Leaking water pump, why?

I have a '95 Eagle Vision with the 3.5L V6. Now that winter is approaching
and it is getting cooler, the water pump has developed a slight leak, about
5 drops per night. Questions: 1. Why doesn't it leak in the summer? Perhaps
a seal shrinks when cold? Is this common? 2. I know that to replace the
pump is a major pain and I'll need to do the timing belt at the same time.
What will happen if I continue to procrastinate? The pump was replaced at
about 35K miles and the car now has just 70K miles on it. Seems it ought to
last longer than 35K miles????

On Sat, 16 Oct 2004, Bill D wrote:

> I have a '95 Eagle Vision with the 3.5L V6. Now that winter is approaching
> and it is getting cooler, the water pump has developed a slight leak, about
> 5 drops per night. Questions: 1. Why doesn't it leak in the summer?

....because the seal wasn't worn out last summer. It is now. The leak will
not cease when the weather warms up. The connection you're making ("Now
that winter is approaching and it is getting cooler...") is not real.

> 2. I know that to replace the pump is a major pain and I'll need to do
> the timing belt at the same time. What will happen if I continue to
> procrastinate?

The pump, rather than you, will get to decide the time and place of
replacement. Its choice will almost certainly be less convenient and more
costly than your choice would be.

> The pump was replaced at about 35K miles and the car now has just 70K
> miles on it. Seems it ought to last longer than 35K miles????

You're right, it should. In this case, it didn't. Are you certain you got
the new-design components?

On Sat, 16 Oct 2004, Bill D wrote:

> I have a '95 Eagle Vision with the 3.5L V6. Now that winter is approaching
> and it is getting cooler, the water pump has developed a slight leak, about
> 5 drops per night. Questions: 1. Why doesn't it leak in the summer?

....because the seal wasn't worn out last summer. It is now. The leak will
not cease when the weather warms up. The connection you're making ("Now
that winter is approaching and it is getting cooler...") is not real.

> 2. I know that to replace the pump is a major pain and I'll need to do
> the timing belt at the same time. What will happen if I continue to
> procrastinate?

The pump, rather than you, will get to decide the time and place of
replacement. Its choice will almost certainly be less convenient and more
costly than your choice would be.

> The pump was replaced at about 35K miles and the car now has just 70K
> miles on it. Seems it ought to last longer than 35K miles????

You're right, it should. In this case, it didn't. Are you certain you got
the new-design components?

It all depends on where you bought the first pump from, After market??, Teh
first sign of the leak i would replace it...with an oem part
"Bill D" > wrote in message
...
> I have a '95 Eagle Vision with the 3.5L V6. Now that winter is approaching
> and it is getting cooler, the water pump has developed a slight leak,
about
> 5 drops per night. Questions: 1. Why doesn't it leak in the summer?
Perhaps
> a seal shrinks when cold? Is this common? 2. I know that to replace the
> pump is a major pain and I'll need to do the timing belt at the same time.
> What will happen if I continue to procrastinate? The pump was replaced at
> about 35K miles and the car now has just 70K miles on it. Seems it ought
to
> last longer than 35K miles????
>
>

It all depends on where you bought the first pump from, After market??, Teh
first sign of the leak i would replace it...with an oem part
"Bill D" > wrote in message
...
> I have a '95 Eagle Vision with the 3.5L V6. Now that winter is approaching
> and it is getting cooler, the water pump has developed a slight leak,
about
> 5 drops per night. Questions: 1. Why doesn't it leak in the summer?
Perhaps
> a seal shrinks when cold? Is this common? 2. I know that to replace the
> pump is a major pain and I'll need to do the timing belt at the same time.
> What will happen if I continue to procrastinate? The pump was replaced at
> about 35K miles and the car now has just 70K miles on it. Seems it ought
to
> last longer than 35K miles????
>
>

In all deference to D.S. and maxpower's collective commentary.........

