Well I filled my car with water & it looks like it leaks from right under the alternator. How badly am I screwed? God I hope this is not it for my engine, if so it is for me as well. ****. Please, please help. Thanks.

Please, no cussing in the subject line, thanks. -- Mykl

 

I doubt that you are screwed.... As I recall there is a water hose that runs in that area into the back of the water pump? (been a while since I've had mine apart), also it could be a water hose on the intake manifold that is draining down near the alternator. Seriously, I wouldn't get freaked out by it. Just start pulling stuff off until you can see EXACTLY where it is leaking, and then replace the hose... should cost you no more than $20 to fix... and that's using OEM Mazda parts.

 

Well it looks to be leaking from the pulley the fan is on. But there is signs of a fire or sumin, maybe just the heat & the coolant on the engine. God I hope so. Right now I am thinking new water pump. What do you guys think? Thanks.

 

If it is leaking out near that pulley then I am 99% sure it is your water pump. On the bottom of the water pump right near the pulley is what they call a "weep hole". This hole is designed to allow water to come out of the cooling system as in indicator that your water pump seals are shot. It could be that your water pump is in REALLY bad shape. I would go ahead and replace that part. Another thing is that I would not use cooling system sealant anymore... that stuff is BAD... it can clog up your cooling system.

 

Look at it in a positive manner. Its not the internal seals causing the overheating or loss of water. What more do you want?(humor). Probably the water pump the way you described it at the pulley. If it were on the housing it could have been the water pump gasket. Cheap. Page 3-8 of the fsm at http://www.iluvmyrx7.com or John Gibsons site shows the water pump. Might help some. Better the pump than a rebuild. Have fun.

 

Alright, ya I am pretty sure its my water pump as well. Now I think its my alternator as well because I think the leaking water was sprayed on it for a while when the water hit the belts. How does that sound? So how much is a water pump again? Thanks.

 

One step at a time man... give the alternator a chance to dry out, and then see how it does. Get the water pump now... do it... and if the Alternator doesn't start making power then replace it too. You can check it on your dash... as long as it's ~13V or higher (and stays there while driving with headlights on) then I would say the Alternator is in good shape. I think the water pump runs ~$70 - $80 from the dealership. Personally I wouldn't bother with the rebuilt ones when the OEM isn't all that expensive...

Good luck, stay calm, and keep us updated

 

Well I checked at discount auto parts by me & they atre around $40-$50. Do you have to take the fan off with all those little bolts around it before you can get the shrowd off? Damn, gotta be at work at 10, gotta hurry.

 

Damn I give up until I get home from work today. This would be a great time to do the ATF trick too. Wish I had time to do it today so it could sit until tomorrow. Damn. O well. Water pump seals come with the water pump right? Thanks again.

 

If you've ever done a water pump on a piston engine you'd probably look at this job on a rotary as very easy. Timing belts can be a bitch to get off, especially if the car is a Porsche 924/944/968.

Good luck with it, while you're in there why not get some new coolant hoses and a thermostat?

 

Betcha they don't give you a water pump gasket with it. Not that hard to take the fan off. Four nuts. Just have to be able to hold the shaft in place while turning the nuts off. Sometimes you can just shove down hard on the belts while turning the nuts off. Other times I've stuck a screwdriver shaft b/t the other two nuts to hold the shaft in place while removing one nut then repeating on the other three.Have fun.

 

Ya, I would have it all off and ready for the water pump by now if I didn't have to be stuck behind a desk all damn day. The parts store won't even order the part unless I come and pay. If I pay for it by 2 they will have it by 4:30 so I can do it tonight & tomorrow morning. How long of a job is this? I can see it leaking from the water pump so its not any damage to my engine right? I hope not. Where is the thermostat anyways. I will change that once I just get my car going again. Thanks again.

 

Here's what you'll want to do...

1. Drain the radiator

2. Remove the fan

3. Remove all belts - now the water pump should be easy to get to

4. Replace water pump

5. Install new thermostat. Since you've got the coolant drained you might as well do it. However, I've found that regular old cheapos from Autozone don't work. The one they gave me was too big. Your best bet is to order this part, with a new gasket, at the dealership. The thermostat is located between the engine and the nozzle where the upper radiator hose attaches to the engine. It's held on by three 10mm bolts and will either be made of aluminum or plastic.

6. If the main coolant hoses are old, it would be a good idea to replace them. It's also a very convenient time to do it since the coolant is drained. In addition to the hoses buy four new hose clamps, the style that can be tightened/loosened with a screwdriver. The stock hose clamps are a serious pain in the ***.

7. Fill 'er up. Since Winter is coming up you'd probably want a 50/50 glycol/water mixture.

 

Sounds good. Think I can have that all done from 6:30 until dark, prolly 8:30 or so? I am not going to change the thermostat today but will order it as ASAP. Anone have pics of where the thermostat is? I prolly will see it when looking at it but just want to make sure. More importantly, this doesnt seem like an internal problem right? Thanks alot.

 

Alright, have the fan & shrowd off...now I am going to attemot the change the water pump now even though it is dark. Any pointers? How many belts do I have to loosen, 2 right? Any help would be appreciated.

 

I would take all four of them off to get them out of the way.

I've never changed a water pump on a rotary before, so I'm not sure how many bolts there are. It should be very straight forward.

Drop light???

 

Yea not too much fun...have to take off things to take off things to get to things...etc, etc, etc...

 

YOu only have to loosen (remove) the ones that go on the water pump pulley.

Once the fan is off and those belts are loosened, there are more bolts holding the pulley on... you WILL need to remove those and work the pulley off to get the waterpump off. You CAN get it off, but you will probably have to remove the studs that hold the fan on (I got mine out with just fingers after the nuts were off) and the other bolts too- there are 8 hole, 4 with studs, the rest with bolts (mine only had 2 bolts not 4)

GET A MANUAL! The torque sequence will prevent you from damaging your waterpump housing!!!!!

 

Well I got it off, the thing is it doesn't look like very much to go wrong with it. It turns freely. Well wutever, when I'm done if it works I will be happy, if not I might just junk the car, J/K. But I am irritated right now

 

Um....I don't know what a manual is, lol. No for real, what for? I have the water pump off, just have to dry the area, clean it & make my gasket. Anything else?

 

If it is leaking directly below the waterpump puley(the one the fan is on) then it is your water pump(stock oem mazda part from the dealer is around 85 bucks with all the gaskets).
what has happened is your water pump is toast, and there is a small hole in your water pump called the "weep hole" whenever your water pump goes out it will leak from that hole. replace the water pump(you can get the factory svc manual from fc3s.org if you need the bolt tightening sequence). Its also a good idea to replace the thermostat while you're at it. piece of cake, you just gotta sweat a little


--------------------------
86 N/A
weber 48mm carb conversion
msd 6a
perma cool e-fan
RB header/dp/presilencer
125 shot of nitrous
Smog pump in a wal mart dumpster
Latest mod: this cool blue smoke that pours out the back

86 SE-daily beater
chipped paint and dented fenders

 

I'm not finding that piece of cake man. I got the old one off, the new one on, only problem is getting the pulley back on the water pump. It hits the pulley to the right of it. I really do not want to take off another belt & especially don't want to take of the other pulley. Any tricks to gettin that water pump pulley back on? Thanks.

 

Why is it hitting now and not before? Is it possible they gave you the wrong water pump?

Good luck,

 

O no, it was a complete bitch to get off, had to pry it off. Its easier to get off than on like that.