3.4 Water Pump 1994 CS

[bluecalais79]

Quick question on r + r of my water pump on my 1994 CS, the giant green manual advises I need to remove the coolant tank before removing the water pump. I took a look and I'm wondering, is that really necessary, there seems to be enough clearance to get at it, but I could be wrong.

Thx, looks like the water pump is one of the few things on this motor which you can actually remove fairly easily.

 

[55trucker]

Yepper,

pull the recovery tank, the pump (assuming it is the original) has a deep cone shaped cast impeller, when you're looking for a replacement Get the same, try not to fall into the *oh, the chinese aftermarket pump will do*, not so.

 

 

Edited August 28, 2020 by 55trucker

[digitaloutsider]

Unless you have some super dainty hands and arms, I don't know how you'd get to it without removing the overflow tank. Regardless, it's like 2 bolts and comes out in 30 seconds and would make the whole process infinitely easier. And I agree, find the one with the proper impeller. 

[bluecalais79]

Thanks, got it, I pulled the original overflow tank a few months ago to replace it with an NOS one. I was hoping to leave it but out it goes. 

As for the pump, I'm ready to go with a new A/C Delco pump  (not a reman or junk chinese replacement). I'm the original owner of this car and I know it's the original pump, it was never replaced during the time my Dad or my brother owned it. The bearings are starting to sing (I recognize the sound from the w/p that croaked on my 3.1 last year) so it's time for it to go. 

I'm long overdue for posting some photos of these 2 cars on this site, I'll try and get to that over this weekend. Quite frankly my 1994 has come out so well I'm thinking about selling the white 1996. Time will tell. 

[bluecalais79]

Finally got the water pump in last weekend. Is there nothing on these 3.4 motors that's easy to install?!?

The coolant tank was removed, that certainly was a must. But, man what a booger getting the old pump out, there's just no clearance to work anywhere. I got really lucky getting the (new GM) one in, you really need to set the gasket on the pump with sealer and hope it doesn't shift when you are jamming it through to get it to where it needs to go. Fortunately it set correctly and it wound up not leaking at the seal meaning I don't have to do the job all over again.

The WP I took out was the original one (not bad, 26 years, 91,xxx miles), so I am going to send it out to Gould Rebuilders and have it rebuilt to have as a spare. 

[bluecalais79]

Going on 2+ months, still no leaks, nice. Next big job is the timing belt, found a chevy dealer that will do the job. This 3.4 will be good to go another 27 years after that.

[White93z34]

First timing belt I ever did was a LQ1, has made every one since seem like a walk in the park!

I still don't think I can properly do that job in less then 6 hours end to end. Not that I've tried to rush it at any point. A 94' should be slightly easier.

[Psych0matt]

I’m still waiting on the day I gotta do mine. Luckily it seems as though it was replaced not too much before I bought it, and I’ve only put about 15000 on it, but that’s been over 10 years (wow, longest I’ve owned a car)

[Nas Escobar]

10 hours ago, Psych0matt said:

I’m still waiting on the day I gotta do mine. Luckily it seems as though it was replaced not too much before I bought it, and I’ve only put about 15000 on it, but that’s been over 10 years (wow, longest I’ve owned a car)

 

I replaced mine. Bearings went out on the interstate and I was 50 miles away from home. I had to constantly add water to make it home. Didn't overheat so all was well.

 

If you did it on a 3.1 or 3.4 OHV then you can do it on the LQ1. I did mine in about an hour. 

 

[Psych0matt]

2 hours ago, Nas Escobar said:

 

I replaced mine. Bearings went out on the interstate and I was 50 miles away from home. I had to constantly add water to make it home. Didn't overheat so all was well.

 

If you did it on a 3.1 or 3.4 OHV then you can do it on the LQ1. I did mine in about an hour. 

 

I meant my timing belt! Yeah, I remember the water pump being pretty easy on the LQ1, haven't done that in over a decade. The 3800 on the 04 and 06 both needed them shortly after i bought each, wasn't too bad but took around an hour.

Edited January 12, 2021 by Psych0matt

[GnatGoSplat]

I managed to never have to do an LQ1 timing belt the whole 14yrs we had the 94.  I did pull the cover off and check its appearance every oil change, but that's about it.

