Frank Berger wrote:
>>This also eliminates any decision-making on the water pump, it
>>automatically gets replaced after 80K miles.
>>
>
>
> Is that so? I don't recall seeing that mentioned anywhere.

I didn't say it was mentioned anywhere. I am referring to my own
personal car maintenance, not anything that Mazda or anyone else has
published.

Once the front end is torn down enough to replace the timing belt, I am
automatically going to replace the water pump because I have seen two of
them fail very soon after a timing belt change.
The fact that I am going about 25% longer than the "recommended"
replacement interval, (unless you live in California and have the exact
same timing belt), makes replacing the water pump a very good idea
because I have not seen many water pumps make it to 160K miles.

One of them failed at about 75K miles after having the belt done at 60K.
A new water pump would have saved a lot of money in that case.

Pat