Is it possible replace the water pump?

I am saddened to hear that such bigotry still exists.

If this is your interest, then I suggest that you chase after it. I am not aware of any reason that a female can not go into automotive repair work.

I wish you the best of luck

 

That makes me want you to do it on your own.

What tools have you got? I don't think the pump requires more than a basic socket set.

If you don't have a (probably 3/8" drive) torque wrench, it might be a good investment. Might be overkill going and using it on all the pump bolts and nuts, but could be a good idea to set it for the recommended torque and just use it once or twice on some random similar bolt to get a feel for how tight to go. (If its handle is a different length than your regular socket driver, be sure to account for that when switching between the two.)

Do you have a scan tool that can talk to everything in a Prius? The Autel AP200 is often recommended here.

Using a scan tool, you can find out if any trouble codes are set involving the water pump. You can also tell the pump to turn on, and watch its RPM. (You only get one choice of speed to turn it on at, though.) That will help you be sure the water pump really is the problem before you take stuff apart.

 

What’s the miles? Did anything prompt you to change coils/plugs? How long has the coolant level been low?

 

The coolant pump nor the tools know if you are male or female.
It will work the same.
It's good you are learning to work on your car. That's a lot of money you won't have
to give to someone else to do it for you. Keep learning!

How many miles on the car?
You should check why the coolant is low. Is there a leak? Bad hose? Head Gasket?
It's not that hard to replace the coolant pump. And 1 person can do it themselves.

Why did you change the plugs AND coils? Was it mileage and time to replace the plugs?
No reason to replace the coils unless they are bad. Did you get Toyota coils, or aftermarket?
Best hold on to the original coils in case the ones you installed go bad.
Same with the plugs.

 

The water pump is easy but it is a bit expensive and is not likely a solution for coolant disappearing. The thing to be worried about is a failed head gasket and that is an advanced job only a very exprerienced diy person should attempt.

I just swapped my water pump yesterday becuase the check engine light was on and it had the related code for a failed engine coolant pump. I have a foxwell scanner that can do the output tests.

with the car off, press the power button 2X. that turns the car to a mode where the systems are on, but it is not in Ready mode, so the engine will not run. In this mode you can do the output tests to turn on the water pump and check its speed against the commanded speed. Also, if the environment is quiet you can hear it run.

Furthermore, an appropriate tool can let you watch the commanded and actual water pump speed while driving. The command goes up and down with engine load and the actual roughly follows that.

 

... as long as your foot's not on the brake when you're pressing the button.

 

here's someone not too far away for experience and moral support: @cyberpriusII

 

Don't know about GEN 3s.

The waterpump in GEN 2 is famous for failing early as did mine at 45K?

I actually saw it was leaking during an underhood inspection, so, yes coolant can be lost due to waterpump issues.

BIG pain to R/R but certainly doable. IIRC, burping the system at the finale of it all was one of the most frustrating #%×,* but that was like 15 years ago?

As for gender, I think Caroline owner of the famous Prius repair shop, Luscious Garage, in San Francisco would be best to comment.
kris

 

I've never met Carolyn Coquillette but I would squee if she posted on PriusChat. I'm not sure she's ever been a member, though, has she?

I think Luscious Garage is no more and her newer thing is this:

Earthling Automotive - Electric Car Repair in San Francisco

(Don't be put off by the "Electric"—they still welcome hybrids. And training programs are also a thing they do.

Some years ago, I was making regular weekly 600-mile trips that went through Ohio, and there was a particular truck stop right around the midpoint where I would routinely stop. The staff in the diner started to recognize me and make conversation, and one young woman who'd been working there a while mentioned to me that she had noticed what the mechanics were paid and was interested in making a move, but not sure how to start, where to study, any of that.

When I got home that trip I looked up CC's contact info (back at Luscious then) and my next time through the truck stop I said "here, I've never met this woman, but you might drop her a line asking about how to start studying what you're interested in, and see if she replies and what she has to say."

I stopped having to make that trip shortly thereafter so I didn't find out if she ever did or what came of it.

 

Thanks for correcting the name for me ... I knew Luscious was no more ... Could not recall her new venture. Typing on phone battling dogs and kids is challenging.
kris

 

Is there someone near you who breeds phone battling dogs? Will they ship out of state?

 

At the moment, I want out-of-state. Friend wants to go to Japan. At the moment I can't afford to hit up Eugene, OR for the Steve Prefontaine Classic in July
kris