2002 Cavalier Water Pump Replacement (Part 1) - EricTheCarGuy

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• 2002 Cavalier Water Pu...
This is part one of the 2 part series I've done on the replacement of the water pump on this 2002 Chevrolet Cavalier with a 2.2L engine, this is the older version of the 2.2 with the vin digit #4 not F, the newer version has an updated design and is nothing like the engine in this video so if you're a bit lost that is probably why.
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Due to factors beyond the control of EricTheCarGuy, it cannot guarantee against unauthorized modifications of this information, or improper use of this information. EricTheCarGuy assumes no liability for property damage or injury incurred as a result of any of the information contained in this video. EricTheCarGuy recommends safe practices when working with power tools, automotive lifts, lifting tools, jack stands, electrical equipment, blunt instruments, chemicals, lubricants, or any other tools or equipment seen or implied in this video. Due to factors beyond the control of EricTheCarGuy, no information contained in this video shall create any express or implied warranty or guarantee of any particular result. Any injury, damage or loss that may result from improper use of these tools, equipment, or the information contained in this video is the sole responsibility of the user and not EricTheCarGuy.

[@cotocan]

One more success story to tell here: this 2 part video helped me replace the water pump of a 2000 Pontiac Sunfire (same engine shown in the video). Thanks a lot, Eric.

[@ryansauto93]

"You're not frosting a cake, you're installing a gasket!" - best quote. Great video Eric!

[@briand563]

Hey Eric, just wanted to say thanks for all the videos. you have helped me with a few different repairs on multiple vehicles. You have saved me time, frustration and money. Thanks!

[@zx8401ztv]

You took the words right out of my mouth :-), the designers really need to be a mechanic before designing engine bay items.

[@gaveintothedarkness]

Eric puts a lot of time and effort to show us how to properly fix cars. He does this for us not him. Im glad you took the time to put effort into making a comment with as much care and thought as him. Wait no you didnt.

[@TheNewyorican89]

i did this job on 98 sunfire 2.2 same engine, a month ago,and now i find this video, oh well, but i didnt remove alternator or engine mount. only removed coolant reservoir. happy to see i did it nearly the same as you with a few less steps

[@HK0HunterKiller]

This video couldn't be done better. It's very complete, very ilustrative, you explained everything. Just awesome.

[@Kamikazee011]

Hi Eric, Just want to thank you for making this video. I have a 2000 Chevrolet Cavalier with a 2.2L base model. I did the water pump approx. February 2015 (thanks to your video, I was able to replace with no hassle). Recently, that same pump is making a loud rattling noise. So today I'm going to change that along with the serpentine belt. I'm watching your video so mind would be refreshed lol

[@MoneyMarcMes]

Instead of calling Eric, Eric the Car Guy, he is now Eric the Car God!!!! Yeah Awesome!!!! Why can't Brian from Briansmobile be this informative about installations and how to videos? You are the king Eric!!!! You da man!!!!!!!!

[@jungleking007Channel]

When I replaced the water pump on my 98 Saturn sl2, I found a great way to keep track of where the bolts go. Take the box the new pump came in, and with using the new pump as a diagram, poke holes into the box top where the bolts go. this is for when removing the bolts you can place them in the same spot when bolting the new pump back on.

[@WildWest7112012]

Man I got to say, "I really appreciate the videos!" You really go into allot of detail which really helps out! Thanks!

[@BastardX13]

Greetings from Michigan 2021! About to do this very job today and the video is invaluable. Thanks, Eric

[@wWowThatSoundsGoodD]

Thanks for the video. I wouldn't have been able to do the fix without your video. The DIY car world loves EricTheCarGuy!

[@Harrythepot]

Why would anyone dislike an ETCG video? I think he is epic!

[@MrBeatahalic]

Thank you Eric!! I just bought a 2002 Cavalier with the newer 2.2L with timing problems and this helped me very much with how I should take things apart to get to timing cover

[@sdrizo]

Eric, Thanks for posting this. It was a great help. I would have figured it out but having the insight you provided was a big help. I used a trash can lid to collect the coolant and a nylon stocking to filter the coolant when I refilled the reservoir.

