I'm at 160,000 miles (original engine) and looks like the water pump is leaking coolant and it's time to replace. This is my 2nd water pump (1st replacement) and has lasted almost exactly 4 years and 99,000 miles. The original water pump lasted 3 years and 60,000 miles. My car is a 2004 GT manual. I do mostly fwy cruising and am very easy on my RX8. Front brake pads and Kumho SPT tires last me 50,000 miles. I'm still on my 2nd set of spark plugs and ignition coils. Live in Los Angeles.

The last time I replaced the water pump, I paid $320 at the dealership. I'm not certain but I think that works out to about 2 to 2.5 hours of labor (in addition to OEM water pump and whatever other parts).

My question is: Since I'm getting the water pump replaced and my car is 7 years old, should I have a new OEM thermostat installed at the same time? Do thermostats break down or should I just keep using the old one if it seems ok? OEM thermostat is cheap at around $30. How many hours of labor will the dealership tack on for the thermostat installation or will it not add any more labor time to the water pump installation?

Thanks.

 

Labor, coolant, hazard disposal fee etc.

 

2nd set of spark plugs and coils ???

Replace those too.

Pump installation takes about an hour something. Cuz its not hard to do it.

The Thermostat, Replace it too, the total time for Water pump & Thermostat should be no more than 3 hours.

Its not hard to replace.

 

Thanks for the info. I mentioned that I'm on 2nd set of spark plugs and ignition coils only to highlight that I drive real conservatively. I'm going to replace those by myself within the next 2 months. But right now, I have to take care of the coolant leak- water pump issue.

 

I heard Mazmart has an awesome pump & thermostat combo.

 

If they're not hard, and a dealer really charges 3 hours, this makes a great case for DIY.

The last time I paid someone to replace a thermostat, about 10 years ago on a Honda Accord, it cost $50. The last time I paid to have a water pump replaced, again on the Accord, it was close to $500. But on that car the water pump is under the timing belt.

Yes, it would make sense to replace the thermostat and also do a coolant flush as long as the system was getting drained to do the water pump.

Ken

 

Your gonna be pissed when the car over heats in a few hundred miles and you did not replace the thermostat.

Your better off doing pretentative maintenece

 

You can also wind up pissed when the car overheats because the new thermostat was defective, and you just threw away one that had been working.

Thermostats are one of the most F***ed up devices on cars, now that carburetors are gone. They can fail open or closed...or both. The one in my Accord stuck open - pretty obvious from the temp gauge never coming up. Picked up a new one at the dealer. On the way home the old one stuck closed. Didn't have my tools with me, so it was an entertaining drive home, four or five blocks at a time.

But, yeah, your odds are better with a new OEM thermostat than one that's got years under its belt.

Ken

 

Thanks everyone. I'll get a new thermostat installed along with the water pump.

I don't know if I can install the water pump myself or if I want to go through the trouble. I have done sparks plugs, front and back brake pads, manual transmission oil, and lsd oil. But if I have to remove anything from the underbody just to get to the water pump, I'm not sure I want to go through that.

 

well, I was just saying, compare to other cars, the rx8's thermostat/water pump are piece of cake.

I had some experience like urs, just diff car. my friend's 1999 ES300, has 140K miles. time to do timing belt (that bump didn't do it, lol) and water pump replacement. yeah, to get to the pump gotta remove the timing belt. damn that **** was a pain to do. (and the timing belt set cost quite a lot)

 

well, you do have to jack the car up and drain the coolant first.

but u dont have to take anything underneath apart to replace the water pump.(well, to be EXACT, you should remove the air pipe that connects to the exhaust, and it makes the thermostat housing removal 10000x easier, I don't do that tho)

remove the battery, box/tray, remove the air box, loosen the water pump pulley bolts/screws first, loosen the alternator bolts, take the water pump pulley out, take the water pump out, remove the air pump, remove the thermostat housing, replace, put it back together. done. sounds easier than done. just telling ya the process in a simple way.

 

as far as i understood the newest ones are designed with a failsafe that only allows it to fail open?

 

and don't throw away your good thermostat. Just because you put a new one in, the old one still works just fine apparently and you might just need it lol.

 

Order the Mazmart Re-medy pump & thermostat.

 

for some one who doesn't drive the car hard, the oem is fine.

 

Just replace with oem