda...t/61-0407.html

I haven't done a timing belt job before. Where and how to I apply silicone sealant? Any specific type/brand of silicone sealant I should get?

[00MugenS2]

theromostat and radiator hoses

and Gates makes good belts/hoses.