 

[Nas Escobar]

On 1/15/2021 at 10:35 AM, GnatGoSplat said:

I managed to never have to do an LQ1 timing belt the whole 14yrs we had the 94.  I did pull the cover off and check its appearance every oil change, but that's about it.

 

I had mine changed at 100k only to have the tensioner fail at 120k. Luckily for me, 94 is non interference. Put it back in time, it has around 148k and it keeps going. The car had more issues with that stupid quick connect heater line fitting. I eventually put a barb fitting in its place and never had an issue since. 

[Schurkey]

On 1/16/2021 at 10:12 PM, Nas Escobar said:

The car had more issues with that stupid quick connect heater line fitting. I eventually put a barb fitting in its place and never had an issue since. 

Is the OEM quick-connect restricted inside?  They are on the V-8 applications.  The restricted fitting prevents gurgling noise in the heater core, and protects the core from over-pressurizing from high rpm water pump pressure.

[Nas Escobar]

20 minutes ago, Schurkey said:

Is the OEM quick-connect restricted inside?  They are on the V-8 applications.  The restricted fitting prevents gurgling noise in the heater core, and protects the core from over-pressurizing from high rpm water pump pressure.

 

Yup, that same one. Funny enough, the idea came from a Vortec forum. Apparantly the issue I had happens a lot on the GMT400s. 

 

I did this back in 2014. I never heard the car gurgle nor have I blown anything up and I drive the LQ1 pretty hard. Funny enough, I do have a gurgling issue in a 2007 Saturn Aura but I havent touched the cooling system in this way. I would like to find a metal t fitting for it because the plastic one GM put there cracks, just like the L fittings the 3800 had.

[GnatGoSplat]

Just checked my records, and I replaced it back in 2014 also.  Under "Reason for repair", I noted, "Restrictor inside fitting crumbled apart."  Under notes, I put, "Would have been easier/less wasteful to use drill & Dremel to make new restrictor."

Too long ago for me to remember any of what that means and I don't really recall what this "restrictor" thing looked like any more or why I seemed to think I could make one with a Dremel.

 

[mfewtrail]

On 1/18/2021 at 12:47 AM, GnatGoSplat said:

Just checked my records, and I replaced it back in 2014 also.  Under "Reason for repair", I noted, "Restrictor inside fitting crumbled apart."  Under notes, I put, "Would have been easier/less wasteful to use drill & Dremel to make new restrictor."

Too long ago for me to remember any of what that means and I don't really recall what this "restrictor" thing looked like any more or why I seemed to think I could make one with a Dremel.

 

Most restrictors I've seen are just an orifice smaller than the diameter of the hose they're installed in. You could make one out of about a 1,000 different things so long as it's large enough to not dislodge and enter/block the core.

[GnatGoSplat]

Yeah, I'm guessing it must have looked like a very simple thing for me to think I should have just made one instead of replacing the fitting.  I just have zero recollection of what it might have looked like.

Making one out of a piece of aluminum might have been ideal, never have to worry about it crumbling apart.

 

[mfewtrail]

On 1/19/2021 at 10:44 AM, GnatGoSplat said:

Yeah, I'm guessing it must have looked like a very simple thing for me to think I should have just made one instead of replacing the fitting.  I just have zero recollection of what it might have looked like.

Making one out of a piece of aluminum might have been ideal, never have to worry about it crumbling apart.

 

 

Here's one example: https://www.ebay.com/itm/OEM-NEW-Flow-Restrictor-Heater-Hose-Elbow-3-4-99-14-Ford-Lincoln-XR3Z-18599-AA-/322819838893

 

 

 

[bluecalais79]

Quick update, I found an independent shop willing to do the timing belt. I got it back yesterday, 6 hours labor and they did a great job. They also wound up replacing some kind of heater line that was about to fail, so that tacked on another 2 hours labor and the part was $150. NOS GM for that part, some kind of long black bar behind the motor 

Getting back to the timing belt, parts, labor, taxes all told ran just over $1200. I had the timing belt last changed in 1996 so man, this was way overdue.

So with the intake gaskets & timing belt all replaced this motor's good for another 100k. I have been using mobil 1 synthetic since mile one on this car, I bet this could be a 300,000 motor, who knows. 

 

Edited June 5, 2021 by bluecalais79