Cavalier 2.0 GLS (Ecotec) Water Pump Warning

A word of warning to Mk3 Cavalier (Vectra) drivers with the Ecotec engine.
If you hear a tappety sound it might well be your water pump. I took mine
(107k) to the Vx garage and they diagnosed the problem, but wanted £316 to
fix it and said that the car was undrivable. So I drove home very carefully
after picking up a new QH pump for £35.

Got the timing cover off and Vx were right - the water pump sprocket is
moving about side to side with 1/4 inch free play. If this had gone or
siezed it would have taken the timing belt out and wrecked the engine - a
lucky escape. The timing belt was changed by Vx 6 months ago - wish I had
done it myself now as it was not as bad to get at as I feared.

Can't work out how to remove the cranshaft pulley to get acess to the lower
front water pump allen key in order to replace the water pump. Also not
100% on procedure for setting the timing belt tension again - looks like
there is a pointer thing next to the left of the water pump.

Had a real job getting the alternator belt off through the engine mount -
belt looks on its last legs so going to change it..

Any tips on putting it all back together welcome!

Al

 

you should leave it to some one that Knows what he is doing because if you
get the timing wrong you are going to bend the valves to set the timing you
will need timing pins to lock them up with if you still go ahead with the
job then when you put on the cam belt spin the crank pully round with a
spanner so it does not lock up then you may start the car if everything is
ok


john

www.jcautos.co.uk

 

Thanks for the advice John - I did the job myself OK. I locked the cambelt
timing gears with a screwdriver and got the belt back on OK. I marked the
old belt with paint near the timing marks and then made the same marks on
the new belt by holding it alongside before fitting it - that way I had a
double check that I had not slipped a tooth on the timing belt. Got the
crankshaft pulley off by locking the engine flywheel to undo the bolt -
there is a hole in it which can be jammed with an Allen key against the
underside of engine to stop it turning. You just have to loosen the small
cover over the end of the gearbox to see it. Hardest bit was getting the
belt tension right, but it goes OK now. I changed the alternator belt also
which was difficult as removing the front offside engine mount was hard
work. I have a friend who used to race grasstrack cars with these engines -
he used to go around the Vx dealers and pick up their trashed engines with
bent valves for scrap value - they had one in every week. I have been told
that I should change the timing belt every 40k and the water pump every 80k
to be on the safe side.

Al