Anybody R/R water pump on 2003 GMC/Chevy Truck w/5.3 litre engine?
SShink said
Apr 8, 2011
So I had my oil changed at my friendly Goodyear shop, and they tell me I need a new water pump because it's starting to weep. I haven't noticed anything on the floor yet, so it must be a small amt. The truck has almost 100K miles. Their estimate is around $600 ($250 for the pump + $250 labor +$100 for anti-freeze flush).
Apple Valley Ford (where I bought it) wants $560 for a new pump and anti-freeze replacement/flush. This includes changing out the DexCool fluid for the good old green stuff since DexCool eats parts from the inside out.
Valley GMC wants almost $700 for the same service.
Has anyone done this on their own?
I checked O'Reilly's and a new pump is $120 and they recommend replacing the fan clutch at the same time ($60-100). So I'm tempted to try this myself but I don't know if there are any special tools involved. If there are, I would think I could rent them from O'Reilly's. I'd then take it to Goodyear and have them do a flush after I got it back together.
Looks no harder than anything we do to our Chevelles, so I'm going to do it myself in the near future.
SteveS said
Apr 8, 2011
I haven't replaced the one on my truck, but the LS1 is similar and it's just a bolt on deal. I have replaced the thermostat and it's built into the pump, you might need to buy one of those separately, on my '03 silverado the thermostat and water neck came as one piece.
bowtie said
Apr 8, 2011
GM waterpump 19256261 is p/n and lists out for $252.50. you'll need a t-stat and housing 12600172. Not sure if a/m pump will have new housing, but catalog says when replacing with '94 and newer (only one available from gm) you'll need new housing. List price on that is 59.60. Club member pricing is 152.70 and 35.76 though me.
SShink said
Apr 8, 2011
bowtie wrote:
GM waterpump 19256261 is p/n and lists out for $252.50. you'll need a t-stat and housing 12600172. Not sure if a/m pump will have new housing, but catalog says when replacing with '94 and newer (only one available from gm) you'll need new housing. List price on that is 59.60. Club member pricing is 152.70 and 35.76 though me.
Thanks Bryan! I'll let you know when I'm ready to do this. Needs to be soon as usually when water pumps weep, they can go any time...
Chris R said
Apr 8, 2011
Ive done a few of them before and its not that bad. Depending on where and who you get the parts from. Some water pumps for those come with the thermostat and housing as an assembly. The stat and housing is on the pump on these engines and not on the intake like before.
I would certainly do it myself instead of paying 500 plus to someone else to do it.
steve m said
Apr 8, 2011
Just did one today, You will need a special tool to get the fan off, I have it if you want to borrow it, Takes about 1hr, It is very easy, The gaskets at block are metal rubber, Not much to clean up,
steve m said
Apr 8, 2011
I only charge the guy $375 with both belts, Need to up price I think, Napa pump is new and only $109, Put in 15 of them and have not had one go bad.
seagrams72 said
Apr 10, 2011
Make sure it is weeping and not leaking from the gaskets that mate teh pump to the block. I have heard the gaskets are prone to leak and some will think it is the water pump. Gaskets are about $8 vs. a water pump and t-stat will run you around $130. This is the same as my 6.0 and they are not that hard to do. On the other hand some just do the water pump since they are going through the hassle replacing the gaskets anyways. Get the new pump (not reman) if you do and also try and get one with the o-ring and aluminum style gasket vs. the paper.
SShink said
Apr 10, 2011
I looked at the underside of the engine in the sun, and I don't see any weeping. I'm starting to question where I take our cars to be repaired....
Lost in the 60s said
Apr 10, 2011
SShink wrote:
I looked at the underside of the engine in the sun, and I don't see any weeping. I'm starting to question where I take our cars to be repaired....
Pressure test the system BEFORE you do anything. I have a tester but am not sure if it mates to the neck on a modern car since the cap is on the expansion jug. I'll see if it fits my 2000. My 5.3 has 98k and not 1 leak...
Mike says the NAPA new parts are good and I would trust that but not one from O'Rielly's or as Chris said, a reman. My left front bearing hub went out a few weeks ago and I got one from Bryan after reading about aftermarket issues.
Chris R said
Apr 10, 2011
I have a pressure tester with the proper adapter to fit the "overflow" container Stan. With these type of things. I usually wait until I start either seeing coolant on the ground where I park. Or I notice the coolant constantly needs to be topped off in the system.
Chris R said
Apr 10, 2011
Forgot to mention. You notice coolant is leaking when you see a chalky like substance trailing down from whatever given part is leaking coolant. Green leaves a light green trail and the red Dexcool will leave an almost light pink color.
So I had my oil changed at my friendly Goodyear shop, and they tell me I need a new water pump because it's starting to weep. I haven't noticed anything on the floor yet, so it must be a small amt. The truck has almost 100K miles. Their estimate is around $600 ($250 for the pump + $250 labor +$100 for anti-freeze flush).
Apple Valley Ford (where I bought it) wants $560 for a new pump and anti-freeze replacement/flush. This includes changing out the DexCool fluid for the good old green stuff since DexCool eats parts from the inside out.
Valley GMC wants almost $700 for the same service.
Has anyone done this on their own?
I checked O'Reilly's and a new pump is $120 and they recommend replacing the fan clutch at the same time ($60-100). So I'm tempted to try this myself but I don't know if there are any special tools involved. If there are, I would think I could rent them from O'Reilly's. I'd then take it to Goodyear and have them do a flush after I got it back together.
Thoughts?
Looks like I found my own answer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f-LzBTC0SRk
Looks no harder than anything we do to our Chevelles, so I'm going to do it myself in the near future.
Thanks Bryan! I'll let you know when I'm ready to do this. Needs to be soon as usually when water pumps weep, they can go any time...
Ive done a few of them before and its not that bad. Depending on where and who you get the parts from. Some water pumps for those come with the thermostat and housing as an assembly. The stat and housing is on the pump on these engines and not on the intake like before.
I would certainly do it myself instead of paying 500 plus to someone else to do it.
Just did one today, You will need a special tool to get the fan off, I have it if you want to borrow it, Takes about 1hr, It is very easy, The gaskets at block are metal rubber, Not much to clean up,
I only charge the guy $375 with both belts, Need to up price I think, Napa pump is new and only $109, Put in 15 of them and have not had one go bad.
I looked at the underside of the engine in the sun, and I don't see any weeping. I'm starting to question where I take our cars to be repaired....
I have a pressure tester with the proper adapter to fit the "overflow" container Stan. With these type of things. I usually wait until I start either seeing coolant on the ground where I park. Or I notice the coolant constantly needs to be topped off in the system.
Forgot to mention. You notice coolant is leaking when you see a chalky like substance trailing down from whatever given part is leaking coolant. Green leaves a light green trail and the red Dexcool will leave an almost light pink color.