Advice needed for waterpump replacement

[Audios]

Originally Posted by mctmatt
Just placed my order for the ACDELCO 251697 Water Pump with Gasket total price $141.79 had a 5% discount but I added extra to have it shipped faster so total was $146.69. No other items ordered. Heading out to Harbor Freight to grab a few items that I will need to do this job so thanks again everyone. I will be honest glad I posted because I just assumed that all these water pumps that were my option were the same quality. Oh just to let you know Autozone is asking over $250 for this same ACDELCO pump ....man glade I can wait to have it shipped.


Thats a great price. Like I said my cost was 227, and I order between $2-5k a month from these suppliers. Also shows you why a shop is more for parts than the online retailers who just drop ship.

 

[DejaVue]

Even if Gates has improved their quality, (or hasn't. I don't know.), I avoid them now due to they in recent years putting cheap junk bearings and tensioners in with their timing belt kits. It took a while for word to get around, and Gates kits were involved in plenty of customers' engines being destroyed.

Gates then brought back the old kits as a different product line. Too little, too late. Gates put their reputation at risk, got burned, and now they can reap what they sowed.

Your local Advance Auto may price-match Rock Auto, btw.

 

[oemjunk]

What do you guys think about the Beck/Arnley water pumps? Better than oe acdelco or worse? Mine is starting to leak out the weep hole on My pickup, so I am in the same boat.

 

[Trav]

Beck/Arnley has declined in recent years, very hit and miss. At one time you could almost bet the part in the box was OE with the OE markings ground off, today you may still get that or some crap like Uro in the box.

 

[oemjunk]

Thanks for all the information. I will use oe water pump.

 

[WyrTwister]

Originally Posted by mctmatt
Just placed my order for the ACDELCO 251697 Water Pump with Gasket total price $141.79 had a 5% discount but I added extra to have it shipped faster so total was $146.69. No other items ordered. Heading out to Harbor Freight to grab a few items that I will need to do this job so thanks again everyone. I will be honest glad I posted because I just assumed that all these water pumps that were my option were the same quality. Oh just to let you know Autozone is asking over $250 for this same ACDELCO pump ....man glade I can wait to have it shipped.



From RockAuto ?

 

[mctmatt]

Originally Posted by WyrTwister
Originally Posted by mctmatt
Just placed my order for the ACDELCO 251697 Water Pump with Gasket total price $141.79 had a 5% discount but I added extra to have it shipped faster so total was $146.69. No other items ordered. Heading out to Harbor Freight to grab a few items that I will need to do this job so thanks again everyone. I will be honest glad I posted because I just assumed that all these water pumps that were my option were the same quality. Oh just to let you know Autozone is asking over $250 for this same ACDELCO pump ....man glade I can wait to have it shipped.



From RockAuto ?
Yes the Water Pump I order is from Rock Auto.

 

[Trav]

You made a good call, that is a good pump that will last. IMO if the part can disable and damage the engine you can almost never go wrong with OE parts that certainly includes pumps and thermostats. I say almost because there are rare occasions when the OE gets it wrong eg plastic impellers that shatter or loosen but this becomes common knowledge quickly and the OE issues a upgraded part.
For some Asian and Euro cars there are a couple of really good aftermarket new pumps that also supply the OE manufacturer, unfortunately there are no longer (that I know of) any quality manufacturers that cater to the US domestic market.

 

[mctmatt]

Let me ask real quick Trav and others , do you advise using a thin amount of gasket sealant on the metal gasket even though it is not required . Some one said to use a small amount on the gasket around the bolt holes and do any of you use Teflon paste or tape on the bolts?

