# DIY: AEG Waterpump (No timing belt) with time saving tips



## twicepardoned (May 2, 2006)

*DIY Replacing Water Pump*
*Disclaimer: *
The author of this document shall not be held responsible for any damages to you or your vehicle resulting from following any step discussed in the document. This manual is created only for a pictorial guide and should be used as such!
*Introduction:*So you're water pump went bad but it's not time for a timing belt change. You don't want to pay your mechanic big $money$ for a simple task but also don't want to spend a large amount of time messing with your car. I felt the same way and didn't need to change my timing belt.
Let me start by saying that Vasillov has written an excellent DIY on how to change the timing belt and Waterpump already. This DIY is simply an alternative with a major goal in mind.








*Goal:* Reduce time involved in changing water pump.

*Notes:*
I have noted 3 items that increased labor time:
1: Front Passenger Tire removal
2: Motor Mount removal
3: Crank Pulley removal
I also noted some concerns involved with this shortened time. 
1: The Crank Sprocket is covered but open at the top so you must be careful not to drop anything into the cover.
2: You must be extrememly careful to maintain timing belt tension on the Crank Sprocket in order to not 'slip' out of time.
*Step 1*
*Lift the front of car with Hydraulic Jack and support the cars weight with jack stands.
*Step 2*
*Place a container under the Driver Side of the radiator.
*Turn radiator coolant drain valve and begin releasing coolant. (The process will go quicker if you unscrew the lid to the coolant reservoir in the engine bay by the strut tower on the passenger side)








*Step 3*
*Remove Coolant Reservoir. (1 plug, 2 hoses and 2 screws)
_Top view, 2 bolts, plug and hose_








_Turn Sideways, there's one hose underneath_








*Step 4*
*Unmount Power steering reservoir. (1 bolt) Do not remove it entirely, just unmount inorder to move it out of the way. 
-Also move various hoses as you see fit (but do not disconnect or remove them just move them aside
_Red shows existing location of Green_








*Step 5**Remove Serpentine belt. Use an adjustable wrench and rotate serpentne tensioner clockwise. While you have the tension loose remover the belt.
*Step 6*
*Remove Serpentine Tensioner (3 bolts in Green)








*Step 7*
*Remove timing belt covers except the lower one (it involves way too much to remove and is not necessary for this job)
(Note: Mine were already removed prior to this job so I don't have the 'details' but a few bolts and they come right off)
*Step 8*
*Mark timing belt with Nail polish to ensure timing lines back up after job is complete 
*Let it dry (short time)








*Step 9*
*Loosen timing belt tensioner. Do not remove the bolt, just loosen it.
*Step 10*
*Slip timing belt off of Cam Gear slowly. Once it is about to come off keep slight tension in an upward direction. (This ensures that the timing belt does not slip off the Crank Sprocket)
*Zip tie timing belt to a stable solid point on front of engine bay. (Note: The timing belt will continue to have 'upward' tension by strategically making contact with the motor mount pillar and the alternator pulley)








*Step 11*
*Replace waterpump
-Remove 3 bolts carefully (do not drop in lower timing belt cover)
-Remove old water pump
_Old pump... WOW!!!_
















-Install New water pump
-Install 3 bolts carefully (do not drop in lower timing belt cover)
_From the bottom_








_From the top_








_Tool combo to get in tight spot for bolt #3_








*Step 12*
*Slip timng belt back on Cam Gear
-Make sure to continue 'upward' tension
Pull upward till it is slipped on








-Match timing marks








*Step 13*
*Create timing belt tension.
-Use L-shaped needle nose pliers to turn the 'Moon' bit.
-Place tips of pliers in the 2 holes on the 'Moon' rotate counter-clockwise. 
-With tension engaged retighten the tensioner bolt.
*Step 14*
*Install everything thing else you removed in reverse order.
* Refill coolant (Fill reservoir, start car, continue to fill as air bubbles float to top)








*THE END*
I just wanted to add something here at the end... If you have not replaced your timing belt, please rethink using my DIY and please go back and follow Vasillov's DIY about changing the timing belt and waterpump. It is vital to replace the timing belt to ensure the reliability of your car. A broken timing belt results in much more than simply replacing it with a new timing belt. A broken timing belt will bend your valves or worse. It can result in thousands of dollars worth of damage. Be responsible and make the right decision: Spend $40 for a new timing belt now or spend a couple thousand later because of a broken timing belt.?.?.? Your choice.








twicepardoned (aka GODCHSR)
Stephen

_Modified by twicepardoned at 6:14 PM 4-12-2007_


_Modified by twicepardoned at 8:21 PM 6-24-2008_


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## vasillalov (Nov 5, 2003)

*Re: DIY: AEG Waterpump (No timing belt) with time saving tips (twicepardoned)*

Aaaaah! The zip tie trick strikes again!





























Wow, I am shocked as to how the impeller has disintegrated!






















My only concern would be making sure that the timing belt stays dry when removing the old pump!


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## McNeil (Jan 18, 2006)

I vote DIY.


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## twicepardoned (May 2, 2006)

*Re: DIY: AEG Waterpump (vasillalov)*


_Quote, originally posted by *vasillalov* »_
My only concern would be making sure that the timing belt stays dry when removing the old pump! 

