Water Pump Average Service Life?? (1 Viewer)

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Nov 23, 2010
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Rockhampton, QLD, Aust
Just wondering if anyone has experience with how long you would expect out of the water pump on the uzj100's? I have a 2005 model with nearly 250,000 kms on it, and the reason i ask is its overheating when I'm stopped for extended periods at traffic lights or carparks etc on hot days.

Any info would be great! :)
 
Most replace the pump as part of the 90K mile service. If you have that many km's on the original, then I would say you are long overdue for a replacement. Have you done the timing belt yet? You have enough km's to be on your second one, creeping up on your third shortly.
 
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The most common cause of overheating is related to the clutch fan. Also, check to make sure your radiator fins aren't clogged with mud/dirt.
 
It's considered part of the 90k mile service along with the timing belt.

I wouldn't say thats true. Not a single case on the board of a water pump failure IIRC.

Most do change them out with a timing belt change because it's right there and the new part is only ~$80.
 
He shouldn't be on his third t-belt yet. That's only 155,000 miles ("only", that says something doesn't it?). You will want to consider doing it with your next t-belt change though OP. I'm at 200k MI and I am debating leaving it alone if it is not leaking. It is the original w-pump and had no leaks at 90,000 miles. The flipside is it's only $80 for the part and it ain't gonna last forever!

Check the fan clutch as hoser said. Sounds like what you are experiencing would be caused by that.
 
The reason there aren't any failures being discussed here is because no one in their right mind would to a t-belt and not do the pump. So the low end of the bell curve for water pump life must be greater than 90k miles. What the top is? No one ever finds out!
 
That's really pushing your luck, if the WP fails the timing belt can quickly fail and take out the valves, pistons, etc. But I agree it's probably the fan clutch.
 
The reason there aren't any failures being discussed here is because no one in their right mind would to a t-belt and not do the pump. So the low end of the bell curve for water pump life must be greater than 90k miles. What the top is? No one ever finds out!

I did it...Only changed it at 180 and plan to change it for the second time at 270. Although the fear y'all are generating here is even making me think twice. I'm already at 243k. 27k to go old friend. Don't fail me now!

While I'm playing with fire, might as well mention that I am on my original starter contacts too.:grinpimp:
 
Don't sweat it. I'm "double stinting" mine as well. Just b/c it is convenient doesn't mean it needs replacing every 90k. In fact the opposite has proven to be true with us seeing just an occasional weeping water pump at 90k on here and 0 failures. Inspecting it closely while you are there @90k is appropriate of course. I'm going to change mine out with my 2nd 90k service just b/c I feel ~200k is acceptable service life. It will be just as convenient to get to the second time around.

This is a very similar situation to the syn-oil OCI's. Back in 03-04 we didn't know how good these 4.7's were with syn oil until a few of us did extended OCI's and next thing you know I'm running 14,000 mile OCI's... with cleaner UOA's than some engines at 5k.

I did do my starter contacts @ 124,000 though! Darn thing set me back $32 :hillbilly: You better go knock on some wood trim...
 
Most commercial shops won't change the water pump when they do the 90 mile service because it is not on the list.

Just because it makes sense certainly does not mean that a dealership or a shop will replace it while they are in there.

There is enough of a sticker shock for a 90K service that most consumers won't add something because they think it might be good for them way down the line.
 
When I bought my 2000 LC with 138K on the clock, it was still on the original TB and water pump. I changed both at 141 and my mechanic said both appeared to be in good condition. The WP was not leaking and the TB did not have any cracks in it.

With that being said, I didn't want to chance it and changed both since I was already in there for the TB.
 
Last month my son-in-law asked me to look at something dripping on my daughter's A4 Ultrasport wagon. I determined it was coolant, probably from the WP weeping a bit, barely anything coming out. The next day he took it to a shop where used to work, they found the WP siezed, would've taken out the TB and engine soon. It had a new timing belt just before he bought it not long ago, but they didn't change the water pump. Kinda chilling.
 
Well I had a big long response typed out at 3:30 this morning, then the iPad died and I didn't feel like retyping it downstairs. You guys pretty much covered my points though.

1. As for the water pump being part of the 90K service, that was my fault. I assumed that it was part of the maintenance protocol as mandated by Toyota, when in fact the schedule doesn't mention the pump anywhere that I could see. Mud rules vs Toyota rules I guess. Common wisdom here tends to become fact sometimes - and for good reason - although that doesn't make it "correct". Sorry about that.