[@ThomasXp]

I just replaced a head on my 1996 sunfire. same 2.2 ohv engine. It was a lot of work, now to replace the clutch haha. After that, should be set to run 300k. Yea an intake valve spring broke and the valve dropped into the piston. The valve bent. But any ways it runs like new now and a lot of what I know is from you Eric! (And my auto shop teacher)

[@freespirit8041]

Man that's a lot of work and removing parts, I don't think I can't do this looks very difficult 😢 but that's What my car needs just great!!

[@resomony]

I love work--------I could sit around and watch it all day.

[@DanielNava1N_Only]

thanks eric the car guy. i watched you video on how to replace the water pump. you are the man bro.

[@ericthecarguy]

Yea Briansmobile1 is a great channel and I'm proud to call him 'friend'. Thank you for your comment.

[@athikerguy4life]

haha, I know, just making a point. I love his videos, and even when it's something I think I'll never need, I watch everything.

[@boodoorn]

perfect application for a gear wrench. I own 3 a 1/2 9/16 3/8 use them when ever I can, make your life so much easier

[@johnhancock7626]

Thanks Eric!! I had to use this as a guide to do the power steering pump and tensioner replacement. You have a new subscriber!!

[@MrCoontastic]

Also, like Eric said about the roloc discs on aluminum. Don't do like my friend did, he made a older civic head "clean and perfect" with one... Well I repeated the job when I had to take the head to the machine shop to get surfaced. So be gentle!!

[@35057]

And you bring up a lot of good points that us experienced mechanics just........ happen to be second nature. Like the weight shift of the engine. Never thought of why I did that, but have to go back in my mind to remember why I started a certain routine in the first place. lol.. Kind of neat.

[@epiphaknee]

Both ETCG and Briansmobile1 videos are Awesome! We don't need to run down one person or their videos in order to elevate another!

[@MrCoontastic]

I'm not Eric but you can do it that way but normally you don't have room to get in that area with a impact especially in most front wheel drive cars. I have used a IR hammerhead (impact air ratchet) to remove bolts in tight areas. If you can get the water pump out then you can use the impact but a lot of the times the pulley covers some water pump mounting bolts. Some pulleys have holes in them to access the mounting nuts. Just have to plan your attack and adjust to the situation.

[@Blix718]

Brings back memories, I changed my water pump in my 99 Grand Prix on the side of a highway.

[@TRcustomengineering]

Cavalier's are not too bad to work on at all. Great video once again Eric!

[@ancientmax2008]

eric,when you sanded the gasket, you could of put a cloth or something in that hole to keep it a bit cleaner. just my opinion. keep up the great videos!

[@peugeotCitroen2CV]

great video, on my car the wheel arch liner when its off gives better access in round the aux belt.

[@Alexandra-Rex]

I'm so happy I don't have such a packed engine bay :P Mine is like a big room with a small straight four in the middle compared to that there :P

[@trainergames]

Eric i have a 97 cavalier,and the head gasket went bad,and while the head was at the shop we left the car outside but put the hood back on,and right before i picked up the head i was cleaning the pistons & cylinder walls,to make sure there was nothing to damage the engine,but when i was doing that i turned the engine over some with a socket to clean it better,but the guy helping me says i threw the timing off,my grandpa says i did not,and a co worker it won't be off if the dist cap was off.

[@MrCoontastic]

Helpful tip for all: Belt routing diagrams are available at: gates.com/part_locator/ just choose your vehicle in the drop down boxes then click the camera icon to view the routing diagram.

[@ratmphan]

this video is very informative, and very convenient for me because i plan on buying a Cavalier, thanks for the upload

[@davelowe1977]

Damn! I hate it when I have to wait another week to see more! As, always, ace!

[@Saint1533]

Yeah, so an easier way to tell is what kind of oil filter it takes, the ecotec takes a cartrige filter accessed from the top of the engine with the 32mm socket and the ohv is a regular filter. The other difference is the cam shaft. Ecotec is a dohc where the older one is an OHV engine.

[@Fantasticleman]

I really hope you see this because a laser pointer would make it MUCH easier to see what exactly you are trying to point at.

[@SkilledEddie]

If this was the 2.4 it would be a nightmare job replacing the water pump because it's driven by the timing chain.

[@julqin3980]

Replaced a same water pump with 2.2L engine for 2002 chevy cavalry. On ground, no jack up. No need to touch the coolant reservoir and engine mount. No need specific tool to release the belt tension, regular ratchet will be too thick to put in; instead just pushing the tension bar down with a 1 by 2 wood. I totally removed the alternator, easy and no need to worry about its falling. Utility tape is very helpful to put the belt in place. YOU MAY NEED A HELPER IN THE LAST MINUTE TO PUT THE BELT IN PLACE, WHEN YOUR HAND ARE PUSHING DOWN THE TENSION BAR.