I replaced a water pump on my wife's 1984 240 GL Volvo with a Volvo water pump
(from the local dealer). It "went" the following year at less than 15,000 km.
The dealer was as surprised as I was. They gave me another one at no charge. The
one they gave me has lasted over 10 years and about 100,000 km.

Just like there is no accounting for taste, there is no accounting for
"reliability". If there was reliability, no one in North america (Canada and the
USA) would die before 70 years of age, and by 80 years of age we'd all die. It
issntso izzit?

Ken
Canada

maxpower wrote:

> It all depends on where you bought the first pump from, After market??, Teh
> first sign of the leak i would replace it...with an oem part
> "Bill D" > wrote in message
> ...
> > I have a '95 Eagle Vision with the 3.5L V6. Now that winter is approaching
> > and it is getting cooler, the water pump has developed a slight leak,
> about
> > 5 drops per night. Questions: 1. Why doesn't it leak in the summer?
> Perhaps
> > a seal shrinks when cold? Is this common? 2. I know that to replace the
> > pump is a major pain and I'll need to do the timing belt at the same time.
> > What will happen if I continue to procrastinate? The pump was replaced at
> > about 35K miles and the car now has just 70K miles on it. Seems it ought
> to
> > last longer than 35K miles????
> >
> >

In all deference to D.S. and maxpower's collective commentary.........

I replaced a water pump on my wife's 1984 240 GL Volvo with a Volvo water pump
(from the local dealer). It "went" the following year at less than 15,000 km.
The dealer was as surprised as I was. They gave me another one at no charge. The
one they gave me has lasted over 10 years and about 100,000 km.

Just like there is no accounting for taste, there is no accounting for
"reliability". If there was reliability, no one in North america (Canada and the
USA) would die before 70 years of age, and by 80 years of age we'd all die. It
issntso izzit?

Ken
Canada

maxpower wrote:

> It all depends on where you bought the first pump from, After market??, Teh
> first sign of the leak i would replace it...with an oem part
> "Bill D" > wrote in message
> ...
> > I have a '95 Eagle Vision with the 3.5L V6. Now that winter is approaching
> > and it is getting cooler, the water pump has developed a slight leak,
> about
> > 5 drops per night. Questions: 1. Why doesn't it leak in the summer?
> Perhaps
> > a seal shrinks when cold? Is this common? 2. I know that to replace the
> > pump is a major pain and I'll need to do the timing belt at the same time.
> > What will happen if I continue to procrastinate? The pump was replaced at
> > about 35K miles and the car now has just 70K miles on it. Seems it ought
> to
> > last longer than 35K miles????
> >
> >

The water pumps on that yr vehicle leaked alot, Due to from what i was told,
the pumps were not thick enough and they were warping and causing leaks, an
updated water pump gasket came out and that did not eliminate the problem so
chrysler updated the pump and used more metal to prevent it from
warping..where do you thnk all the old(bad) parts went to??? the after
market rebuilders., and then back out onto the vehicles, thats why i asked
if it was an OEM part....
"Ken Pisichko" > wrote in message
...
> In all deference to D.S. and maxpower's collective commentary.........
>
> I replaced a water pump on my wife's 1984 240 GL Volvo with a Volvo water
pump
> (from the local dealer). It "went" the following year at less than 15,000
km.
> The dealer was as surprised as I was. They gave me another one at no
charge. The
> one they gave me has lasted over 10 years and about 100,000 km.
>
> Just like there is no accounting for taste, there is no accounting for
> "reliability". If there was reliability, no one in North america (Canada
and the
> USA) would die before 70 years of age, and by 80 years of age we'd all
die. It
> issntso izzit?
>
> Ken
> Canada
>
> maxpower wrote:
>
> > It all depends on where you bought the first pump from, After market??,
Teh
> > first sign of the leak i would replace it...with an oem part
> > "Bill D" > wrote in message
> > ...
> > > I have a '95 Eagle Vision with the 3.5L V6. Now that winter is
approaching
> > > and it is getting cooler, the water pump has developed a slight leak,
> > about
> > > 5 drops per night. Questions: 1. Why doesn't it leak in the summer?
> > Perhaps
> > > a seal shrinks when cold? Is this common? 2. I know that to replace
the
> > > pump is a major pain and I'll need to do the timing belt at the same
time.
> > > What will happen if I continue to procrastinate? The pump was replaced
at
> > > about 35K miles and the car now has just 70K miles on it. Seems it
ought
> > to
> > > last longer than 35K miles????
> > >
> > >
>

