This is what I found inside the opti. I can see an orange Coolant colored drip stain. I am replacing the water pump now, for sure. It was over heating but I was hoping that it was not bled properly or thermostat was failing. Now that it's all apart I hate to put the old pump on and ruin a new distributor. I didn't see any drips from the weep hole but..what do think?
No need to tell me I should have done this or that first. I already figured that out. (have mercy on the noob)

 

Mechanical waterpumps do not generally cause overheating unless the coolant has dripped out the weep hole enough that it is low on coolant.

Once in awhile there will be a freak case where an impeller loses it's press fit, but generally they just eat the bearings and then leak continuing to move coolant till there is not enough to move.

So if it was full of coolant but overheating and you want to blame the waterpump I would pull the cover off it and see if the impeller is tight. If it is you have another problem. The pump might still be old and worth replacing but if the Impleller is tight and it was near full of coolant it did not cause cooling problems.

 

Either way id replace the pump. Mights as well while your in there with the opti. Id rather spend the $160 replaceing the WP Now then spend the $$ on a new opti and the labor to install wheb my WP goes. I jusy went through replacing my opti. Had them change the WP and timing cover while they were in there.

 

More history: The car has been parked for two years. My uncle said it was overheating and the opti was bad. It would start but die when it hit normal operating temp.
I found the ETC sensor at the water pump was unplugged. when I plugged it back in the car ran longer than ever, but temp at the gauge eventually went to the red. I cut it off and decided to start tearing it apart. Bad move.

I checked the impellor like Dwayne suggested. (Tight as far as I can tell)
At this point I guess I could but it back together and start over but I just hate to risk soaking the opti. I appreciate everyones opinions....advice

 

That's what I'm thinking. It's too easy to just replace it now.
I just wish I thought this through before I stripped it off. thanks

 

I have not had any trouble with the $50 parts store reman pumps. No way I would spend $100+ on a "new" OEM one. Lets think for a moment, they are not still making them and if it sat in a wharehouse for the last decade I would not trust the seal for long.

 

Ok Now I'm looking for a concensus ( if that 's how you spell it) On where to get the pump and how much to spend. I like the sound of $50 but I have heard of some bad experiences with AutoZone water pumps.

 

I bought a brand new one from Pep Boys. I would have got the reman, but I needed it that day and that's all they had. Just get the one with a lifetime warranty. It might not last as long as an OEM, but you can't beat that warranty. JMHO

 

After building my last engine and running at kinda hard i found i had a leak and thought it was coming from the weep hole but ended up finding that it was a blown gasket on the water pump where it met the block.. But for your case you might as well change the opti, pump, thermastat and the seals on tehe timing cover while your there man..

 

Does it look like rust stain by chance? The actual rotor has metal that could rust. If not the WP is the only other thing I would think.

 

I wondered if it could be rust or corrosion too. The way it trails from the harness opening makes me feel like it's probably coolant stains.
Anyway.. New Opti is in, reman water pump and new thermostat and it's running. I am still bleeding the air out and waithing to see....so far so good