2. Miles to Kilometers screwed me up on the timing belt comment. Whoopsie. Thats what I get for typing when I should be asleep.

I would agree that the lack of failures can be attributed both to the robust design of the pump, and the fact that it's most often replaced as part of the 90K service.

Personally I believe in preventative maintenance. I'd rather not find out the hard way when something is going to crap out from wear. I'd be willing to bet that 90% or more of us on here follow the same mentality...but it's good to know that there are a few of you brave souls out there proving that we are wasting our money replacing stuff too often. :D

(that doesn't mean I'm going to follow suit though ;))
 
Thanks for the info, I had checked the radiator, and it was clear as, and the fan sounds like its pulling a load of air through, so the W.P was what I was sorta thinking it might be, I only bought the car not long ago, with 235,000kms on it, I know the timing belt was done at 150,000kms which is the same as your 90,000m, but Im pretty sure they wouldnt have done the W.P at the same time Cos a Fuzz said, its not in the service manual as a replaceable item. I think I'll do it at my 250,000km service as i plan on doing a fair bit of other "preventative" maintainence at the time. To be on the safe side.

Still running the standard contacts as far as I know too, I've done them before when I used to work at Toyota in town here, so Im not looking forward to having to do them haha.
 
If you replace, make sure it is OEM or Aisin. Sometimes preventative maintenance can lead to further issues, like when I had a Duralast WP installed...gasket failed w/i a year. If you do it, do it right (and not like me;)
 
I did it...Only changed it at 180 and plan to change it for the second time at 270. Although the fear y'all are generating here is even making me think twice. I'm already at 243k. 27k to go old friend. Don't fail me now!

While I'm playing with fire, might as well mention that I am on my original starter contacts too.:grinpimp:

Don't sweat it. I'm "double stinting" mine as well. Just b/c it is convenient doesn't mean it needs replacing every 90k. In fact the opposite has proven to be true with us seeing just an occasional weeping water pump at 90k on here and 0 failures. Inspecting it closely while you are there @90k is appropriate of course. I'm going to change mine out with my 2nd 90k service just b/c I feel ~200k is acceptable service life. It will be just as convenient to get to the second time around.

I applaud your bravery... but what's the logic in doing the belt and skipping the pump? You've already done 90% of the work! And the pump is what, $100? Seems like an easy choice to me, but to each his own! :cheers:
 
It really wasn't a conscious decision. When I hit 90k in 2005, I either wasn't a member here or this topic hadn't been hashed out yet. Besides, I can get a pretty decent load of Groceries for $100 or about 120 Yuenglings.
 
I applaud your bravery... but what's the logic in doing the belt and skipping the pump? You've already done 90% of the work! And the pump is what, $100? Seems like an easy choice to me, but to each his own! :cheers:

I completely understand and I know I'm in the minority on this. Doesn't bother me a bit. :cheers: My logic was I just felt like if Mr. T felt that the pump was questionable they would've put it on the 90k as a replacement item and not an "inspect" item. Now if there had been even a single report on here of one going out prior to 90k, well I would've gone ahead and changed it. No balls of titanium here. I also wouldn't have hesitated if it was found to be weeping when I did the t-belt. It really wouldn't have taken much to push me that route, but zero evidence of seizing on here is just that. Along the lines of the A4 pump, the water pump on my Porsche went out at 120k (951 not 911 before anyone goes down that road) but it is a completely different design and isn't a fair comparison to the 4.7.

Bottom line: I'm not going to push my luck if there are reported failures out there but to be honest there just aren't any yet. I'm sure there will be sooner or later but the platform has been in service for 13 years now and not a single report of one seizing on Mud? That's damn bulletproof, even if someone posts up about one right after I write this! Queue the newb with "my WP just caused my engine to explode" for post #1 :bang:

This is the type of thread I enjoy the most on forums as folks are taking equipment and really seeing what it is made of. Heck I dug up this old thread from 8 years ago reminiscing as there was a time when there were about 3 of us on here that "dared" run 285/75r16's!!! If you really wanna cry, scroll down to my last post and see what I paid for the set. Should've invested in tires instead of my 401k. :crybaby:
Help me get new shoes for my LX470
 

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