chris.arney

I've got a 98 Prelude. I replaced the timing belt and water pump almost a year ago. This weekend, the water pump started leaking water out of the "bleed holes". It's more like pouring. Why would it do this? Is my water pump bad?

dcypher6425

I am pretty sure the water pump is bad. Wait to see if someone else chimes in.

0LogicMotorsports.com

iTrader: (3)

yes, that is correct. you will need to change out your water pump.

chris.arney

What could have made my water pump crap out so fast? It's only a year old!

Giant_Bean

it's the internal seals that went bad. What did you replace the old one with? An OEM, or is it something you picked up from an autoparts store?

TheJGB3

Honda recommends that you use Honda OEM coolant, and if you use the wrong type the water pump seals will wear out prematurely.

chris.arney

It wasn't an OEM. But Honda says that about every part and fluid of their cars. If Honda could, they'd sell gas, and demand all Honda users use Genuine Honda fuel in their cars. How do I know what really needs to be OEM?

MoonScryer

If you saw the difference in the two new units, you would pick the Honda one; same with timing belts.

I have seen aftermarket water pumps last a typical 60,000mi and the leak at the weep holes. The impellers were half eaten from being cheap pot metal replacements. Honda OEM are quite different. I have pulled ones with 200,000mi and though the zinc coating is usually gone they aren't eaten, just tarished and light surface corrosion from antifreeze. If you run a glycol/distilled water mix - not 50/50 antifreeze you buy on the shelf - this is typically not a problem.

Timing belts are also would tighter in the copper. Buy one from wherever, then buy one at Honda - compare the copper winding between the rubber that shows.

Its worth it on many things to go OEM. Those two things are the best you buy for your engine.

mattsnooz

Your acting a touch narrow minded. This shows you do NOT know for a fact why it failed after only a year and you SHOULD take others advice before believing you know everything.

Not trying to be rude, I'm positive your a smart person, but theres lots of other people that know way more and way less about any different subjects and for you to assume you know more than Honda in its entirety is "small minded" and to better yourself aswell as allow yourself to grow and expand you must realize that sometimes other people know more about a subject than you do (and I'm not saying I do but I rely on the opinions of this website to make my own educated guesses). It is the general concensus that most honda OEM parts are built well and outlast/out perform any knock off or domestic parts period hands down.

I wouldn't be suprised if your water pump was a GM. If thats the case it was destined to fail prematurely being GM's tolerances compaired to japanese tolerances is not even in the same category (literally,not even to the same decimal place)

In my 10 years of owning 3 different preludes (1 3rd gen, and 2 fourths) I've learned that you DO use Honda power steering fluid, and Honda tranny fluids(some will argue here, syncromesh is good too so ). You do use All OEM parts when possible. I've done so with my last 4th gen and have had no major failures at all. This car rolls like it just rolled off the lot. I will say one thing though, Honda stealerships suck *** and so does the majority of their overpriced mechanics here in kitchener waterloo.

You've made your first steps at powering yourself with knowlege coming here, so just try to follow the general advice from informed members here and you will not go wrong too often.

Use a genuine honda waterpump/timing belt kit for around 150 or so and that will do ya. Oh and have it installed professionally! Good luck man, sorry about your luck too, but its good your catching it before your waterpump goes so make sure you fix this asap! If your not already change over to a manual tensioner.

Hawkze_2.3

Yep, for vital (and difficult to change) parts like timing belts and water pumps you always go with OEM Honda. Lesson learned

chris.arney

Thanks, I'll definitely be getting a Honda water pump.

You were being rude. I was over exaggerating to show that I don't really know what parts need to be Genuine Honda parts. I was sincerely asking for help.

Thanks for answering my question. This is definitely a hard lesson learned.