oifish

iTrader: (1)

So I replaced my water pump seals which required me to drain all the coolant completely out and take off the water pump. Now its time to bolt everything back up and fill with coolant.

I have done coolant flushes on other cars before; but I dont know if I should fill up the water pump, or just leave it empty and fill the radiator and reservoir up then do the flush to get rid of any air bubbles. Is it bad to have the water pump run with out any coolant in it?

basically anyone that has replaced their water pump tell me how you filled you engine back up with coolant. or if I should just bolt it up, fill radiator and preform normal engine flush.

sorry if its kind of confusing but I tried to word out my question as clear as possible.

thanks

shbox

Some people like to take the thermostat out and fill the engine and pump first. It's a personal choice, but you still have to bleed the rest of the air out.

http://shbox.com/1/4th_gen_tech2.html#radflush

hyperzone

I filled up the block first and then installed the thermostat and hose, then filled the radiator. Ran the car for a few minutes with the radiator cap off watching the level and filling as needed. Once it has enough, you should probably do the 'burping' thing with the bleeder screws with your car on a incline to try and get out air pockets.

oifish

iTrader: (1)

That website was very helpful, I think I will do the alternate fill (garden hose in the radiator neck, and thermostat removal) and fill up the water pump through the thermostat.

now when looking at those pictures I noticed that the housing with the thermostat has a gasket, when I looked at mine I noticed there was no gasket, was that a change from 94 to 95? Im thinking I need to go to autozone and get a gasket.
http://shbox.com/1/bleeders.jpg

hyperzone

Not sure what you mean. The thermostat has a rubber gasket that you dont see in that photo. You can buy it by itself I believe but new ones come with a new thermostat. Just simply goes around the edge of the thermostat and the housing pinches it down.

shbox

There is no gasket there. The only thing is the o-ring on the thermostat.
http://shbox.com/1/tstat.jpg

I think what you might think is a gasket is the mounting surface of the water pump.

oifish

iTrader: (1)

yea that is what I was thinking, I just saw that picture and it looked like there was a white gasket between the water pump and the round part that connects the hose and the top of the water pump, but at closer looks it just looks like metal. But if the thermostat o ring is what keeps the coolant out then Im set.

thanks

azzsmasher69

iTrader: (2)

question about the thermostat. in this link http://shbox.com/1/tstat.jpg it shows when the thermostat is open the bottom piece is supoosed to seal the hole in the water pump,correct? if thats true how does water get to the upper portion of the thermostat? through the heater hose? or the passage way in front of the hole? or both? thanks

shbox

There are other chambers in the pump that provide correct flow.