Well it seems that everyone recomends to do the pump at the 60k maint mark, but its nowhere in the owners maual for scheduled maintence. There just seems to be some controversy on this. I know, its always a good idea to do it, but i just want some hard facts on if anyone has had their pump go out, leak, whatever, and at what milage did it happen. Just want to give some light to how long the pumps usually last. So lets hear it! (i don't know how to do dat vote thing, so just reply)

Spun a bearing out @ 74,000 miles. Replaced w/ timing belt.

Well, I spun a rod at 53K miles (6K after I bought the car) and they replaced the block and internals. While the block was apart, they did the timing belt, but nothing else. At 64K miles, my tensioner and water pump both failed mysteriously, doing some serious damage to the timing belt. I had to pay 700 bux for the full timing belt change, plus for the replacement of the upper radiator hose (which collapsed due to a lack of pressure). Now, I know that they did the timing belt for no charge while they were replacing my block, but I asked for them to replace the tensioner and water pump, and that I would pay for whatever extra was done. They chose to disregard my wishes, which resulted in a considerable expense to me just 11,000 miles later. When the tensioner and water pump broke, they refused to cover my claim, nor would they even go in on it partway. I know that I was no longer covered by my powertrain warranty, but it was a part that was just replaced 11K previously. The worst part was having no recourse whatsoever.
Another curious thing: when I asked the service manager why they did not replace the tensioner or water pump while they were in that far, she replied that they usually last 100K miles, which is conveniently in between timing belt changes. The whole issue soured me to this particular dealership, and I promptly complained to the Better Business Bureau, MMSA, and the regional service advisor for Mitsubishi. The dealership will never touch my car again.
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By the way: my advice, change out the water pump. you won't want to do it again later.

Wow that sucks! Did both fail at the exact same time? That means one must have caused the other to fail right? So was it the water pump or tensioner pulley that caused it?

I had my timing belt replaced at 47k miles and also replaced the tensioner, but not the water pump. Doesn't the water pump just pump water to cool your engine, and if it fails, shouldn't you just start overheating? How does it damage the timing belt? I heard it does...but just don't know how?

The timing belt turns the waterpump. if the waterpump fails (which is usually cause by the bearings going, seals wearing, and allowing the impeller to rub against the block or pump housing) it can and sometimes does actually sieze up. Since it's turned by the timing belt, if the pump siezes, the belt stops, shreds, and you bend valves.

i have a 95' and at 60,150 miles my water pump seized and partly shredded the belt, i replaced the timing belt ,water pump and tensioner pulley, surprisingly the engine started right up. Do u think i should have replaced the valves still or should i keep it since it started up normally?

Great question guys. This relates to my other topic, about the timing belt for 350. I was only getting the Timing and Drive belt done because that's all the maintenence manual says to do. Both dealers I call RECOMMEND that I have the tensioner and pump replaced. If they need to be replaced, why don't they just put that in the manual. And I don't trust the dealer because everytime you take it there there is always something else that needs to be done which they overcharge you for.
I have a 100k warrenty on the cars and to keep it valid, i have to follow all maintenence requriements to the letter. So If My water pump fails, my warrenty would cover it because a) I followed the maintence requirements and b) the water pump in not listed as a part to replace at 60k. That's my reasoning for not doing it.

I had a water pump go in my other car, but it was the seal broke that broke and was leaking coolant. The pump COULD seize and rip the belt off. I guess that would be worst case. I'm not sure else could happen.

Yeah, any other car i have owned, with a bad water pump, it usually starts off by leaking coolant. For that thing to sieze up and do all that i think would take some time after it started to go bad. I now have my front half of the timing cover off, so i have full view of all the stuff there. I now can look at any oil seals leaking, and condition of all my parts and stuff. From what i could tell, the pump looks very simplistic in design, and not many parts in it to go bad.
I'll prob do seals and the pump at 100k if it makes it that far...
wont be too bad after i know how to do it now!!

Geez I feel stupid.

When i got my timing belt changed, a month ago, i totally ignored replacing the tentioner and waterpump. However i did get the seals done. This topic kinda scared me straight and got me thinking.

Is there any way to check if the tentioner or waterpump may be going bad? Cause I'm planning to go to the local mitsu dealer to get those parts. Then have a shop put in the stuff. Heck once i get the AFX uDP, might as well have them put it on. What do you guys think?
Should i wait it off or doing something about it.

Well it will cost you a few hundred bucks labor to put in a water pump (same as doing timing belt, but probably a bit more). How many miles do you have on your car? If it doesn't say to do it until 100k in the service manual like other people said, I wouldn't worry unless you have over 80k. Anyone here have their water pumps actually fail and seize up??

I have 110k miles on my car...still got stock water pump and tensioner.

I did have my timing belt tensioner pulley break off on me...the bolt that holds the pulley to the bracket actually sheared off...

yeah it sucked...right after i did a timing belt change and head rebuilt =(

Cool, great to hear:) Anyone else have a lot of miles on stock pump?

I have 128,000 miles on my '95 and I still have the stock waterpump but I had to have the tensioner replaced with the first timing belt change at 60,000.

blew at about 55k, lotsa coolant spillage, pretty scary

did it schred your timing belt and damage the engine when your water pump died?

i don't know if it harmed the timing belt in any way to be honest, this was back in my really novice days wehn i didn't know anything. So i took it to the dealer and the guy told me a few things he thought should be done while the car was there and the t-belt was one of them, i knew it was important to change at 60k so i figured while its there, yeah, let him do it, but he didn't specifically tell me about its condition. The car was running fine until it started to heat up.

I have a 95 Eclipse GS and had my waterpump fail at 110K miles. I had my timing belt replaced at 100K and then 10K miles later I started getting really strange squeaking noises from inside the timing belt cover. As soon as I got it back to the shop, I had spun bearings and my water pump blew coolant all over the place.

I have a 96' GS about 6 months ago one of the idler bearings went out about a block from my house... pulled all of it apart myself. Once inside realized how much of a pain in the ass it was to get in there so i changed everything but the tensioner. With my luck the tensioner will die soon...

115,000 miles, stock water pump, stock tensioner, pulley and seals and going strong...no leaking or nothing yet:) did the timing belt at 75,000 and all has been well since then. i hope you guys have good luck like i did with mine...just take care of your baby and don't beat on her too hard and you'll be ok.

now you know since i wrote this my belt is gonna pop off tomorrow and i'm gonna throw a rod and it'll probably hit me in the foot...lol

Mine failed and seized up! Check out my previous post...
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