Water pump

[Forrest]

My 1994 B200FT has had a slight oil leak above the water pump for years. It improved a bit after I cleaned out the PCV breather system but it is still there. It doesn't affect the running of the engine and doesn't require frequent oil top ups. Whilst it would be better if it didn't do this it has never bothered me sufficiently to put very much effort or expense into stopping it. The main thing is to clean up the oil on the rubber seals occasionally or it will degrade them over time. There are certain problems I guess one just has to accept with a 200k+ mile engine.

Didn't some of the cold war aircraft have terrible trouble with oil leaks on the ground? I think the answer they came up with was to use drip trays.

[tessie]

Thanks for all the comments on this - very helpful and give me a degree of comfort. I checked the car later on today (it was only started up to move it along the drive a little bit) and while there is still the oily stuff hanging about, there was also definitely some watery fluid lying around as well - I'm thinking that perhaps I'm getting both the oil leak from the camshaft seal/rocker cover gasket and the coolant from the pump at the same time - can't say that I'm noticing particularly coolant or oil loss from the expansion tank or the dipstick, but then I suppose its a case of a little oil or coolant can go a long way....
For what its worth, I cleaned out the PCV system a few weeks back - didn't seem too bad except the brass nipple thingy was totally bunged up - did seem to cure a slight oil escape from the oil filler cap though, and now passes the filler cap jiggly suction test!

[tessie]

Update - unbolted the top cam belt cover and could see no obvious signs of oil emanating from around the seal, looked to be nice and clean. Also had good close look and def not coming from rocker cover gasket.
What I have noticed yesterday is that it seems to be mainly (or maybe only, not sure) coolant that is escaping, so i'm going to do the water pump and see what effect that has towards a cure (hoping that the thin oil thing is just a case of the escaping coolant washing up some of the surrounding oily crud!).
BTW - if the water pump is failing (which it looks to be, irrespective of anything else), is it the case that the rate of loss of coolant can be variable - just wondering since in my case the problem seems to have come and gone a little bit?
Cheers

[Steve940estate]

Is the leak from the top seal on the water pump where it pushes up under the head ? Not easy to see because of where it is.

[tessie]

Thanks Steve - yes coming from the top of the pump -I can quite clearly see the coolant running out from that area and if I stick my finger up into that area I can just about feel ragged rubber which I imagine is the seal coming to bits -not sure why that would happen?

[tessie]

Picture showing the orange coloured coolant escaping --


https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?f...type=3&theater

[bob12]

Orange .... it's rust (oxide in the water). The finger test for free flowing water is always good!!

The best solution in my mind, depending on the age of the pump, is to replace it, especially if you are going to take everything to bits to replace a seal (bearing in mind the side pipe seal can be tricky if you don't get it right!!). If replacing the pump you will get new seals top and side in the kit.

However, if all you want to do is replace the seals your Volvo Main Dealer will supply them.

Best of luck. Bob.

[tessie]

Bob
Thanks for the comments - I think I had already decided to replace the pump, as you say its probably been on there for a while anyway.
On the orange colouring for the coolant - should have said that the antifreeze stuff that I used when I recently replaced the coolant folowing a new radiator is orangey/pinkish..........

[tessie]

Guys
Following on from the above - have removed the water pump, but have some questions before I refit the replacement -

- the new pump doesn't have the small threaded shafts (for want of a better description) for the fan to bolt onto - wot have I done wrong - please see photo of old and new at https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?f...type=3&theater

- got what looks like two rubber seals for (what I think is) the heater pipe - different depths - how come and how do I know whuch one to use?

- do I need to use anything else to seal the pump onto the face of the block foreby the gasket supplied?

Cheers and thanks again.

[Steve940estate]

Some cars have electric fans so the water pump pulley is attached using bolts. You should have the original style studs in the water pump fixing kit. You need to screw them in and tighten using 2 nuts locked together on the thread. I think the studs have a long and short end and it's the short one that goes in the pump.

I'm not sure about the seal as it was a while back that I fitted a new pump to my car.

Some people use a smear of grease round the gasket to help seal things up. I used a gasket sealer called Wellseal. I don't think Volvo suggest using anything.