# Water pump 1979 Toyota Celica

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/water-pump-1979-toyota-celica/149503>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Created:** [September 26, 2019, 11:00am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/water-pump-1979-toyota-celica/149503 "2019-09-26T11:00:12Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 7\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![tom418](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/da6949/32.png) [@tom418](https://community.cartalk.com/u/tom418)\
**Post date:** [September 26, 2019, 11:00am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/water-pump-1979-toyota-celica/149503/1 "2019-09-26T11:00:12Z")

</div>

The water pump in my 1979 Celica has a pulley that is wobbling. It’s original, 240k miles- doesn’t owe me anything. Replacement is straightforward, except I don’t find torque specifications. Is 10 ft/lbs or so safe?

I understand I should flush the system out with the old pump in place with the engine ON. Wouldn’t this introduce MORE contaminants in the coolant (with the potential of trapping small pieces in the radiator)? Or should I just drain & refill?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![pyrolord314](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/6a8cbe/32.png) [@pyrolord314](https://community.cartalk.com/u/pyrolord314)\
**Post date:** [September 26, 2019, 11:26am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/water-pump-1979-toyota-celica/149503/2 "2019-09-26T11:26:51Z")

</div>

> [@tom418](#):
>
> I understand I should flush the system out with the old pump in place with the engine ON. Wouldn’t this introduce MORE contaminants in the coolant (with the potential of trapping small pieces in the radiator)? Or should I just drain & refill?

I wouldn’t do a flush. I would just drain (before you take the old pump out) & refill (after putting the new water pump in).

> [@tom418](#):
>
> except I don’t find torque specifications. Is 10 ft/lbs or so safe?

I don’t know what the torque specifications are, but when I replaced the water pump on my old Town & Country I just tightened the bolts until they were snug then gave an extra quarter to half turn and it didn’t leak again before I got rid of it

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![tom418](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/da6949/32.png) [@tom418](https://community.cartalk.com/u/tom418)\
**Post date:** [September 26, 2019, 12:52pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/water-pump-1979-toyota-celica/149503/3 "2019-09-26T12:52:29Z")

</div>

Thanks! I have 10,000 miles or so on the coolant (Toyota Red), but I wouldn’t dare reuse it.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![shanonia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de053/32.png) [@shanonia](https://community.cartalk.com/u/shanonia)\
**Post date:** [September 26, 2019, 7:54pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/water-pump-1979-toyota-celica/149503/4 "2019-09-26T19:54:34Z")

</div>

Unless you diluted it too much while the pump was leaking, I think it’s safe to keeping using it. If you’re worried about particles in it, strain it through a T shirt and then a coffee filter. Left sitting, the particles will be in the very bottom of the container, anyway.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![tom418](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/da6949/32.png) [@tom418](https://community.cartalk.com/u/tom418)\
**Post date:** [September 26, 2019, 11:02pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/water-pump-1979-toyota-celica/149503/5 "2019-09-26T23:02:00Z")

</div>

The pump wasn’t leaking at all. Not yet, at least. But the pulley was wobbling enough to make contact with the timing chain cover. Scared me into thinking I had a bad con rod or something.

Anyway, I got the new pump today. The instructions from Aisin state: “Do not stand near the fan while the engine is running unless you will get injured” So, I guess it’s OK to stand near the fan if I already was injured? LOL!!! I love those translations

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![GorehamJ](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/gorehamj/32/24103_2.png) [@GorehamJ](https://community.cartalk.com/u/GorehamJ)\
**Post date:** [September 26, 2019, 11:23pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/water-pump-1979-toyota-celica/149503/6 "2019-09-26T23:23:40Z")

</div>

My second car was a '79 Celica Supra. LOVED it.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![pyrolord314](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/6a8cbe/32.png) [@pyrolord314](https://community.cartalk.com/u/pyrolord314)\
**Post date:** [September 27, 2019, 4:32pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/water-pump-1979-toyota-celica/149503/7 "2019-09-27T16:32:30Z")

</div>

> [@tom418](#):
>
> The instructions from Aisin state: “Do not stand near the fan while the engine is running unless you will get injured” So, I guess it’s OK to stand near the fan if I already was injured? LOL!!! I love those translations

Those translations drive me nuts, but at least they’re amusing every now and then 🙂
