Bad Water Pumps!!

[ACerf]

I have had two water pumps go bad in three years! The first one crapped out at 60K, that was June 06'. Almost three years and 50K later the second one goes out! I was lucky to get back to the dealer. That day we were out in Death Valley California. Not a great place to get stuck! I had the dealer check to see if the belt tension was correct and the alignment was okay. There apparently was no problem in those two areas. By the way the dealer was the Saitta-Trudeau, Pahrump NV. , those of you that go May Maddness will know this dealer. They did a great job and gave me a discount. I also contacted a friend of mine that works for Chrysler and he is having there Comsumer Relations Dept. looking into the problem. I am not sure that that will produce much in the way of results, but I thought they should know about it! The first water pump was replaced under warranty, the second one was on me. I am planning on keeping the truck until it has 200K and I am not sure I want to replace two more water pumps before that happens!

 

[matches]

My 91. 5 has over 200kon the clock with the stock water pump. My 04 has allready been though one. My dealer doesn't even stock them because of the low failure rate. For the money and ease of replacement Im going to carry one in the tool box, just in case. The hardest part of the whole job is R/R'n the belt.

 

[ACerf]

The two dealers that replaced mine also told me that they had a low failure rate. Of course after having two go out in 110,000 you would have a hard time convincing me of that! When the second pump went out I had them replace the up and lower radiators hose (I had them with me, just in case) and the Thermostate. I fiqured that with my luck I would have one of these pop on me, and there goes my new anti-freeze!

 

[DE Jeeper]

Replaced mine at 140k with a $65 Napa pump. It has been doing fine for the last 40k. Hope the dealer didn't kill you on the repair. It only takes an hour to complete.



Aaron

 

[abrankod]

An hour is generous even for the novice wrench turner. More like 15-20 mins for a skilled mechanic.

 

[Wingate]

Is it the shaft support bearing failing or the seal? If the bearing is still good but the seal failed, it sounds like contamination. If its the bearing failing, I would purchase an aftermarket pump and hope they are using a different supplier for their bearing.

 

[wcjp]

Have you tested your antifreeze?

 

[ACerf]

Replaced mine at 140k with a $65 Napa pump. It has been doing fine for the last 40k. Hope the dealer didn't kill you on the repair. It only takes an hour to complete.



Aaron

The price for the; pump, thermostat, installing my hoses and 2 gallons of Anti-freeze was $635. 00. They charged me two hours labor and discounted the pump from $325 to $285. I was not to happy with the bill, but I was in no position to deal with the problem. Someone asked if the anti-freeze was tested. Well, the Anti-Freeze has been changed 3 times in 110,000 miles and 6 years. Somehow I doubt that anti-freeze is the problem. I used the approved MOPAR anti-freeze. If this happens again, and I am home I will try the Napa pump.

 

[ACerf]

Is it the shaft support bearing failing or the seal? If the bearing is still good but the seal failed, it sounds like contamination. If its the bearing failing, I would purchase an aftermarket pump and hope they are using a different supplier for their bearing.

I was not told what caused the problem. When I asked they just told me that it was just one of those things that happens. That is why I contacted my friend at Chrysler.

 

[MMeier]

The price for the; pump, thermostat, installing my hoses and 2 gallons of Anti-freeze was $635. 00. They charged me two hours labor and discounted the pump from $325 to $285. I was not to happy with the bill, but I was in no position to deal with the problem. Someone asked if the anti-freeze was tested. Well, the Anti-Freeze has been changed 3 times in 110,000 miles and 6 years. Somehow I doubt that anti-freeze is the problem. I used the approved MOPAR anti-freeze. If this happens again, and I am home I will try the Napa pump.

OUCH !!! Did they use any lube ??!! Pump from Cummins is only like $95 IIRC.

 

[ACerf]

OUCH !!! Did they use any lube ??!! Pump from Cummins is only like $95 IIRC.

I am so glad to help C/D out of the problems! Hey, it is only money!#@$%!

 

[HBarlow]

The water pump on my '01 started dumping coolant when I stopped at an interstate rest stop in MI to take a quick restroom break when the truck had a little over 100k on it. I took it to a local Cummins dealer the next morning thinking I'd be treated fairly.

An ugly, overweight female service writer wrote me up an estimate of something like $550 plus tax. She was estimating something like five hours labor and charging me full retail plus a rip-off markup on the pump.

I got angry and spoke very harshly to her at the counter in front of her male colleagues. I accused her of trying to rip me off. She was embarrassed and I suggested we speak privately about it. We went back to her office and I calmed down but told her firmly that I couldn't dump coolant on a public street or parking lot and change it myself on a trip with my travel trailer but would send a copy of the receipt and an angry letter to Cummins, Inc. with a formal complaint against her personally and the Cummins dealer as soon as I got home. She backed down and only raped and robbed me a little bit. She still overcharged me but not as badly.

