Reassembled engine now the water pump is not circulating.

No you've got another problem......I've had a leaking Head gasket on a 2.7l...
changed the radiator and full coolant dump many times...always filled right back up and went without a hitch..

The problem is somewhere else....a blockage somewhere or bad pump or something.....these are very simple engines and their design is almost unchanged since late 50's....3Rz that is....

Water pump/ timing case is identical 2rz and 3rz....
only difference is there is an extra timing chain under main timing chain on the 3rz's....to run balance shafts...

Believed it or not....they designed the 3rz first....then 3yr later toyota modified the design using most off the shelf 3rz stuff to make the new 2rz ...they just deleted that balance chain and left an empty space there.....otherwise front is identical .....

The 22R's and RE's are a much later and different design...late 70's I believe.....


for futher testing I'd take on old thermostat and punch it thru and put in system to make damn sure its not that....

Maybe even bypass radiator.....VERY VERY CAREFULLY...just to check flow...

 

I genuinely don’t know. I know they’re very similar

 

The only way to spin the impeller in a different direction would be to rotate the engine in the opposite direction

Or a really complicated gear drive system on the water pump

ANOTHER problem if the timing chain covers changed and the length of impeller changed.

This was a problem between the early and late 22RE engines The pumps would bolt up one was longer and the impeller hit the timing cover but then the belt would be screaming and burning off.

 

Well this weekend I am going to her into it. have a look see and replace the water pump. I will be reporting back.

 

Like I said I would get to it. There was trapped air between the thermostat and the water pump. I tried opening the highest point on a temp sensor, no air came out. I tried pulling a hose at the bulkhead water valve and no air came forth. I tried pressurizing it to no avail the water pump was not circulating so...

I did this.. I placed a heat gun set on high right on top of the thermostat, removed the spark plugs and spun the starter off and on until the thermostat opened up. and once it did the air finally vacated.

 

That's a clever trick, glad it worked out for you

 

Gotta admit that was a very strange one.

Glad you got it figured out.