Stocker, Sea Ray and Lil blue - thanks a lot for the input. I will put those item on the buy and change list.

How much of a PITA is the water pump and timing change out?

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (LilBlue @ Jul 23 2009, 06:46 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Try checking your map sensor as well. I had the same issue before and it got worse tell the car started to missfire like crazy. Come to find out my map was going out. Replaced it and drove fine for 6 months before my car was vandalized.</div>

Uhm, we don't have MAP sensors in the USA.

 

Not on RD platform, we don't. XD does for a few years though, yes?

The timing belt is a couple-few hour job, depending on how ready you are for it. A pro can have it done in 45 minutes. You have to take off all the drive belts, the timing covers, the crank pulley, and the water pump pulley, as well as the water pump and timing belt itself. The hardest part is the tight clearance for the water pump pulley bolts, followed by removing the crank pulley if yours doesn't want to come off. On my driver the crank pulley slid right off thanks God, the parts car pulley I had to pry at it. Some folks need a puller. Literally all the work needed to replace the water pump, you do to replace the timing belt, except for actually removing the water pump; it really is a "while you're in there" type deal.

I made a DIY on this site for setting the timing, which is the most nerve-wracking and paradoxically the easiest part.

 

Thanks for the info stocker.....i had searched the DIY section and had not seen a waterpump specific, ill go look at the timing DIY and see what it looks like. fing02.gif