LC200 Water Pump Joy

Submitted: Tuesday, Mar 17, 2020 at 15:31
ThreadID: 139802 Views:10997 Replies:4 FollowUps:5
This Thread has been Archived
Hi everyone,

Some of you may wonder what else I get up to apart from sitting in a corner with the nerd propeller spinning on the top of my head writing web code, apps and doing mapping. Well after my last visit to Toyota for service (which is another story), I was told the water pump had a minor leak and needed about $1k to replace it. I was not keen to be paying for what seemed like 4-6 hours of labor and parts so went about ordering in a new water pump, a good old Haynes Repair manual and associated service items like (all filters, oil, coolant etc).

I did the job over the last weekend in a complete self isolation in my garage. It was great, so great in fact that after I put the whole thing back together and was flushing the radiator with tap water I noticed the new pump gasket did not seal. Darn, I had to do it all again and trust me you get soooo much better the second time around. The manual goes away and the tools and part fly around, unlike the tentative first time.

I must admit being a little apprehensive with the twin turbo V8 engine as there is not much room in there and the front end is high and hard to get into with bull bars etc. But small ladders help and I am 6'2" and still needed a ladder.

Here are some pics of my fun filled weekend:


Overall I was really happy to get this job done (twice even), one of the things I think is very important as a solo traveler is confidence and knowledge of what is sitting under the bonnet and each time you undertake a job like this you learn more about your vehicle.

Propeller back on in the office now working on apps and maps again - ho hum.
David (DM) & Michelle (MM)
---------------------------------
Always working not enough travelling!

Lifetime Member
My Profile  My Blog  My Position  Send Message
Moderator

Back Expand Un-Read 13 Moderator

Reply By: RMD - Tuesday, Mar 17, 2020 at 17:40

Tuesday, Mar 17, 2020 at 17:40
Hello David.
Good to get the job done. How many km's did the pump do before leaking ? and is the bearing still ok or a bit rough and rumbley? What gasket solution was used? I use Loctite plastic gasket on many parts and when a clearance isn't an issue you can apply and bolt it together with no gasket at all in some cases. Really good for emergency repairs.
I love that clean concrete floor!
AnswerID: 630543

Follow Up By: ExplorOz - David & Michelle - Tuesday, Mar 17, 2020 at 21:02

Tuesday, Mar 17, 2020 at 21:02
Got 105K from the orginal pump.
Bearing was ok just the water leak was getting worse.
I used Permatex High-Temp RTV Silicone Gasket Maker - Red from the local SuperCheap, it seemed to do a good job. The water pump comes with a three plate gasket about 1.2mm thick in total, in fact it is more like a flange with some cover of the pump rotator, a complex sucker and not something you could leave out in this install. Maybe could have reused the old one but the new pump came with a new one so easy done.
David (DM) & Michelle (MM)
---------------------------------
Always working not enough travelling!

Lifetime Member
My Profile  My Blog  My Position  Send Message
Moderator

0
FollowupID: 905981

Reply By: Ron N - Tuesday, Mar 17, 2020 at 18:46

Tuesday, Mar 17, 2020 at 18:46
David, good to hear you finally nailed it. Great care has to be taken with all gaskets and their positioning, they can cause great grief with only minimal displacement.

The $1K for a water pump replacement has to be the greatest rort I've heard of, for a while - and I've seen some rippers.

Also - it's critical that you examine every fastener upon removal, and note its length or any other unusual feature.
The Japs specialise in using 6 fasteners the same length, and then one fastener, 6mm longer.
Unless you take particular care to note the exact length and positioning of every fastener, you can end up in trouble, with fasteners that are too short, or too long.

Secondly - either Silastic, RTV, or Never-Seez, are important products to apply to steel fastener threads, that are screwed into alloy. This prevents corrosion from making them impossible or difficult to remove in the future.

Finally - Use only genuine Toyota coolant in Toyota engines, not cheap aftermarket coolant.
It's not expensive, it's a long life coolant, and it has all the correct levels of anti-corrosion additives to ensure a long life, from Toyota cooling system components that are prone to corrosion.

Cheers, Ron.

AnswerID: 630545

Reply By: Gronk - Tuesday, Mar 17, 2020 at 18:49

Tuesday, Mar 17, 2020 at 18:49
I have a friend 1/2 way through an engine change in a 200......now that is a daunting task !!
AnswerID: 630546

Follow Up By: ExplorOz - David & Michelle - Tuesday, Mar 17, 2020 at 21:04

Tuesday, Mar 17, 2020 at 21:04
Hoping I do not have to resort to that level of work....
David (DM) & Michelle (MM)
---------------------------------
Always working not enough travelling!

Lifetime Member
My Profile  My Blog  My Position  Send Message
Moderator

0
FollowupID: 905982

Follow Up By: Gronk - Tuesday, Mar 17, 2020 at 22:36

Tuesday, Mar 17, 2020 at 22:36
Especially in a back shed with no hoist !!
1
FollowupID: 905983

Follow Up By: Member Kerry W (Qld) - Wednesday, Mar 18, 2020 at 00:00

Wednesday, Mar 18, 2020 at 00:00
Just wait till the starter motor needs attention...
Kerry W (Qld)
Security is mostly a superstition. It doesnt exist in nature. Life is either a daring adventure or nothing.
-Helen Keller

Lifetime Member
My Profile  My Blog  My Position  Send Message

0
FollowupID: 905984

Reply By: Member - Jim - Sunday, Mar 22, 2020 at 08:49

Sunday, Mar 22, 2020 at 08:49
For those that may be interested my 2007 200 Series water pump leaked and was replaced at 130,000km.
Work was done by Toyota about 5 years ago and cost $900.

Cheers
Jim
AnswerID: 630635

Sponsored Links