Charger92

I have noticed a small puddle of antifreezer under my wifes 1991 runner v6.
I have traced it back to the thermostat area but it actually looks like its coming from just above it.
I'm thinking its the water pump weep hole leaking.
The runner has been a bit noisey (squeaky) over the last year. I replaced the belts but still the noise was there.
How hard is it to change the water pump? What problems should I watch for when doing so?
Is there anything else that might cause the leak in that area?

THXS

Veladarius

You will have to pull the timing belt to replace the waterpump as the timing belt runs the pump. Take care of it soon, if the bearing in the pump comes apart the timing belt will lose tension and slip. The job can be a pain but not doing it can lead to worse problems.

leftredneck

Check to see if the leak might be coming from under the #2 idler timing belt pully. Antifreeze is fed from the radiator and then runs through the middle of that pully and if the seal goes kapoot where the pully bolts on to the engine, then you'll get a leak and you'll see it dripping down around the water pump area because it's just running down the face of the block. If you have puddles of antifreeze on top of the block, it's very likely that it's your idler pully seal, rather than your water pump. I just went through the exact same thing. Not a terribly difficult fix.....if it starts up when you put it all back together...as mine has NOT. Grrrrrrr. i think it's a problem with my fuel lines. In any case, Good luck!

VA_Yotaman

Does the runner have the original water pump? If so, it probably needs to be replaced. To get to the no. 2 idler pulley, you have to take the timing cover off, so you may as well replace the belt, the water pump, no. 2 idler pulley, and tensioner. For someone that hasn't done it before, it should take a full day. It's not difficult at all, you just have to be very mindful of where stuff goes, and the order in which it was removed. If it's a leak above the water pump, it's hopefully the no. 2 idler. I am faced with the same problem right now. To narrow down your problem, you could remove the fan, belts, fan clutch, and timing cover belt, and start the engine and let it run. You have a pretty good view of the water pump at this point, and you should be able to narrow it down. This is how realized that I had a puddle of coolant on my block, and it wasn't coming from the water pump.

nmtoy

I just did my waterpump and timing belt a few weeks ago, it's not that hard. I used a Haynes manual and this article for reference. http://www.off-road.com/toyota/tech/v6tbelt/index.html

Take your time and remember what goes where, take pictures of the disassembly if you need to. I have put about 1000 miles on my truck since and it's running great, nice and cool and no leaks.

Use the gasket that comes with the waterpump and a good sealant. the hardest part was getting harmonic balancer bolt tight.

I made a tool out of a piece of 1" square tubing about 18" long and drilled a couple of holes in one end so I could bolt it to the damper. I wedged the tube against the frame so I could tighten the crank bolt to 185 ft/lbs.

Good luck!
Robb

Charger92

Thanks for link and all the info guys.
I guess I'm going to replace the pump even if it's not the leak. The rig has 296,000kms on it and I think it's the original pump.
The timing belt was replaced just before she bought the rig 6yrs ago so I will get a new one as well.
If the no.2 idler pully has a knowen problem of future failure I will do it now to along with the tensioner. It may even be the leak area.

I guess the rad should be pulled to do it all. Dam the rad leaked from the top 2yrs ago and I replaced it, then 1yr ago I put in a tranny cooler and a full trans service.
Should I just get a generic name pump form a parts store or go Toyota?
Do the bolts need a specific tork? I guess I will get the Haynes manual
it's cheep.
Any other tricks, tips, photos are greatly appreciated.

turnpike

Hi, I'm new to this forum and toyota's in general, just got a 88 4runner a couple months ago and it seems to be leaking from the #2 idler pulley, did it turnout that yours was leaking from the #2 or from the water pump. also would I need a new #2 idler pulley or just the seal, and where is the best place to get it, dealership? Thanks for any help and I hope the repairs went smoothly.

Charger92

Sorry for getting back on this so late. I have had some family issues I've been dealing with.

I had parked the 4runner till now and I will be starting on repairing this very soon.

I'm wondering is the #2 idler pully a OE only item or can I get an after market cheeper? Like Turnpike I would like to know is there just a seal for the pully or should I get a whole new one?
For the water pump do I go with an OE pump or head up someone like NAPA?

I sure hope this goes smooth finding the problem and replacing the parts.

BC Rider

Good question:

I've seen kits like this on ebay - apparently made by ITM (whoever they are).

http://cgi.ebay.ca/Toyota-4Runner-Pi...QQcmdZViewItem


Anyone have any experience with these?

At U$122 + U$25 shipping or so it appears to be a good deal.

PS - I've bought rebuilt water pumps (for a ford) from Lordco before that lasted less than 3 months....so not a big fan of that anymore. At least on the ford it was a 2 hour job to re/re. On the yota it looks to be more like 8.


addendum: Looks like ITM is Taiwan (read parts from China) - so no warm fuzzies. You might want to ask egnbldr if he sells timing kits - he does the belt - as he has a good reputation on this site.

LOCKnGO

Wow thats a good price. I orderd the stuff to do the pump and I was looking at 300.00 and thats with my discount (advance auto parts) Can you believe that the water pump for trucks with the oil cooler are twice as much as the one without

Charger92

Well this weekend I had the pleasure of tearing into the 4runner.
I have everythng tore down to the lower pully/harmonic ballancer and I can not bust that center bolt loose.
I have tried a peace of 1/4" flat bar with a couple of holes drilled in it to bolt where the outer lower pully was. I used Grade 8 bolts. I rested the flat bar against the frame with me pulling hard enough on the center bolt to break one of the grade 8 bolts off (lucky it came out easy enough).
The next pull I started to bent the flat bar away from the pully, but the bolts held.
I do see in th e Haynes manual it suggests pulling the starter and putting a pry bar in the crank teeth to keep it from moving.
I think I'm going to try and make a tool like the Toyota service garage would have vs pulling the starter. Pulling the starter is a bitch.
We'll see how the next try goes in couple of days, I need to go back to work.

Charger92

Well I made a tool to get the lower pully/ harmonic balancer off. it worked slick.
I have it all tore down now and know what parts I need.

I'm wondering is there a good brand of water pump, #2 idler pully, tensioner, and timing belt to get?

For the correct tension on the timing belt. The tensioner pully has a spring pulling it for tension, do I just let it do the work then crank down the bolt in the center of the tensioner pully or do I need to assist it with a determined amount of timing belt deflection to be set properly?

Thanks for any help.

leiniesred

Toyota is a pretty good brand for replacement parts. Everything but the belt will go 132,000 miles. I'll let you know how napa parts last.

Yup, on the spring tensioner. Get it all set up. Let the spring do its thing. Tighten down. Crank 'er around, loosen the bolt so the spring can do its thing again, tighten it down again.

Tips: I like to stick a wire wheel cup on the end of my drill to help me clean off the old gaskets/goo from the block and the intake manifold. Still have water in the block at the water pump? Leave your drain bucket under there, stick a piece of blue shop paper towel in there with a tounge hanging out. It will wick/siphon the water out of the block so you can keep everything dry and clean when you re-assemble later on.

Check that "fan bracket" or "fake water pump" for bad bearings. Mine were about to fail at 256,000. My fan clutch was feeling pretty wasted too. The entire assembly from bracket to fan is $500 toyota dollars. I'd check into aftermarket for that bracket.

Stick your timing covers in the wife's dishwasher to get them clean. (wife may think this is a bad idea however.)

Use the wife's white nail polish to touch up the timing mark on the crank pully while you have it off.