Water Pump Leak MGZT 190 V6 04 Reg

Steveh41 · 18th July 2015, 16:11

Hi All
i was driving home yesterday and the car sprung a leak, water gushing out of the under tray on the car, after the Rac took me home they said its looks like its coming from the water pump area? after reading a few thread i explored the Thermostat housing first as i hear they are a conmen problem and the water leaks from buy the pump?
i looked in the V and no sign of water or coolant, this is now leading me onto the questions i would like to have answered, i have started to strip the engine down to take a look where the leak is coming from, i am at the point of removing the metal cam belt plate from the engine, has anyone got ant advice other thank i'm stupid for starting this in the first place?

SD1too · 18th July 2015, 20:13

Steve,

Keep the engine in an operational state as long as possible. Tracing leaks is so much easier with the engine ticking over. Run the engine and have a really good look yourself.

Simon

Salad-Dodger · 18th July 2015, 21:06

As Simon has said, keep the engine in a running state. Jack the car up and remove the off side front wheel and the wheel-arch liner. If you look upwards through the wheel-arch, you can see all the lower crank pulley area.
With the engine running you will easily see where the coolant is coming from.
It may be the water pump, or it might be the hose on the rear of the engine block. If its the later you will have an easy fix. oh, and use axle stands! Good luck. Steve.

kaiser · 19th July 2015, 07:24

If the pump is leaking badly just replace the pump.

If you have a go at the pump, be prepared to change the belts (front and rear), the tensioners and the odd thing that might break during dismantling. It is silly going through the motions without replacing everything, unless you positively know better.

You can change these belts like the OH cam belts on any other car. In that case just leave the front sprockets in place. The timing happens at the rear in any case, and you can regard the front belt much as a cycle chain, just making the things go round. Note the position of the rear belts, this is what you have to have again when all is replaced and ready. There are marks on the rear sprockets and those are the important ones to maintain.!
Set the engine in safe mode with a pin through the bell housing into the fly-wheel, and all the pistons are halfway, valves all being safe.
Don't forget to pre-tension the tensioner when installing the new belts and just go about things methodically.
All plastic bits are suspect and likely to breaking, so take off all the injection piping in one lump, as far as possible. Be prepared to replace the small special O-rings sealing the system where you open.
Have a list ready of where to get what, and allow yourself plenty time to get things right. IOW don't force yourself against deadlines, and have alternative transport ready.
This normally starts as a weekend job, but it will most likely take about 4 times longer than planned, especially if this is the first time.

If you have no clue about things technically, get hold of a friend that does as a first step and look up the experience of others. As for the tools, if you just want to maintain the timing as is, forget about them. You won't need them. They may actually work against you and you could well risk oil leaks and popped oil seals which would be silly and pointless to boot.

Salad-Dodger · 19th July 2015, 09:57

I can endorse all that kaiser has said...but keep in mind though that if you find any front camshaft seals leaking, you will need the tools to put that right as you will need to undo the cam sprockets to change the seals, thus loosing the correct timing.
Find someone who has tools just in case you need to borrow them! Steve

DMGRS · 19th July 2015, 19:28

If you're not sure when the belts were last done (or don't have the paperwork for a change) it's a good time to do them - the front belt needs to be removed to access the waterpump.

We have full kit for a good price here:
KV6 Cambelt Kit - Full

If you know they've been done recently and just want to change the pump, we have those too:
KV6 Waterpump - All Models

Good luck.

Steveh41 · 19th July 2015, 20:26

Hi Guys
thanks for all the help, i have managed to strip the engine down and the water was leaking out of the pulley wheel?, the belt seemed to be very worn and the pulley could spin freely with the belt in place?

i will be changing the belts and the tensioner and a couple of other things that got broken while dismantling

i'll be picking up the parts tomorrow from W H Brand as i stumbled across this little MG dealer less than 10 miles from my house

i'll keep you all posted on the results of the rebuild

Salad-Dodger · 19th July 2015, 20:59

Well that's some good news then.
When you do the belt don't forget to pre tension the belt as kaiser has said. Very important that. If you're not sure about anything, just get back on here and ask. Good luck. Steve

kaiser · 20th July 2015, 06:40

Well done.
Maybe it was a blessing in disguise.
Bent valves from broken belts, or overheating from a dead water pump are usually killers.

DMGRS · 20th July 2015, 18:00

Agreed, it sounds like you got lucky!

Good luck with the rebuild.

18th July 2015, 16:11	#1
Steveh41 Newbie MG ZT Join Date: May 2015 Location: March Posts: 6 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Water Pump Leak MGZT 190 V6 04 Reg Hi All i was driving home yesterday and the car sprung a leak, water gushing out of the under tray on the car, after the Rac took me home they said its looks like its coming from the water pump area? after reading a few thread i explored the Thermostat housing first as i hear they are a conmen problem and the water leaks from buy the pump? i looked in the V and no sign of water or coolant, this is now leading me onto the questions i would like to have answered, i have started to strip the engine down to take a look where the leak is coming from, i am at the point of removing the metal cam belt plate from the engine, has anyone got ant advice other thank i'm stupid for starting this in the first place?

18th July 2015, 20:13	#2
SD1too Doesn't do things by halves Rover 75 2.5 Connoisseur Auto (1999) Dealer launch model. Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Former Middlesex Posts: 20,522 Thanks: 1,587 Thanked 3,749 Times in 3,181 Posts	Steve, Keep the engine in an operational state as long as possible. Tracing leaks is so much easier with the engine ticking over. Run the engine and have a really good look yourself. Simon __________________ "Whatever is rightly done, however humble, is noble." Sir Henry Royce.