The water pumps on that yr vehicle leaked alot, Due to from what i was told,
the pumps were not thick enough and they were warping and causing leaks, an
updated water pump gasket came out and that did not eliminate the problem so
chrysler updated the pump and used more metal to prevent it from
warping..where do you thnk all the old(bad) parts went to??? the after
market rebuilders., and then back out onto the vehicles, thats why i asked
if it was an OEM part....
"Ken Pisichko" > wrote in message
...
> In all deference to D.S. and maxpower's collective commentary.........
>
> I replaced a water pump on my wife's 1984 240 GL Volvo with a Volvo water
pump
> (from the local dealer). It "went" the following year at less than 15,000
km.
> The dealer was as surprised as I was. They gave me another one at no
charge. The
> one they gave me has lasted over 10 years and about 100,000 km.
>
> Just like there is no accounting for taste, there is no accounting for
> "reliability". If there was reliability, no one in North america (Canada
and the
> USA) would die before 70 years of age, and by 80 years of age we'd all
die. It
> issntso izzit?
>
> Ken
> Canada
>
> maxpower wrote:
>
> > It all depends on where you bought the first pump from, After market??,
Teh
> > first sign of the leak i would replace it...with an oem part
> > "Bill D" > wrote in message
> > ...
> > > I have a '95 Eagle Vision with the 3.5L V6. Now that winter is
approaching
> > > and it is getting cooler, the water pump has developed a slight leak,
> > about
> > > 5 drops per night. Questions: 1. Why doesn't it leak in the summer?
> > Perhaps
> > > a seal shrinks when cold? Is this common? 2. I know that to replace
the
> > > pump is a major pain and I'll need to do the timing belt at the same
time.
> > > What will happen if I continue to procrastinate? The pump was replaced
at
> > > about 35K miles and the car now has just 70K miles on it. Seems it
ought
> > to
> > > last longer than 35K miles????
> > >
> > >
>

Bill D wrote:

> I have a '95 Eagle Vision with the 3.5L V6. Now that winter is approaching
> and it is getting cooler, the water pump has developed a slight leak, about
> 5 drops per night. Questions: 1. Why doesn't it leak in the summer? Perhaps
> a seal shrinks when cold?

Probably.
> Is this common?

fairly.

2. I know that to replace the
> pump is a major pain and I'll need to do the timing belt at the same time.

Actually, its very simple on that car. Nice removable cover panels,
minimal accessories in the way. All in all, replacing a water pump
doesn't get much easier unless you drive a car with an old Chrysler 383
or 440 engine.

> What will happen if I continue to procrastinate?

Worst case- the bearing seizes, tears up the timing belt, and the car
stalls. Its a non-interference engine so it won't trash the valves, but
it could strand you unexpectedly. Its also quite likely that it is not
the water pump leaking at all, but rather the O-rings where the timing
cover housing attaches to the front face of the engine block. In that
case, the leak will just keep growing (slowly) and you'll have to keep
the reservoir full if you don't want to burn up the engine.


> The pump was replaced at
> about 35K miles and the car now has just 70K miles on it. Seems it ought to
> last longer than 35K miles????

Aftermarket water pumps for that car are notoriously spotty in quality.
Stick to a quality auto parts store (NAPA, CarQuest) and get the
top-line water pump and not the "economy" line.