So will you be stopping by the dealer to get new bolts for your vehicle?

 

No. I wont.

But after warranty ill be sure to use the specs oulined below when I do the work myself.

Also take note it mentions the 2013's...

But I wonder if the new water pump that was installed on my 2010- used new bolts to the new specs- or the previous specs.
Prob not. since this is dated July 2.

Well see- if others show 6 BOLTS on their repair work- as well as the new pump....

 

I would HOPE that GM would supply new bolts with replacement water pumps, since these are now torque-to-yield bolts. Hopefully the aftermarket will also pick this up.

My water pump has not leaked a drop and I haven't lost any coolant from the overflow since I added the Bars Leaks tablets early last summer.

 

No. I wont.

But after warranty ill be sure to use the specs oulined below when I do the work myself.

Also take note it mentions the 2013's...

But I wonder if the new water pump that was installed on my 2010- used new bolts to the new specs- or the previous specs.
Prob not. since this is dated July 2.

Well see- if others show 6 BOLTS on their repair work- as well as the new pump....

Did Your work order show 6 new bolts when you had your water pump replaced?
I wouldn't put it past them to have RE-USED the bolts they took out !! Even if they showed 6 new bolts on the work order. :facepalm:
I know you saw the old pump they took out - Did you SEE the 6 bolts too?

In your OP it says "Old/reused blots will break if reinstalled", but this is just coming out, so in the past I think they would reuse the bolts.
That is why I asked if you were going to make a trip to the dealer. Even if just to pick up new bolts - if you could talk them out of them :angryfire:

IF your work order shows new bolts then couldn't you just re-torque the bolts in it now and then add the additional 45 degrees?
Speaking of which, wouldn't adding 45 degrees also equal a torque value? How many will get out a protractor to see exactly 45 degrees? Or am I missing something?
Seems like something right up you alley ;D ;D ;D

I know that you used a picture from 50andretired comparing pumps. Look again. Do the bolts look different. Do yours look new compared to his? ???

 

I dont recall seeing any note of 6 bolts...
and most likely reused...
Ill look up my pics and see what I see.

 

couldn't you just re-torque the bolts in it now and then add the additional 45 degrees?

When the new waterpump is installed, there is a sealant placed on the mating surface. It used to be paper gaskets were used, but now different chemical sealants (red, black, blue, white, orange,) are used. Different colors are for different environments, such as high temperature, fuel or oil immersion, etc.

The bolts are torqued before the sealant has fully set or cured. You really don't want to go back and add additional torque now once the sealant has been set. This could lead to future leaking where there is none now. Old bolts which are designed to stretch during installation can break if you try to reuse them and re-stretch them again. They will have metal fatigue when taken out the first time, hence the need to replace them with new. It's interesting to note that the new specs call for 89 in lbs, which is only 7.4 ft lbs. Not very much torque in the scheme of things so these are small diameter bolts.


As for the 45 degree additional torque, with the bolts "stretching", this additional tightening is just to ensure there are no under torqued bolts. It is very easy to watch your socket or the top of your wrench when you tighten that additional bit. 90 degrees would be 1/4 of a turn, so you are just turning an additional 1/8 of a turn.

 

As for the 45 degree additional torque, with the bolts "stretching", this additional tightening is just to ensure there are no under torqued bolts. It is very easy to watch your socket or the top of your wrench when you tighten that additional bit. 90 degrees would be 1/4 of a turn, so you are just turning an additional 1/8 of a turn.

First of all I have never heard of ADDITIONAL TORQUE as XX degrees. That just doesn't sound very accurate.

I might be able to see instructions like Torque to XX twice, wait 5 minutes and re-torque XX+3.
If you look at where the water pump is located you can see that there is not alot of room to work.
IMO a click would be alot easier then 45 degrees.

But what do I know?

I guess this whole subject makes me wonder if the ones that they have replaced have stated to come back again because the seal started leaking
from under torqued bolts or that the bolts did indeed stretch and then released the torque value and they started to leak?

I can't believe that they would change their practice if there wasn't a good reason for it.

 

Though I don't recall any reports of repeat water pump leaks or failures, your concern about that possibility is reasonable. I hope that I don't have to deal with a repeat water pump leak. :-\

 

There's an 08 Acadia on pump number 3....

