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Garage says I need new water pump
Topic Started: Mar 21 2018, 04:03 PM (756 Views)
linsjean
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Hi Folks,

I'm not sure if some of my story is necessary, but it may be useful. Two weeks ago, I saw an ad on a facebook classified section. Basically, he said he has been turning wrenches for 15 years and needs some extra cash. I contacted him and he said he would change my timing belt and valve cover gasket (and possibly valve adjustment) for $80. I thought , good deal! I drove out to where he lives that looked like a junk yard. After 5 1/2 hours I was getting tired and starving and I needed to get home to take care of my toenail surgery. He had no place for me to sit. He did not write up a work order. He was done working on my car, paid him $80 and off I went. I got two blocks from his home and my car would not go faster than 5 miles per hour. I did not turn around due to the reasons I outlined above. I immediately called him when I got home and he was cursing at me about not coming back. So, since he did not have a driver's license, he found a ride to come to my house and he said it would be a 5 minute fix. It turned into 2 hours. He did not know the firing order on the distributor cap. I showed him the Haynes manual and he said the manual was wrong. He got it back running again.

I noticed some fluid leaks soon thereafter, so I took it to a reputable garage and they informed that there are leaks coming from the oil pan, oil filter, distributor to head, and timing cover area.The shop also said My water pump is seeping. Recommends me to watch coolant and oil levels. I got my car back today and wen to Lube-it USA and got an oil change. Was told that the coolant was pretty low.

The shop said they would replace the water pump for $575. I can't afford that. What is the worse case scenario for water pup seepage and what are the warning signs before it really goes on me?

Do you think $575 is a fair price? Is this amount so high because you need to remove a lot of things to get to the pump?

I am not sure if my signature is going to be included, so I have a 1996 Geo Metro, 4 door, 4 cyl. 1.3 engine.
Thank you!
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ptcapboy


worst case scenario?-total engine replacement-it is possible to ruin your engine with no warning from your temperature gauge-that's because air mixed with the water makes the gauge read normal when it is really burning up-slightly warped my block on my 95 and the gauge never left the normal mark-if your SES light is working like it should however you should get a code if it gets too hot-that happened to me on my 96 when the water pump was faulty but the SES light was already on for something else and I didn't notice-again the dash gauge read normal-as for the leaks did they just start after the work was performed? from the description of the work he did the only possible leak he could have caused would be from the valve cover-as for the 575 charge that may be a little high but that is work I normally do myself so I wouldn't know-it's not much more labor than a timing belt replacement though as the pump is right there after the belt is removed-perhaps another member can help I would if I lived closer-good luck
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sser2
sser2

Aftermarket Metro water pump is $20 and labor is about $80 for this job, so $575 is a shameless rip-off. OEM pump may be more expensive.
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linsjean
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sser2
Mar 21 2018, 06:17 PM
Aftermarket Metro water pump is $20 and labor is about $80 for this job, so $575 is a shameless rip-off. OEM pump may be more expensive.
sser,

Thanks for the feedback. Yes, Knechts sells a water pump for my make and model for $32.99. They also gave me a name and phone number of a certified mechanic that works out of his home. So I left a message for him to give me a call back. I am a caregiver for an 85-year-old gentleman and he used to turn wrenches for many, many years. He owned a 1955 T-bird convertible and 2 other classic cars. He said there is a way to test if it really is the water pump or maybe just a gasket.

Yes, I thought WTF with $575 to replace it.

But the Knechts said this guy will allow me to buy my parts and only charge labor. So waiting to hear back.

Linda
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PTA2PTB
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I'm totally awesome! I swear.

Which is why I always make it a point to, never leave home without: a folding camp stool, some high protein, oatmeal containing, granola bars, and a pair of stainless steel surgical toenail clippers.