[@TheOzthewiz]

I use a 3/8" drive breaker bar on the tensioner bracket to release belt tension. The breaker bar end is thin enough to slip between the frame and tensioner bracket.

[@DiabloElectronicas]

Dude, I love you, In a strictly platonic way.

[@COCOT20]

Hahaha I would be sooo funny If Eric started listing DIY´S by the number of beers haha "Pulling a transmission 5 beers" "Rotating the tyres just a tinny glass of beer"

[@bluesriot2]

hey Eric, a minute or two in to the video, and i already subscribed. i am glad u make videos, u know exactly wtf ur doing, from the vin code info to the proof is workaround, the jack stand, holding that battery cable away properly, explaining the wrenches, tips and tricks , good stuff , very good stuff

[@bluesriot2]

hood turned to proof, dann autocorrect

[@athikerguy4life]

I don't even own a cavalier.. Once again, ETCG has tricked me into watching a video I will almost definitely never need. bahaha

[@MossyOak83]

i just stuck a bar down the front the engine and pushed down on the tensioner and removed the belt from the alternator and the same process putting the belt back on. Not saying its the "correct" way but it was my own way of doing the job :)

[@MisterMattyMo]

Yes!! A video on a cavalier!!! This is like a dream come true :']

[@eleeter]

I say don't use RTV at all, use a couple of bolts to keep the gasket in place as you're installing. I hope that replacement GMB water pump holds up, I've seen so many of them crap out.

[@thumasta666]

replaced the belt on my 2,2 cav a while ago because the AC compressor seized from sitting, so i just put on an ac bypass belt with my buddy, was only about a 2 beer job.

[@kid123000]

I still don't know what it is and I've never seen it but I can kinda imagine it :) Substances, noises, shapes and probably some other stuff are hard to describe so thanks for trying ;P

[@ColorNULL]

cavalier 2.2's are amazing engines. the one in my 94 cavalier ran like a top even with 136xxx miles :)

[@miguelochoa4210]

Awesome video! The explanation was very helpful!

[@clapton924]

"You're not frosting a cake, you're putting on a gasket" lol

[@DMILLION160]

Good job on the vid got a 94 cavalier and pre owner put way to much rtv

[@tinydx95t2]

Great video Eric.I have done this same job a few times.

[@StevesSwearBox]

I've actually got an aluminium pole that I used to prop the bonnet open when doing the water pump on my Jeep Grand Cherokee.

[@cassiusdeici8302]

i went and bought a serpetine belt tool. both the tool and your video to this made my water pump replacement a breeze!

[@hamideddaifi5615]

thanks Eric awesome , but very hard to remove

[@Dan0__]

Thanks! Great Job! The Bob Ross of auto repair!

[@TheBriancc]

what really works better then die gringer is a dremmel type tool with a wire brush and a cloth inside the pump hole.

[@fuckingkidsthesedays]

ever thought of bying a air bleeder? would be good for things like that to remove the resivor coolant so it doesnt fall every where

[@dvicky90]

where can I get that long 3/8 rachet that was used? or is it homemade?

[@MattHumanPizza]

I'm learning a lot from this video, thanks. always glad to watch etcg

[@alwaysgoodinthewoods]

02 was a weird year for the cavaliers. Halfway through, the old 2.2 iron block was discontinued and the all aluminum ecotec was put in every cavaier/sunfire regardess of trim level. Be glad that this isn't a GT or a Z24, then it would have the 2.4 which has a timing chain driven pump and is a royal pain in the ass to change, exhaust manifold has to come off and everything.

[@coldcash12345]

Eric, can you do a video on how the cruise control works and why there are lines going to and from it?

[@MisterMattyMo]

I have a cavalier and I have found that most 3/8" ratches BARELY fit into the little gap between the engine and the side of the frame. I had to go and buy the same serpentine belt removal tool you have.

[@gtoboss600]

Lol at the Honda bond! Just a dab will do ya... not a case of "the bigger the gob the better the job!"

