water pump cover leaking coolant on 2005 Malibu, 4cly ecotech


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Old 11-30-13, 11:07 AM
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Question water pump cover leaking coolant on 2005 Malibu, 4cly ecotech

It appears coolant is leaking from the back cover of the water pump; not from the hole on top of water pump. The cover is attached by 5-- 6mm head bolts. The bolts don't stay tight or feel like they won't tighten up. I plan on just buying New Bolts and see if I can tight up the bolts to see if I can stop the water leak. Also, I thought about putting K-Sealer into the system. This water pump is connect to a spocket that is connect to te timing chain. Need a special tool to remove water pump. Then i also need to remove header pipe.

With water leaking from the back cover of water pump only, is the water pump bad or do I have problem with the cover only. I am not sure if water leakig from the cover means the water pump seal is bad?

Thanks
 
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Old 11-30-13, 03:39 PM
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I'd safely say it's pump. I could not find Ecotec engine on Autozone repair guides, but for normal 4cyl for your car - they sure made it as complicated as possible. Pump is buried deep inside the engine, with a large cover to be removed before you even get to it.
But no, coolant leaks from pump. Btw, they say to use silicone gasket maker, maybe that's why bolts do not feel tight.
 
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Old 12-01-13, 07:37 AM
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google otc 6616.....amazon sells for around 23 dollars.the specialty tools allows the user to hold the water pump sprocket in place without affecting the timing.have to remove exhaust manifold to allow removal of water pump.
try this link also.... GM 2.2 Ecotec Water Pump Job Made Easy J-43651 | Tech Articles
copy and paste.
I have alldata information system if you want repair procedure i can email to you in pdf.
 
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Old 12-01-13, 07:51 AM
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That procedure is posted with quite OK pics on Autozone site for all engines for Malibus for the year. OP can easily look it up.
 
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Old 12-01-13, 08:24 PM
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water pump cover leaking coolant on 2005 Malibu, 4cyl ecotech engine

Thanks Autojoe and ukrbyk for the information.

I was hoping just to remove and replace the coolant pump housing cover bolts where the dipping/leaking is occurrig around these bolts. 4 of the 5 bolts are easy to replace. The last 1 is up behind the exhaust head pipe. Then i tought about adding a sealer from Prestone of Bar Leak for radiator/heater cores/ or water pumps. But I am unsure replacing the bolts will help b/c I may have stripped the receiving hole threads (over tighting the existing bolts). The existing bolts will not tighten up into the pump water casing ( i assume it is soft metal). This was my 1st option new bolts (4 of the 5), thightening, and then maybe a coolant sealer like Prestone sealer for radiators, heater cores, to stop the drops of water form at the water pump cover bolts.


So water leaking from this cover means the water pump is going bad and need replacement? So water shouldn't behind this area of the cover?


I will decide by next weekend if I replace the pump myself or get a good backyard mechanic that works at home for a living or bring it to a local mechanic shop, last the Dealer (approx 850 to $900).
Both backyard mechanics I talked to never changed them before but 1 recommended that I shouldn't try it (b/c he knows I perform some minor maintence on my vehicles i.e. brakes, replace other type of water pumps, etc.) once I told him you need a special took and the water pump works off the timing chain. I understand if the special tool doesn't work and the spocket moves, I would need to remove everything off the front of the engine to reset the timing chain which I am not prepared to do.

Mr. Autojoe. If that offer is still available on the alldata info, I will be glad to receive it. Also, I need to look up info on removing the exhaust header and disconnecting it from the exhaust and side of the engine.

Thanks again and sorry for the late post
 
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Old 12-02-13, 06:47 AM
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Well, for starters, Autozone repair guide showed around ten bolts holding front cover in place.
I am curious though, why you would rather be spending all this time typing emails, or spreading your email address around, which is never advised (Autojoe, no offense, but it's common sense) instead of spending 2 minutes to set up Autozone log in and have access to pretty much any vehicle repair info, with quite decent pics?
Or, for that matter, spend 15 bucks and buy a repair guide? Or, even worse, spend a dollar and make some copies from manual in a library?
Yes, your pump is leaking coolant, should be no water, into pump housing. And yes, engine block is aluminum and threads can be easily stripped. Yes, you do have to remove exhaust manifold, sorry, I am not the one who designed engine, and THEN you likely to strip or break more bolts, as they have tendency to be reluctant to removal. Unfortunately, you WILL need either a special tool to lock timing belt and sprocket in place, or some clever mech who knows how to do it with basic tools.
In situation like this, I'd take that car to a decent independent, as then they give you warranty. Also, you want to replace all parts that are under cover, as it takes time and $$ to get there, and you do not want to do over when something else breaks.
Beware, there may be additional cost of re-threading bolt holes.
I am very sorry this happened winter time, but toilets always get plugged Friday night.
 
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Old 12-05-13, 06:35 PM
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When 11st pulled up autozone guide info for the water pump they had no info for the 2005 malibu 2.2 ecotech 4 cly engine. The water pump cover only have 4 bolts and 1 stub bolt attaching the cover to the pump housig itself. no need to retread if pump is replced b/c it is part of the pump (autozone part # BWB-9228 - good photos of the pump and bolts). Water is leaking at the seam of the cover and not thru hole on the top of the pump. Also, in that part of the pump under this back cover, from what it appears water should be in this area. they even have a drain plug on the water pump.

I joined this site to gain knowledge on the replace procedures. And to see if others had problems with the water pump cover leaking and how did they handle this.

I am surprises AutoZone doesn't have this special tool ready to change out this water pump and from checking out their site this water pumps is on many cars.

Mr. Autojoe had good info in this original response.

thanks
 
 

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