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Hi, i was just walking out of my house towards my car and i saw a small wet patch underneath it. At first i ignored it. The next day there was another small wet patch, so i got worried and finally jacked the car up. I undid the plastic tray underneath the motor and used a light to source where the leak was coming from. Turns out it was coming from the front end of the motor? My guess is the water pump, and if it is, how hard is this to replace or how much will it cost it was done professionally? Thanks in advance.

Water pump is usually changed with timing belt, and most workshops will charge about $1K

Just replacing the pump- take it to a mechanic and get a quote. It's true most people replace the pump when doing the timing belt change merely because its easy to get at when the belt is changed. A pump is probably about $100 then add labour. Labour might be around 4 or more hours but its easy to get a quote.

Depends where it's leaking from.
Could it be the water pump outlet that connects to the hard line that runs under the extractors? If so that's just a $5 gasket and 1/2 hours work.

emily_mx5 wrote:Depends where it's leaking from.
Could it be the water pump outlet that connects to the hard line that runs under the extractors? If so that's just a $5 gasket and 1/2 hours work.

I Agree.

Start by looking at all the hoses and seals, try to find where exactly it's leaking from.


There's no point replacing a whole pump for $100 + labour if the problem was a $5 hose all along.

should have gone without saying that a problem starts with Proper problem definition - the first step in a formal process but one we often do not get right.

thanks guys. yeah my second guess was the gasket. im not sure if the water pump has ever been replaced yet. but i know for sure the timing belt has. its weird because some people actually dont do these things all at once and instead just do the timing belt itself. the timing belt was replaced at 101,000kms and then it snapped at 166,000kms. i bought the car at 168,xxxkms and now its on 172,xxxkms. so i dont think ineed my timing belt done if it is the water pump thats screwed. got a few quotes and its between $480-680 to get it done professionally. :S

I just had the same situation with water leaking and assumed it was the pump on a 198K NB8A,

whilst doing the pump and belt it was due anyway, the leak was from a split in the small thermostat hose running from the thermostat housing down behind the fan belt,

Have a closer look you could same a bit of $

I recently had a leaking water pump and got it replaced by a local mechanic for $300.
Also put in a new radiator and changed the timing belt as well costing me $900 in total..

It was crazy, my temperature gauge was going off and coolant was spazzing all over under my hood LOL