[@BeardedWrenchh]

you can buy them anywhere really, autozone, harbor freight, mostly any place that sell automotive tools it's just a serpentine belt tool , sometimes a set, usually about 20-30$

[@dacotafox1991]

Awesome video Eric. Very helpful

[@Sugarkryptonite]

Hey Eric. Instead of doing all that stuff with holding the fasteners on the water pump to loosen the bolts, would you also be able to take it out and use an impact wrench on it to take it off?

[@MoneyMarcMes]

He will probably post that next Monday. He usually does part 1 one week and list part 2 next week.

[@DoctorSkyway]

In Greece gas prices are about 1,80 euro per litre so for a gallon we would pay 8,19 euros that's 10,52 USD that's crazy, that's why instead of a big 3 litre engine we prefer smaller turbocharged ones.

[@spelunkerd]

Nice job, Eric.

[@s0nnyburnett]

I don't know either, they might not be a looker but I still see loads of them roaming around.

[@jayamd3579]

the Vauxhall Cav over here in the UK was a sweet car xD

[@Alexandra-Rex]

I'm going to switch my timing belt by myself it seems, is it just to unscrew things, then screw them back on, or do I need to find out how much torque to screw things back on with? Or is it different from engine to engine? I'll also switch my water pump.

[@scottaner500]

ur channel is the best man

[@willibill1]

I ran in to the hidden bolt on an 87 honda waterpump, took me a while to figure it out.

[@wareb321]

Another great video. Thanks Eric.

[@adriansrealm]

You may never own a cavalier, but you may change a water pump on a traverse mounted engine. Most of what he shows here will be applicable to that.

[@davidhughes4728]

I really love your videos they're very good. Very helpful I really like them so keep up the good work man

[@kingd3001]

Good video there sir just for educational purpose how much does a like this cost a customer

[@r6homer]

Maybe a dumb questions, but why didn't you drain the coolant first? Seems like it would make for a cleaner job? Thanks

[@Ownuout]

When trying to release tension from the Alternator belt why not just loosen the bolt on the top bracket arm and let it fall forward? Wouldn't that work ?

[@horsekid98367]

To much RTV=bad. However i am committed to using it on water pumps, as I have been bit 3 times by a leaking gasket after a replacement, and had to tear the whole thing apart again, not fun.

[@AquaLiger]

Tip: to keep most of the coolant and not having it to spill on the car I use a 3/8'' clear hose to siphon the coolant out of the car, onto a coolant jug.

[@OpenSesame001]

Wow, eric. while you're at it, you could probably change the timing chain too.. :D

[@greglaughlin4584]

When will part 2 be ready also can you make a video about what should be coming out of tail pipe Thanks!

[@billyman1221]

your a pure gem man u helped me ssoooo much

[@Nov3mberMist]

do you have a video on changing the power steering pressure line? I've watched a few, but I'd like to watch a few more before I attempt it.

[@jimmyweider3113]

Really dont know how you do it day in and day out, My own truck kills me. XD.So long brother stay Dirty.

[@donbehatin]

Well, RTV is similar to silicone, think of it like a medium temperature sealant. It's more akin to something like windshield sealant than silicone. But its it's own thing. It's really damn hard to describe substances over the internet...

[@darthvincor]

So, generally speaking, on the cooling system, gaskets only? And avoid sealants if you can?

[@jackrabbit2765]

Hey Eric I have a 2000 chevy cavalier, and the other day, it just started making this like sputtering noise, like if I install a cool air intake system. It does in at idle and when I'm driving, I also notice when I turn on the ac it make the sound a little louder, and sounds like it coming from the passenger side, could this be the water pump? No engine light.

[@yazmo109]

eric if it's was aluminum what would you be doing on the gasket to clean it up ?

[@zx8401ztv]

Nice to see you still make mistakes or slight changes of mind, its a reminder that sometimes you have to change methods to get the job done! Love those long thin spanners :-), very clean looking :-) You dont like the rtv stuff, do you think hermetite red/blue is bad as ive allways used it. Nice job, stay very very dirty :-)

[@Mr22Johnthegreat]

When i take off the resivor i just clamp the small hoses and take off. No spills.

[@shoujiliuzhijun]

Is it possible to put a jack stand under the oil pan, just in case the hydraulic floor jack fails and the engine falls?

[@joe-cq5jo]

Great Video, thanks Eric !

[@trainergames]

(continued from previous comment) Who is right? Also if the timing is off is there an easy way to fix it? cause i don't have the time to take apart the motor agian,or the money to have a shop do it.