I should have walked somewhere or taken a cab to a parts store, bought one, and returned and put it in in the Cummins dealer's parking lot.

 

[ACerf]

The water pump on my '01 started dumping coolant when I stopped at an interstate rest stop in MI to take a quick restroom break when the truck had a little over 100k on it. I took it to a local Cummins dealer the next morning thinking I'd be treated fairly.



An ugly, overweight female service writer wrote me up an estimate of something like $550 plus tax. She was estimating something like five hours labor and charging me full retail plus a rip-off markup on the pump.



I got angry and spoke very harshly to her at the counter in front of her male colleagues. I accused her of trying to rip me off. She was embarrassed and I suggested we speak privately about it. We went back to her office and I calmed down but told her firmly that I couldn't dump coolant on a public street or parking lot and change it myself on a trip with my travel trailer but would send a copy of the receipt and an angry letter to Cummins, Inc. with a formal complaint against her personally and the Cummins dealer as soon as I got home. She backed down and only raped and robbed me a little bit. She still overcharged me but not as badly.



I should have walked somewhere or taken a cab to a parts store, bought one, and returned and put it in in the Cummins dealer's parking lot.

I would have been happier if I only had to pay $550. 00! They charged me 2 hours labor@ $98. 00 per hour. In looking online I found a new pump for $215. 95 from a Dodge dealer. I paid $285. 00! There were other pumps online that were cheaper, but how good they are heaven knows.

 

[Wingate]

Unless the Manufacturer (Cummins) has a significant amount of warranty claims on a particular part #, it will never be investigated and the part will continue to be built the same way with the same internals.

Manufacturers don't monitor what part #'s dealers sell outside of warranty claims for potential product improvements.

Unfortunately, if its warranted for 100k, and it goes out at 101k, the manufacturer deems it as a good part. Good for new engine warranty (that it didnt fail under warranty)and good for parts sales(they get to sell you a new one ). Not throwing Cummins under the bus, its pretty much the standard across all major manufacturers.

Im sure that with major customers in their(Cummins) larger engine lines, they have some wiggle room with AWC (after warranty consideration) or policy accounts.

Thats why in my previous post, I suggested to consider an aftermarket pump if the current one fails.

 

[J.McKenzie]

I have a 2000 2500 4x4 with 424500 miles on it replaced 1st water pump at 267659 miles with a Car quest pump and its still going good no leaks.

And as some one said the hardest part is the belt and that is 5 min or less

also this was in April of 2005 replaced pump ,All hoses and aniti freeze for $165. 00 in parts.

 

[MStaggs]

My water pump crapped out on me today.

I was driving home from work (100 miles each way) and I lost my power steering, brakes etc but motor was still running. There was no shoulder or place to pull over for 2 miles. By that time the water temp guage was pegged and water was spewing out the weep hole in the pump.

It appears the brearing in the pump crapped out and then the impeller made contact with the block. One of the impeller blades also broke off.

Questions:

#1 - could the truck be hurt from the overheating?

#2 - the bearings and impeller blade are missing and somewhere iside the block. Where could they be (I search with a magnet etc inside the block opening to no avail)?

#3 - I am concerned that the bearings and impeller blade could wash around and take out my new pump and/or cause even more damage.



I replaced the pump in about 1 hour (Pep Boys pump and belt for $100. 00).



Also, my truck only has 85,000 miles on it.

 

[MMeier]

Pep Boys??!! Best hold on to your reciept!!

 

[MStaggs]

When you are stranded, anything will do.

Besides it cant be much worse than the stock peice of crap.

 

[ACerf]

My water pump crapped out on me today.

I was driving home from work (100 miles each way) and I lost my power steering, brakes etc but motor was still running. There was no shoulder or place to pull over for 2 miles. By that time the water temp guage was pegged and water was spewing out the weep hole in the pump.

It appears the brearing in the pump crapped out and then the impeller made contact with the block. One of the impeller blades also broke off.

Questions:

#1 - could the truck be hurt from the overheating?

#2 - the bearings and impeller blade are missing and somewhere iside the block. Where could they be (I search with a magnet etc inside the block opening to no avail)?

#3 - I am concerned that the bearings and impeller blade could wash around and take out my new pump and/or cause even more damage.



I replaced the pump in about 1 hour (Pep Boys pump and belt for $100. 00).



Also, my truck only has 85,000 miles on it.

What I don't understand is why you lost your Power Steering and Brakes? When I was out in Death Valley and my pump crapped out, I never even had the temp gauge go above 205, and I had no other problems. And I had two of these pumps go out in 3 years. In both cases never had any other problems.

 

[Ken55]

I had my WP go out while driving thru Madison, WI. Lost power steering,brakes, and iirc gauges too cause it threw the belt. Luckily only had to drive less than a minute before I shut down and got a tow to the nearest Dodge dealer.
Ken