I'm a new member to this site and wanted to post my first thread about my waterpump ordeal. First off, let me thank those that contributed past posts about overheating issues that helped me solve my problem. Also, thanks to the admin for activating my account to allow me to post.
OK, so I have a 95 Camry 2.2 that just out of the blue started overheating. When I would rev the engine though, the temp guage would usually come back down. My first thought, thermostat. I replaced the thermostat and the car seemed to do ok, for about 15 minutes...then the same problem happened, overheating.
I thought, well...the next obvious step is the radiator. So I plunked down $135 from Autozone for a radiator. Put it on, same problem.....now bear in mind during this time the cooling fans were not turning on, at all. The A/C fans would come on with the A/C but not the regular fans with the thermostat switch in the radiator. So I then thought well maybe something is wrong with the thermostat for the cooling fans...I inquired on a price, $75 from Autozone! I said time out......I spent enough money so I decided to investigate a little more.
So I checked the hoses, top hose extremely hot bottom hose extremely cold, like there was no coolant flow. My heater had also not been working during this whole ordeal. So I decided to take the thermostat completely out to see if coolant would circulate.....no dice....it would not circulate. So, the only thing left in my mind was the waterpump...........I went and purchased a new waterpump, from Autozone for $35. I had no idea what I was in for with this job!
When removing the old waterpump I found 5 fan implellars broken off inside the waterpump hole! I thought Holy Shit Batman! I found the problem! So, I promptly put on a new waterpump and put everything back together. So after a total of 6 hours of messing with this thing, I fired it back up. It ran for 15 minutes and then the temp guage started to climb again! Before it got into the red I shut it off. I left it for the night after being frustrated, thinking I must have a blown head gasket! The next day after feeling a little refreshed and also reading some past horror stories from here about overheating problems I decided to give it another try. The stories of interest to me were those of having air in the lines. I decided to take off the housing that has like 3 hoses, 2 electrical connections, 2 vacuum hoses etc.....I took it off and then stuck a garden hose in the gooseneck where the thermostat is located, I then started the car. I was surprised to see coolant flowing out the other side. So this made me think, maybe the pump needed primed to start pumping.
I put everything back together but left off the right side (High) radiator hose. I stuck a garden hose in it and it probably took on 3/4 of a gallon of water to fill the block. I then started the car, water was now pumping! I put all hoses and connections back on and filled the radiator tank and left the cap off. It ran for over 30 minutes at idle with a perfect temp guage! So I drained the radiator, filled it with distilled water and antifreeze, filled the engine block again like before!!!! And the car is running perfectly fine........
I posted this because I read where some people had a hard time believing that a waterpump can lose it's impellars, the pics are included! Also, there are probably some people that have paid for a new head gasket install when maybe they shouldn't have. Anyway, I hope some of what's in my story might help you in finding your problem. Thanks again, this is a great site with lots of info and I'm happy to contribute. Thanks!
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