19th July 2015, 19:28	#6
DMGRS Discount MG Rover Spares Rover 75 CDTi, 2x MG ZS180 Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Hythe, Southampton Posts: 11,354 Thanks: 456 Thanked 3,377 Times in 2,027 Posts	If you're not sure when the belts were last done (or don't have the paperwork for a change) it's a good time to do them - the front belt needs to be removed to access the waterpump. We have full kit for a good price here: KV6 Cambelt Kit - Full If you know they've been done recently and just want to change the pump, we have those too: KV6 Waterpump - All Models Good luck. __________________ Your trusted MG Rover specialist! Tel: 02380 001133 / Email: [email protected] We now have a 'chat' function on our site for even quicker replies. Give it a try! Remember - discount code FORUM5 for 5% off

19th July 2015, 20:26	#7
Steveh41 Newbie MG ZT Join Date: May 2015 Location: March Posts: 6 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Water Pump Leak Hi Guys thanks for all the help, i have managed to strip the engine down and the water was leaking out of the pulley wheel?, the belt seemed to be very worn and the pulley could spin freely with the belt in place? i will be changing the belts and the tensioner and a couple of other things that got broken while dismantling i'll be picking up the parts tomorrow from W H Brand as i stumbled across this little MG dealer less than 10 miles from my house i'll keep you all posted on the results of the rebuild

20th July 2015, 18:00	#10
DMGRS Discount MG Rover Spares Rover 75 CDTi, 2x MG ZS180 Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Hythe, Southampton Posts: 11,354 Thanks: 456 Thanked 3,377 Times in 2,027 Posts	Agreed, it sounds like you got lucky! Good luck with the rebuild. __________________ Your trusted MG Rover specialist! Tel: 02380 001133 / Email: [email protected] We now have a 'chat' function on our site for even quicker replies. Give it a try! Remember - discount code FORUM5 for 5% off

18th July 2015, 21:06	#3
Salad-Dodger Gets stuck in MG ZT-T 190 Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: Chatham Posts: 592 Thanks: 34 Thanked 66 Times in 62 Posts	As Simon has said, keep the engine in a running state. Jack the car up and remove the off side front wheel and the wheel-arch liner. If you look upwards through the wheel-arch, you can see all the lower crank pulley area. With the engine running you will easily see where the coolant is coming from. It may be the water pump, or it might be the hose on the rear of the engine block. If its the later you will have an easy fix. oh, and use axle stands! Good luck. Steve.

19th July 2015, 07:24	#4
kaiser This is my second home 75 Tourer 2.5 Auto, 1.8T, 75V8ZT Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Johannesburg ZA Posts: 6,200 Thanks: 1 Thanked 859 Times in 613 Posts	If the pump is leaking badly just replace the pump. If you have a go at the pump, be prepared to change the belts (front and rear), the tensioners and the odd thing that might break during dismantling. It is silly going through the motions without replacing everything, unless you positively know better. You can change these belts like the OH cam belts on any other car. In that case just leave the front sprockets in place. The timing happens at the rear in any case, and you can regard the front belt much as a cycle chain, just making the things go round. Note the position of the rear belts, this is what you have to have again when all is replaced and ready. There are marks on the rear sprockets and those are the important ones to maintain.! Set the engine in safe mode with a pin through the bell housing into the fly-wheel, and all the pistons are halfway, valves all being safe. Don't forget to pre-tension the tensioner when installing the new belts and just go about things methodically. All plastic bits are suspect and likely to breaking, so take off all the injection piping in one lump, as far as possible. Be prepared to replace the small special O-rings sealing the system where you open. Have a list ready of where to get what, and allow yourself plenty time to get things right. IOW don't force yourself against deadlines, and have alternative transport ready. This normally starts as a weekend job, but it will most likely take about 4 times longer than planned, especially if this is the first time. If you have no clue about things technically, get hold of a friend that does as a first step and look up the experience of others. As for the tools, if you just want to maintain the timing as is, forget about them. You won't need them. They may actually work against you and you could well risk oil leaks and popped oil seals which would be silly and pointless to boot.

19th July 2015, 09:57	#5
Salad-Dodger Gets stuck in MG ZT-T 190 Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: Chatham Posts: 592 Thanks: 34 Thanked 66 Times in 62 Posts	I can endorse all that kaiser has said...but keep in mind though that if you find any front camshaft seals leaking, you will need the tools to put that right as you will need to undo the cam sprockets to change the seals, thus loosing the correct timing. Find someone who has tools just in case you need to borrow them! Steve

19th July 2015, 20:59	#8
Salad-Dodger Gets stuck in MG ZT-T 190 Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: Chatham Posts: 592 Thanks: 34 Thanked 66 Times in 62 Posts	Well that's some good news then. When you do the belt don't forget to pre tension the belt as kaiser has said. Very important that. If you're not sure about anything, just get back on here and ask. Good luck. Steve

20th July 2015, 06:40	#9
kaiser This is my second home 75 Tourer 2.5 Auto, 1.8T, 75V8ZT Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Johannesburg ZA Posts: 6,200 Thanks: 1 Thanked 859 Times in 613 Posts	Well done. Maybe it was a blessing in disguise. Bent valves from broken belts, or overheating from a dead water pump are usually killers.