 

First of all I have never heard of ADDITIONAL TORQUE as XX degrees. That just doesn't sound very accurate.

I might be able to see instructions like Torque to XX twice, wait 5 minutes and re-torque XX+3.
If you look at where the water pump is located you can see that there is not alot of room to work.
IMO a click would be alot easier then 45 degrees.

But what do I know?

I guess this whole subject makes me wonder if the ones that they have replaced have stated to come back again because the seal started leaking
from under torqued bolts or that the bolts did indeed stretch and then released the torque value and they started to leak?

I can't believe that they would change their practice if there wasn't a good reason for it.

With this method, we can save a fortune in torque wrenches, why bother having one that goes 30-250, another 20-150 (because the wrench is only accurate to a % of its total rated capacity), another that's a 1/4 drive, and 3/8 in in lbs. Just eyeball everything. Oil filters usually say 2/3 to 3/4 turn after making contact, turning a bolt another 45 degrees is along the same lines.

The way I look at it, is no replacement part is as good as the original. It totally stands to reason that replacement water pumps are cheaper than originals and are not intended to last the life of the vehicle (seems like with GM timing chains aren't either). I don't know what luck you fellas have had with replacement brake calipers, but I've had replacements fail every 2 years (last was from NAPA), when the originals lasted 11 years.

Today's cars are the most technically advanced, but my hunch is that the best vehicles were built around 2006-08.

 

Most of the water pumps in my cars lasted to about 80,000 miles...I just wonder if a much better gasket was used, it would help prevent the leaks? Usually when I replaced a water pump, I put gasket sealant on both sides and torqued to specs. I never had a problem with leaks. As for Napa - mostly everything they sell, even tools, is made in China.

 

The greatest number of miles that I've accumulated on a car is 101,XXX on a long since traded1998 Olds Intrigue, and the only major item that was replaced was the ABS Control Module. Next to that is the 79,XXX currently on my 2006 Subaru Tribeca, and nothing major has been replaced so far. Though my sample is far too small to be representative of the typical automobile experience, I think that the lack of a water pump failure in these two cars is typical. In my opinion, water pumps are not a commonly replaced item in a car with less than 100,000 miles.

 

Most of the water pumps in my cars lasted to about 80,000 miles...I just wonder if a much better gasket was used, it would help prevent the leaks? Usually when I replaced a water pump, I put gasket sealant on both sides and torqued to specs. I never had a problem with leaks. As for Napa - mostly everything they sell, even tools, is made in China.

My Nissan is at 216k on the original water pump. It's going to start leaking sooner or later, some say it happens at 230k to 270k, but it will happen. It's like a car that just won't stop going, but it's a product of Japan and 1998. I don't even think Nissan is building things to last anymore, look at those TN made cars which have timing chains that last about the same as the Buick.

Granted NAPA does sell a lot of junk, the calipers are remanuf. somewhere in the USA, probably the Bronx or TX. If it's going to need a new one every 2 yrs., I"m not paying $80 (lol I paid $600 for one in college) anymore, I'm buying the cheapest I can find and planning on a 2 yr. replacement. Planned obsolescence....

 

Most of the water pumps in my cars lasted to about 80,000 miles...I just wonder if a much better gasket was used, it would help prevent the leaks? Usually when I replaced a water pump, I put gasket sealant on both sides and torqued to specs. I never had a problem with leaks. As for Napa - mostly everything they sell, even tools, is made in China.

Im pretty sure there was a slight change to the look of the gasket..
that is comparing the gasket on the old part and the new (looking up part #s online and lookint at pics).

 

Our E is on it's 3rd pump. But again, I think the shop had an issue with the 2nd one when they removed the engine because the coolant level had never dropped. My Bonneville (at 110K miles) and our E (at 50K and again around 60K-65K) were the first vehicles we've owned requiring water pump replacement. That includes a '90 Cougar (115K miles), '96 Cutlass (140K miles), '94 Sunbird (100K miles) and '00 Mountaineer (100K miles).

 

Technically, I am on my 3rd water pump, too. When the factory pump started leaking, I took the car in for service. The dealer provided a rental car since the repair time was estimated to be about 4 hours, but I ended up with the car for an extra day because the new pump was "leaking more than the old one", according to the service rep on the phone. They ordered another pump, which has performed as expected since. :