Actually my Timing belt did get some coolant on it... I'm not sure about the long term effects but it doesn't seem to have made a difference yet. Seeing that I drove the heck out of it after the replacement.
My time on it was 1.5 hours but that was mostly because of the temperature and trying to figure out the details that I wasn't sure about. 
If I was to do this again tomorrow I think I could do it in 45 minutes easy.
Thanks for your comments! I appreciate it!


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## twicepardoned (May 2, 2006)

*Re: (McNeil)*


_Quote, originally posted by *McNeil* »_I vote DIY.

WooHoo!!! Keep em coming. 
I'll be doing an official AEG USRT SRI swap DIY and AEG Head Swap DIY in a week!!!!
I hope those go as well as this one did.


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## Erotas (Aug 23, 2003)

*Re: DIY: AEG Waterpump (vasillalov)*

Great DIY! http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif 

_Quote, originally posted by *vasillalov* »_
Wow, I am shocked as to how the impeller has disintegrated!























Mine looked like that when it died, luckily less than a mile from home.
It has a metal one in there now. Over 75000 miles with no problems.


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## twicepardoned (May 2, 2006)

Thanks, it is my first!


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## McNeil (Jan 18, 2006)

I'm ready for head swap DIY!


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## vasillalov (Nov 5, 2003)

*Re: (McNeil)*

Curious to know: what kind of a head are you putting in? 20V?
EDIT:








IS THIS SOME SORT OF A GREEN COOLANT I AM SEEING? Thought so!
You better get straightened up right away and flush this junk out of your engine. G12+ or BUST!










_Modified by vasillalov at 2:04 AM 4-13-2007_


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## twicepardoned (May 2, 2006)

HAHAHA I put that Green Coolant in there a week ago after I posted a few threads about my car overheating.
I had decided to pull the thermostat out and boil test it.
It passed the test, so I knew the Waterpump had to be the problem at that point.
So rather than going and buying more coolant that I would flush less than a week later I filled it up with the Green stuff.
In fact, I filled it up with green stuff again this time, only because I'll be pulling the head next week and 'replacing' the thermostat. You already covered the therm DIY so no need to repeat the obvious.
As far as the head swap, I apologize if I led anyone to believe that it was a hybrid swap... I am just putting on a new 8v.
The reason I am doing a DIY though is because it took me a little while to sit down and consider how to effectively swap an entirely new head (different cam, gear, head, everything alltogether at once) without losing the timing.
My thought process was there would be no 'easy' way to do it without find TDC etc...
BUT lone behold I have done it. I am going to use the mark and match method on the existing head and then line up the new gear against the old gear and match their timing by lining up the 'keys'.
At that point simply transferring over the mark to the new gear. Tada








I think it will work, I certainly don't see why not. Plus again it will not require the full removal of the timing belt, motor mount or wheels.


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## twicepardoned (May 2, 2006)

I guess what I'm trying to say is that I will be putting G12 in once I am done pulling this car apart back and forth.



_Modified by twicepardoned at 5:09 PM 12-11-2007_


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## 03jetta03 (Jun 10, 2008)

*Re: (twicepardoned)*

is there any way we can get the pictures active again?


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## twicepardoned (May 2, 2006)

Done!


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## 03jetta03 (Jun 10, 2008)

*Re: (twicepardoned)*

I hate to ask again but i had the pictures active at my home computer but cannot get them at my work computer. I have yet to check if i can still get them at my home computer again. What i am really asking is are the pictures gone again or is it just my work computer?
Thanks again,


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## twicepardoned (May 2, 2006)

Just your work PC. My work PC uses Burst Tech and it won't allow any links from Photobucket or any file sharing sites.


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## Nitestalker (Feb 1, 2007)

*Re: DIY: AEG Waterpump (No timing belt) with time saving tips (twicepardoned)*

Printed this entire DIY out today and install went smooth as can be. W/P came out in two pieces just like yours but new one is all metal so this shouldn't happen again I hope. Great write up on this issue. http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif 


_Modified by Nitestalker at 8:34 PM 7-27-2008_


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## twicepardoned (May 2, 2006)

Cool, Thanks!


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## autodealer666 (Nov 5, 2008)

*Re: DIY: AEG Waterpump (No timing belt) with time saving tips (twicepardoned)*

I was attempting to do this and everything was going great until i had to put the timing belt back on. I am not sure but there was almost no slack as i attempted to put the t belt back on. In managing to put the belt back on my cam gear moved and my timing marks got messed up. I only marked the t belt and not the cam gear so i guessed how many teeth the cam gear moved. Is there any way for me to correct this stupid mistake i have made. I also have can't get the S-Belt back on anymore. I also don't understand these directions in the DIY
*Create timing belt tension.
-Use L-shaped needle nose pliers to turn the 'Moon' bit.
-Place tips of pliers in the 2 holes on the 'Moon' rotate counter-clockwise. 
-With tension engaged retighten the tensioner bolt
Where do you do this and exactly how? I didn't do this when i took everything apart.
Hopefully i will find a solution, thanks


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## FL 2.0L (Aug 1, 2002)

Look at the DIY for the timing belt in the FAQs for some more pics and instruction.


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## spitpilot (Feb 14, 2000)

*Re: (FL 2.0L)*

I'd suggest stuffin some rags into the top of the lower TB cover to be sure waterpump bolts can't fall down in there!..like when you pull plugs and then have to work over the plug holes..stuffin rags to prevent parts fallin in places where they don't belong has saved my A$$ more than once!


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## RODTECH87 (Jul 1, 2010)

cute but why not change the belt it only cost 30 bux this is silly to me


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