Boy, if only I had a pair surgical toenail clippers, for every time I've used that line. Now that I think about it, the last, and probably only, time I used it, was to try and dodge getting an "F" from my 7th grade US History teacher, Mrs Klugg, for not having my History homework. She let me off with: a severe reprimand, a one day moratorium on producing said homework, and a warning to, "get that ingrown toenail, properly looked after.",

But, you know what they say: "It's better to have..a folding camp stool, some high protein, oatmeal containing, granola bars, and a pair of stainless steel surgical toenail clippers, and not need them, than to need them, and have to post a sad tail of woe about it on GMF.". It's true.They say that a lot. I wish they would stop. It's annoying. I mean, if you're a grown-ass adult, and don't know enough to not go out to have your car worked on by a complete stranger without taking with you...
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Dystopiate666
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Tree Banger

For the record....your first shade tree mechanic was right, the Haynes manual is wrong about the firing order.
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Woodie
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It's good practice to change the water pump when you change the timing belt, but for $80 I guess you don't get much in the way of extras. The price is high because you have to remove a lot of things to get to the water pump, the exact same things you need to remove to get to the timing belt.

$80 is ridiculously low as your guy now knows. He made $10 an hour on that job. $575 is high, but not really stealing. Part of that $575 is in case something goes wrong and it takes 5 hours. That happens sometimes and experienced mechanics build in a fudge factor for that sort of thing.

Oh yeah, there's often no warning at all when a water pump goes from seeping to Old Faithful. Sometimes it will seep for a long time, gradually getting worse.
Edited by Woodie, Mar 22 2018, 05:41 AM.
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92blumetro
jack of all trades, master of two

and while the pump is getting done, do the cam&crank seals.
when the timing belt was done, was a new timing belt tensioner installed?

its a routine list when I do a belt- flush cooling system, replace water pump, thermostat, cam &crank seals, timing belt& tensioner. unless I know the age/ mileage on the pump itself, this list is peace of mind when its done.
have I done everything in there to prevent future problems, and for peace of my mind? yes.
initial cost for parts is more, but the cost of your time and labor, down the road, to pay someone to do the same job twice, or three times- when it could all have been done the first time with not much more labor cost out of pocket.
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nickb803
NickB803

To bad you aren't closer, I'd do it for a 6 pack...and do it right
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sser2
sser2

1 hour would be enough for me to do this - an amateur with no lift, who will have to crawl under car and spend most time rummaging through the toolbox. A pro should do it faster if he or she is worth his or her's salary. $80 an hour is a fair shop labor charge.

There are cars in which replacing water pump is indeed a 5 hour ordeal. I once had one of those - Hyundai Elantra. Metro is a piece of cake. The only complication I can envision is a crank pulley bolt with rounded head.
Edited by sser2, Mar 23 2018, 01:03 AM.
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Woodie
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sser2
Mar 23 2018, 12:54 AM
1 hour would be enough for me to do this
On a four cylinder with air conditioning? I'd like to see that.
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sser2
sser2

4 cylinder single cam is same as 3 cylinder. AC belt remove and install - OK, may add 10 minutes.
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Dystopiate666
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Tree Banger

One hour is pretty fast.....might be able to get close with power tools...use a sanding disc on a die grinder or better yet just omit gasket clean up altogether....cut the timing cover to avoid taking the crank pulley off....yeah it could be done in an hour.....
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Woodie
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sser2
Mar 23 2018, 01:44 PM
4 cylinder single cam is same as 3 cylinder. AC belt remove and install - OK, may add 10 minutes.
Wish you'd been around to show me that when I spent eight hours replacing my alternator.

The belt pulley is dead up against the frame rail, belt has to be turned sideways to go on. There's a good chance she's got power steering too, can't even imagine adding that into the mix between the passenger side strut tower and the front of the engine.
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linsjean
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So, with the advice of Knecht's auto parts, they gave me the name of a certified mechanic who works from his home. He's booked like two weeks out. Today I brought my Geo to him. He didn't charge me to just take a quick look around in the engine. He said that he would do a replacement of the valve cover gasket and water pump replacement for $200 and recheck the timing belt that was replaced by the fake mechanic No. 1. He has a garage with one of those car lifters to jack it up high. Knecht's said they have never received any negative feedback from customers they refer to this guy.

Excuse me PTA2PTB but your post was completely useless to me. Some of us here know absolutely nothing about cars and I realize I made a huge mistake about going out to a complete stranger without any references on the first try. I have learned from that mistake.

Now, certified mechanic # 2 today said that the color of my window washer fluid is the color of coolant. He said it should be blue. After I left I went to Lubeit USA and they said that fluid comes in different colors and they tested the fluid and said it is indeed washer fluid. Can I trust Lube It?

Thanks in advance.
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