hey fellas, i wanted to ask everyone what they think about their z28 camaros, the engine anyways.. i have a 97 z28 and she is nothing but trouble for me. I had several problems on an older engine with 130k miles, but I swapped out the engine for one with 56k miles on it and im still having problems with it.. for example; i have about 10k miles on this new water pump and its leaking already, i changed the h2o pump on my old engine at least 2 times in one year ( i do live in phoenix)... wtf? and the last two times it was done by a mechanic.. im really thinking about selling this damn car!! anyone else dealing with h2o pump problems over and over again?

 

are you getting gm pumps?

 

I've had my Z for 3 years now. The only work I've done is H/C/LT's. So far it's been very reliable and I haven't replaced any parts due to failure yet. When I did my mods, the H2O pump was in good shape so I just put it back on. You using a good high quality pump or a cheap one??

 

but to answer your question some have alot of problems some have none. just depends on the car. ive replaced a few in my day too and optis as well.

 

Maybe your mechanic should of flushed the cooling system to remove the accumulated crap that kills WP's.

 

okay.. well i just got the pump off.. so i get this right what suggestions do you guys have for replacing it?? also i noticed that there was no silicone used on the pump.. should i use some when replacing it? and how do i go about flushing the cooling system? thanks guys

 

You should have gaskets between the pump and block. Some auto repair places may skip the gaskets to save money, but it's not a good idea. The six bolts should have a thread sealer on the threads as they go into the water jacket. Also, are you using brand-X rebuilt pumps, or a GM replacement pump?

You can get a flush kit at any auto parts store. Basically, it connects, or T's into the heater hose connection.

WD

 

im gonna go with a gm pump, i think thats prob my problem, the other pumps were napa rebuilt..
the pump had gaskets but it had no silicone (which apparently is fine).
Thread sealer? never knew i needed that, is it like lock tight?
and can i do the flush after i get the new pump on?
thanks for the quick replies..

 

The GM tread sealer is more like RTV, "not thread locker."

WD

 

anyone know how much i can look forward to spending for the h20 pump at the gm dealer?

 

the lt1 is actually a pretty decently reliable motor, even when dogged from time to time. one of the downfalls though is the problematic optispark distributor, i dont know if your's has failed but it is know for that and is a pain to replace. also the sparkplugs and wires are located horribly in the engine bay so that would be a few hr job including scratches and such for replacement. but still it is a strong motor that can last if regular maintenence is maintained. get the gm pump and use the thread sealer and a gasket, look in the haynes or chilton for torque specifications on the bolts so the gasket wont go eventually

 

OUCH

http://store.summitracing.com/partde...5&autoview=sku

 

i expected that.. my cousin works at cadillac so ill get it for about 30-40% off.. i think my problems have come from buying cheap parts from auto zone/napa.. i just realized that i bought my a/c compressor from auto zone last summer and i think my ac is going out too.. well ill never buy cheap parts again..

 

You got it. With certain parts, you should stick with GM. The waterpump is one of them. Then again, that's just my opinion.