What is the best way to do this?

I drove a little with the radiator cap off it was empty and i didnt see the smoke or steam it did when i first drove it. Is there a way to verify the water pump is working?

I will take it from there

 

If the belt is on it is working.

 

How long did you run the engine with no coolant?

 

NOT!

Belt can be on and pump not working - a bad water pump doesn't throw the belt. There is a weep hole on the bottom of the water pump - it will leak coolant usually if the pump is bad.

You should have the rad full except for maybe an inch or so, and while car is running you should see the coolant pumping when looking into the rad cap.

 

If your radiator cap is on the radiator, make sure the radiator if full.
Start and run the car, say, 10-20 minutes. or at least until you can feel uncomfortable heat on the radiator tank nyu the rad cap.
Carefully remiove the radiator cap slowly so as not to get scalded!

If you can see coolant moving in the tank, your pump is functioning.
Uhh, a stuck thermostat can cause issues with overhesating, and circulation problems.
I've had them open only partially, which would cause overheating issues, sometimes, but not always.

Hope this helps.

 

if you're overheating and you need to replace the water pump the best thing to do is replace thermostat, water pump flush radiator; make sure its not leaking and replace upper and lower hoses this is a basic repair/maintenance that won't run you more than $100 and you've done just about everything that can be done aside from replacing the radiator.

 

He said working not leaking. Even when the pump bearings are failing and the pump is leaking it is still working. In fact, I have yet to see an impeller failure on a small block pump on a street driven car. So I stick by my statement that if the belt is on, the pump is pumping.

 

i gotta hand it to him i've never seen a pump failure other than a weep hole leaking, if the car is over heating the prime suspect to me is always the thermostat being stuck closed.