1997 Metro: change the waterpump when the timing belt is changed?

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Lawrence_Q - 30 Jan 2007 17:34 GMT

Hi,

My sister is taking her 97 Metro in for the 100,000 mile timing belt
change. Is it the case in the Metro that the water pump is easy to
reach/change at the same time as the belt is replaced? She has the
1.3L 4 cylinder engine.

What sort of time should a repair place quote for the waterpump
replacement in this case? Thanks.

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Steve Mackie - 30 Jan 2007 20:43 GMT

With A/C, 3.4 hours to change the water pump. Includes removing and
reinstalling the timing belt.

It's 3.0 hours to replace the timing belt only.

If you're going to replace the water pump at the same time, make sure you
spend the bucks on a new one and not a reman. I've personally never had any
luck with remans and new aftermarket ones usually aren't that much more. If
you've got an extra $250 laying around, get one from the dealer. Then again,
I'd probably hit the Suzuki dealer and price it there. The 1997 Geo Metro
(p/n 91175666) is showing $250 but the Suzuki Swift (p/n 17400-82824) is
showing $85.

Steve

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Lawrence_Q - 30 Jan 2007 23:03 GMT

> With A/C, 3.4 hours to change the water pump. Includes removing and
> reinstalling the timing belt.
>
> It's 3.0 hours to replace the timing belt only.

Thanks for the reply....so the difference in labor between a timing
belt/water pump combo is probably 30 minutes billable time? 3.4 hrs
vs 3.0?

Also, I'm seeing all the new water pumps (not remanufactured) listed
at kragen.com for $50, not $250. Are the dealer ones really $250, or
is that for power steering pumps?

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HLS@nospam.nix - 31 Jan 2007 00:24 GMT

> > With A/C, 3.4 hours to change the water pump. Includes removing and
> > reinstalling the timing belt.
[quoted text clipped - 8 lines]
> at kragen.com for $50, not $250. Are the dealer ones really $250, or
> is that for power steering pumps?

The dealer almost always humps you on price. But Steve is right, if you
are going to replace the pump, use a new one or a rebuilt from someone
who is ethically beyond rebuke. There have been premium remanufacturers
in the past, but you probably wont get it at Kragen or Autozone or Pepboys.

Dealership prices are sometimes several times the aftermarket price. And,
may, or MAY NOT, be better.

Be careful. Research what you do.

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scott - 31 Jan 2007 04:31 GMT

On Jan 30, 6:24 pm, <H...@nospam.nix> wrote:

> > > With A/C, 3.4 hours to change the water pump. Includes removing and
> > > reinstalling the timing belt.
[quoted text clipped - 18 lines]
>
> Be careful. Research what you do.

Ah yes, this topic makes me remember the story of my Dad replacing the
water pump on his 1980 iron duke Citation, he used some pepboys
"guaranteed for life" pump. The job took him quite a while being a
anal shade tree guy and the citation being not so well laid out and
packaged. Then about 5 months later the pepboys pump gave up, and
although he got the replacement for "free", I am pretty sure he wasn't
too psyched about having to do all that labor again so soon.

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