My water pump fiasco story. timing belt change!

[dinsuncity]

this is all before i decided to do my own work. I got my timing belt and water pump done at the dealer about 30,000 miles ago. my engine started to overheat so i took my 2002 civic ex to fletchers cuz i was in a hurry. So they did a flush and replaced the thermostat. everything was ok for about 2 months. then one day i noticed i was loosing about a cup of fluid every 20 miles only when the car was on. so i went and got a bunch of tools and got started. right away i noticed the weep hole on the water pump was leaking only when the engine was running. so,, obviously it has to be a bad pump. well with my research i found out that either the dealer could have messed up and torqued the water pump screws to tight or something, but unlikely. What I think what happened was at flethers, they used anti-freeze with silica!! that stuff i read later can corrode water pumps internally. wow big news to me. i mean, you walk into fletchers and they brag about their mechanics being certified in everything u can think of. what a joke. i shoulda brought my own coolant but live and learn. soo.... 3 bandaids later, a black eye, sore hands, and a deadline coming, i changed my own timing belt and pump. im yet to start the car up ill have to do an update lol... crossing my fingers. i just have to put the drive belts on and stuff. as a noob who went through much trial and error with tools let me list what u will need to do this job. -honda crankshaft pulley holder. made by powerbuilt. ordered online with next day for 40 bucks. at honda its 80$ with a 3 week wait. same tool. -4 jackstands. why 4? well we at least need 3. 2 are obvious. then one sitting up on a step stool supporting the extended breaker bar when you are loosening the crankshaft nut. just get one more so u can rotate your tires duh -hydrolic jack. this seems easy but be WARNED. DO NOT BUY THE CHEAP ONE. the 40 dollar hydrolic setup is horrible science and they are not safe. when you push the handle the hydrolic part turns up against a flat surface. BADBAD SYSTEM. get the 100 dollar one where the handel sits on a dependable system. -1/2 drive set. DO NOT GET 3/8. why? because tools i will list to come are 1/2 also and you dont want 2 pairs of the same sockets because u got cheap and bought 3/8. -unless they come with your drive set, get the xxx long extension. and get a small 3' extention. i used both of them together on the crankshaft nut. -19mm impact socket. i broke a normal one on the crankshaft nut. remember up to 1100 pounds of torque. -torque wrench. BE WARNED AGAIN. I stripped off a bolt inside the motor when putting on my water pump. I had to go buy a tight angle drill and an easy out to fix my problem. costed me a whole day. and it was very very stressfull to extract safely. read your info and practice with the wrench first. costed me 225 dollars. -2-18" breaker bars and 1 cheater pipe all for crankshaft nut. (gotta love it) -black tape (for electrical seal ups, and to fasten cheater bar so u dont mess up and give yourself a black eye like i did. i literally punched myselft in the face) - set of pliers.. u know channel locks, needle nose stuff like that. -crowbar -many screwdrivers. big flatheads are gooooood -rubber impact mallet (always handy) -set of wrenches - RTV gasket maker/sealant. make sure it says good for dressing not just for making. -spark plugs (gapper, special socket, anti seize, fuel pump hose line to hand tighten plugs) -water pump -timing belt -drive belts -optional but eventually will happen- tensioner pulley, motor mount, valve cover gasket, alternator, oil seals (only if leaking) -antifreeze. honda only! -distilled water -oil and filter. maybe theres stuff im forgetting but thats basically it.if anyone wants to add to this timing belt shopping list for the noobs like me add to it. anyhow thats it! beware of others they want your money.

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[dinsuncity]

i forgot one thing lol grenade pin. (figure it out for yourself)

[gearbox]

lol at least you got it done. and yeah always a good idea to use honda fluids. theyre a ton better than whats at the auto store and the cheap stuff shops use.

[dinsuncity]

Originally Posted by gearbox

lol at least you got it done. and yeah always a good idea to use honda fluids. theyre a ton better than whats at the auto store and the cheap stuff shops use.

I started! it works. it smells funny as hell but temp is maintaining. i accually did a flush while the car was running to clear out the crud instead of undoing the bolt above the oil filter. i already changed the oil and it got in the way by the time i saw how to do it. but the running flush worked great alot of green and brown crud came out it was gross. now its all blue and clear.

i cant tell u the stress level i was under before i started the car. my cars are my life man you know? without them i dont do anything cuz of where i live. and being a noob this was a bit of a tough start lol i shoulda taken a pictorial my garage is a disaster zone. and i did clean up 2 or 3 times very well, didnt matter. by the time i was rotating tires and fixing fluids i was throwin shit around lol.