2.4 98 Grand Am Water Pump

Somebody doesn't know what they are doing. I routinely do that job in about 3 hrs time. They probably can't figure out how to set the timing chain tensioner properly (one of the more common mistakes when doing this job).

Ian

Well,

The car is still at the Dealership.. They are still having troubles with the water pump. IF the dealer will not doing anything because it is taking a long time, do you think GM Will?? I know the car is way pat warrenty, but if they put the pump on the belt like every other motor, we would be having this problem.

I doubt GM will get involved, why should they? If it's as simple as replacing a leaking water pump on 2.4 Quad engine, then the responsibility lies with the dealership to have the right tools, knowledge, good techs...etc.

While I'm not a fan of the method that GM chose to drive this water pump with.....it's still a simple job "if" you know what you are doing. It's funny, the next day after I replied to your post, guess what job ended up in my bay? Yep,

2.4 Quad water pump.

Ian

It's all over the place, but suffice it to say that the majority of the water pumps that I've replaced have been under the factory warranty.

I don't think changing the coolant earlier would help much. I think that the design change of having the pump driven directly off the timing chain may put increased pressure on the water pump shaft. The old style Quads didn't have the same problem, and that engine used a dummy sprocket and bearing in the front cover and the water pump was splined to that sprocket. So the bearing in the front cover took all the load from the timing chain. It made it easier to replace too, as you didn't have to remove the front timing cover and chain.

Ian

Mine lasted 96,000 Miles..

Thanks Ian, I may have asked you this before and I think you may have said that the water pump driver for newer vehicle with 2.4L engine has been redesigned specifically for this failure. If so, which vehicle year that benefit from this improvement? Also, the improvement GM made is it better or similar to old style Quads engine? When you said bearing, is it balls bearing or sleeve and bushing?

Paul

I don't know of any improvement to the water pump. The only difference with the new water pumps is that GM now sends along a small plastic sleeve with foam that you are supposed to attach around the water pump area where the vent hole is. The purpose for this item is to soak up coolant that leaks out of the vent hole so that customers will not see coolant leaking under their vehicle until the water pump is really pissing out. Yeah for GM's "fixes". Ridiculous!

Ian

Hi Ian, my daughter's Grand Am is at a repair shop and they are saying 9 hours to replace the water pump (and timing chain and I forget what else they'll do as longas they're in there). I see you do it in about three hours. How would I go about finding someone who can do it efficiently like you can?

A couple of things....just because I can do it efficiently...doesn't mean that you wouldn't get charged the whole amount. That's how I make money....it pays 7 hrs, I do it in 3 hrs, I get paid 7 hrs...that's flat rate. Another thing...why are they replacing the timing chain? There is no need to "do anything else because they are in there". Is the chain worn? I've seldom seen a worn chain on even the 2.3 engines that are 10 years older then yours. Unless they can show you a good reason why they are replacing this "other stuff"....I wouldn't get it done.

9 hrs is too much to charge to replace "just" the water pump. I'd have to know what else they are replacing to see if what they are charging is fair. 7 hrs is fair for "just" the water pump.

Ian