Water pump Blew Up

[ATP]

Is it a common problem for KJ water pumps to go bad?

My dad was starting our 04 KJ Sport and it made a weird noise, opens the hood and gets sprayed by a liquid. Sure enough the water pump went to crap, and we're told it is due to the s-belt being too loose? It wasn't squealing or anything...any ideas?

We're getting a new pump and belt thrown on, I just wanted to know if this is common or if the belt had anything to do with it.


Thanks,
Joe

 

[Ry' N Jen]

Here is my experience with the Jeep Liberty water pump.
I'll just post the thread here:
http://www.jeepkj.com/forum/showthread.php?p=321450&highlight=water+pump#post321450
Cost my wife Jennifer and I $949.01 to have it replaced.

Cheers
Ry'

 

[KJ04]

Mine went out at 25,000 miles, covered under 7/70 drivetrain warranty with $100.00 deductable.

 

[TopShapeCabby]

My pump went at 140000KM....covered under extended waranty...100$ deductible.....

Since it was there, I had them replace the transfer case selector switch (turned the 4x4 light on when it was in 2x4 and vise versa), backup light switch (no backup lights at all), rear wiper motor (seized)..............all covered under warranty......

 

[2003KJ]

I don't see how it could have been caused by a loose serpentine belt...especially since the belt on the 3.7 is tightened by an automatic tensioner. If your belt really is too loose, you would need to look at the tensioner to see if it's bad as well.

While you're not the first to have the water pump go out, I don't think it's a very common problem with them.

 

[JeepJeepster]

They are not REAL common but they do go bad. Seems like its something that goes bad alot on Jeeps in general.

Weve put two on our 94 Grand. Mine has been fine for 30k on my liberty.

Thats alot for a water pump socks.

 

[tjkj2002]

Mine went out at 25,000 miles, covered under 7/70 drivetrain warranty with $100.00 deductable.

If you had only 25,000 miles it should have been free unless you were past the 3 years.

 

[Ry' N Jen]

They are not REAL common but they do go bad. Seems like its something that goes bad alot on Jeeps in general.

Weve put two on our 94 Grand. Mine has been fine for 30k on my liberty.

Thats alot for a water pump socks.

Good day,

Tomorrow I'l ask Jeniffer to scan the original work order so everybody here on the forum can see how the total repair cost got to $949.01

The water pump alone costs $201.60!

Later

Ryan

 

[hyde]

Is it a common problem for KJ water pumps to go bad?

My dad was starting our 04 KJ Sport and it made a weird noise, opens the hood and gets sprayed by a liquid. Sure enough the water pump went to crap, and we're told it is due to the s-belt being too loose? It wasn't squealing or anything...any ideas?

We're getting a new pump and belt thrown on, I just wanted to know if this is common or if the belt had anything to do with it.


Thanks,
Joe

Sounds almost like what I had today, sans the spraying (it was already sprayed all over the place).
http://jeepkj.com/forum/showthread.php?t=37533
I am waiting for the tow truck as I type this. I am nauseous. (blarg)

 

[Renegade Flex]

my pump blew at about 55K. I think it cost me around $400 with a tow and parts/labor.

 

[tommudd]

not a common problem , or not any more say on a Liberty than a Silverado it is a wearable item that some last 190,000 and some 50,000. The one on my old Cherokee made it to 234,000 before it went, my Liberty 114,000 and still stock

 

[Dave]

not a common problem , or not any more say on a Liberty than a Silverado it is a wearable item that some last 190,000 and some 50,000. The one on my old Cherokee made it to 234,000 before it went, my Liberty 114,000 and still stock

Very true....... I had a water pump go on a new car once before it even got to 10,000 miles. Got the original in my GMC with 200,000 miles on it. Crap happens.

Dave

 

[offrovering]

any signs specific to them going bad on the liberty?

 

[Marlon_JB2]

any signs specific to them going bad on the liberty?

Well the 3.7L's water pump has a tendency to just blow up. That seems to be how it happens. It doesn't slowly degrade, temps don't go up, it just blows up out of nowhere.

 

[sevenhelmet]

Mine actually gave me warning. A brief temperature spike (which NEVER happens on the 3.7L unless something is wrong) and some water coming out of the weep hole alerted me that something was wrong. The shaft bearing was about to fail, so it was a good thing I caught it when I did. It was around 55K miles as I recall.

Cost about $300 and only took the guy at Firestone 45 minutes to swap it out. Not a big deal unless something else goes with it.

 

[hyde]

not a common problem , or not any more say on a Liberty than a Silverado it is a wearable item that some last 190,000 and some 50,000. The one on my old Cherokee made it to 234,000 before it went, my Liberty 114,000 and still stock

Some use cheaper parts, some use higher quality parts, that's the difference.
Even within same make, they probably use different quality parts on different models.

 

[offrovering]

sounds awful, guess I need to keep an eye on fluid levels in that thing more often.

 

[cmohr]

Mine died at about 60,000km. The Bearing grenaded and the whole shaft dropped and seized. Lucky I was 2 minutes from home. Pulled it out and replaced it myself. The new one cost me $138.00 Australian.. ( which I was actually expecting them to say 400 odd) and then I had a howl at the Dealers that I was just out of Warrenty and they gave me back Half the cost.

 

[lvmykjeep]

My water pump dropped. at about 30 thousand. I have a friend with the same year libby. dropped hers at about the same mileage.

 

[JeepJeepster]

You all must be ******* your water pumps.