Engine/Transmission (1994 - 1998) Water pump failures?

[HillCountrykid]

My dad works with a guy who has a 12v (not sure of the year) that has had the water pump go out fairly often. Maybe 2 or 3 times in the past year. I know it should last a lot longer than that, but has there been any poblems with these in the past? Thanks for any info.



Brian

 

[rrausch]

I haven't heard of any problems if antifreeze is changed at factory recommended mileages. I believe if you don't change the coolant, what wears out is the stuff in it which lubricates the water pump. Has the coolant been changed at the proper intervals?

 

[HillCountrykid]

I'm not sure if the coolant is changed regularly, but by the way this guy sounds, probably not. I have not heard of any problems, and thought I would give it a shot by asking.



Brian

 

[HoleshotHolset]

keep us posted... . it would be nice to prevent any failures...

 

[Andy Redmond]

Are they a DC or Cummins Reman pump or Napa, auto zone or other???



The cummins reman is a 12/12 warranty item usually. .



If the coolant system is flushed and clean, everything should last if the reman pump is a good one.



Good luck,



Andy

 

[HoleshotHolset]

Here's a thought... .



Maybe the idler/tensioner is goofed up and is allowing the bearings in the H2O pump to eat themselves. This would be a perfectly valid concern if the application had v-belts instead of a serpentine belt..... but the same theory still applies... .



Matt

 

[HillCountrykid]

I believe they are from Auto-Zone. Come to find out, I think he is pretty good at doing routine maintiance, but not too sure about changing the coolant. But don't you loose alot of coolant when changing the pump? If he's changed it fairly often, then he's changed coolant often too. My dad also mentioned today that this guy thinks the tesioner is putting too much tension on the belt. So maybe you're on to something Matt. Anybody have a tensioner go bad and put too much tenson on a belt. It would seem to work just opposite if it did go bad, but I'm no expert on it. Thanks guys.



Brian

 

[Extreme1]

The typical tensioner failure mode is that the pivot bushing wears out. This cocks the pulley and allows the edge of the belt to rub on somethig but I don't recall what. Look under the hood near the tensioner and AC compressor, there is very little clearance when it's running correctly.

 

[fortunate1]

Water Pumps

From everything I've heard, the pumps should last between 100K and 200K miles. This was my experience also, as mine needed replacement at 175K miles. Get a quality replacement, though. If the rebuild company doesn't carefully evaluate and discard bad cores, then you could get stuck with a "lemon". These pumps are so simple, that there is very little to fail - usually the bearing. Once you see the telltale weeping, they're ready for replacement within a few hundred miles.

 

['956Wheel]

Mine went out, bearing slop big time, at just over 170K. I am not the original owner but a friend is and says its the original pump... it was marked "Made in England"? Is that near Indiana?



Mike

 

[rhoads]

water pump

Wher e it is made has nothing to do with failure. . as i left the big truck system in 94. 7 most replacement parts were mfg'd in england... or mex

my aprox mfg june 96 production rig,"not compents" as are pre june- failed at aprox 456K mi's, Idler aprox 20k later---if i had it to do over again i would have changed them out at the same time(time-inconvenance),,

Slight weep out the lower side is normal to the point hot eng shut down-and seal pressure build up and as we say lets off steambuild up---but steady drip-drip-drip is the replacement time. .

got replacement from cummins, was a new "or listed as such" may have been rebuilt. but cost was not that much more-- But still in place. . "if it failes tomorrow or at 926k i will consider my self lucky!!!!!

 

[roadhawg]

Mine went out so I replaced it with a carquest pump. I was on a trip and that was all I could find. It had a round o-ring but is machined for a squareone! I didnt notice untill it started leaking

Just kept adding water until I got home.

I got another water pump and pulled it apart again!

When the truck was hot the o-ring would expand out and sealup, but when I shut it off the o-ring would suck-in and leak :{

Anyway it's fixed now and I have an extra waterpump.

MAKE SURE YOU GET A SQUARE O-RING!

I hope this helps someone to not have to do the job twice like I did

 

[rhoads]

water pump /tensioner

I must live on the right side of the fault line,or just darn lucky !! Or not looking for what some would call possible failure,better replace now!!!!

There is a weep hole at the bottonm side of the water pump for a reason>>> two fold--- #1 when the eng/systm is hot and even with even the cool down (3-5 min for turbo life) the seal will allow systen built-up pressure to purge (say pass gass) and it will (after drying ) will leve a white track from the weepe hole . NOT to be mistaken for a water pump failure Or inpending failure--- also -- over time -due to the slight purge can acculimate and one should scrape it away and with a approiate smaller than hole size drill bit -with a twisting while inserting movement remove such build up from the weep hole-----------IF the hole is allowed to fill up (become pluged) Then failure is in your furture...

My oem pump gave out at around 450,ooo in hind sight i should have just replaced the tensioner at the same time ,alter all it didn't owe me the additional 30k i got out of it ,60 miles from my comfort zone (dirve way) 10 pm -=sat. nite. 1998.

For the pump the cost between a new-vs-rebuilt was not far apart - and knowing oem milage i went for new... . cummins---.

As for the post on the tensioner going bad and applying More pressure (tighter ) cant happen!!!!! it is a simple wound spring ,only thing it(spring )can do is brake and release tension---

what will fail is the bearing will get hot melt the plastic pulley just before lock-up and burn off the belt, noticed by the alt lite comming on.

PULL over and check it out... . before melt down!!!

 

[GOTSOOT]

waterpump failure?

Yousaid it all ,when you said AUTO ZONE- no wondr the pumps are not lasting. they sell JUNK!!!!:--)