 

[bbhero]

Originally Posted by maxdustington
Originally Posted by mctmatt
Looks like the consensus is to stay away from the Gates and stick with AC Delco and I guess my second choice would be Cardone Select as I am only given 4 choices the other two being Gates and Airtex. I will check the belt to see if I see any signs of wear and take another look at all the pulleys before I submit any order . This will be my first time doing a water pump replacement. I started reading (not posting ) a few years back Bob is the Oil Guy and so many of you have helped me venture out to doing many of the jobs that I used to take to a mechanic so my confidence keeps growing and I try to be very aware of when I need professional help and when I need to stop and come back to the computer to ask a few more questions so I want to say thanks to everyone here.
NP dude! I read this board for years before I started posting and I learned a lot. A DIYer would never know what brands are junk without consulting professionals who install these parts everyday, their insight is appreciated by all!


^^^^^^^^

Great great post here by maxdustington.

 

[clinebarger]

Originally Posted by mctmatt
Let me ask real quick Trav and others , do you advise using a thin amount of gasket sealant on the metal gasket even though it is not required . Some one said to use a small amount on the gasket around the bolt holes and do any of you use Teflon paste or tape on the bolts?


No sealants are recommended for this application.

 

[Dinoburner]

Recently the parts counter guys have asked which waranty, 6mos 12 mos or 18 mos. Tried the 12 month for a wheel bearing for the 95 4wd gmc and it lasted exactly 1 year. Coinsidence?

 

[mctmatt]

Thanks cline for the quick reply and that is just one less item I have to purchase so no sealant on this installation.

 

[Trav]

As Cline said no sealant. I use sealants depending on the application, paper gaskets mounting to aluminum/iron get high tack, mounted to pitted aluminum/iron gets Hylomar M, O rings get coolant for a lube and bolt threads that go into the water jacket a paste sealer (easy to tell when you remove the bolt coolant comes out of the bolt hole or the original bolt has sealer on it, take note of its location when you remove it).
That's about it, yours has a rubber on steel construction and gets installed dry as is.

 

[mctmatt]

Originally Posted by Trav
As Cline said no sealant. I use sealants depending on the application, paper gaskets mounting to aluminum/iron get high tack, mounted to pitted aluminum/iron gets Hylomar M, O rings get coolant for a lube and bolt threads that go into the water jacket a paste sealer (easy to tell when you remove the bolt coolant comes out of the bolt hole or the original bolt has sealer on it, take note of its location when you remove it).
That's about it, yours has a rubber on steel construction and gets installed dry as is.


Thanks Trav . I need to copy and past this is my desktop for reference.

 

[nthach]

Originally Posted by DejaVue
Even if Gates has improved their quality, (or hasn't. I don't know.), I avoid them now due to they in recent years putting cheap junk bearings and tensioners in with their timing belt kits. It took a while for word to get around, and Gates kits were involved in plenty of customers' engines being destroyed.

Gates then brought back the old kits as a different product line. Too little, too late. Gates put their reputation at risk, got burned, and now they can reap what they sowed.

A lot of the Subaru guys groused about this - their kits were a favorite on NAISOC for including the same tensioners and idlers as OEM. I used one on a friend's Forester and I liked how easy it installed.

Originally Posted by Trav
As Cline said no sealant. I use sealants depending on the application, paper gaskets mounting to aluminum/iron get high tack, mounted to pitted aluminum/iron gets Hylomar M, O rings get coolant for a lube and bolt threads that go into the water jacket a paste sealer (easy to tell when you remove the bolt coolant comes out of the bolt hole or the original bolt has sealer on it, take note of its location when you remove it).
That's about it, yours has a rubber on steel construction and gets installed dry as is.

I've used a teeny bit of High-Tack to tack on the water pump for said Subaru above - there were no studs or dowels to locate the pump. But only on one side that didn't have any elastomer on it. On my old Lexus and an ex-friend's neglected Camry that blew up after me installing a new timing belt(not my fault, he didn't reseal the oil pump and distributor O-ring as was suggested by a prior mechanic and neglected checking his oil), I used Dow 111 on the O-rings for the water crossover to water pump and Toyota black RTV for the thermostat housing to water outlet joint.

 

[another Todd]

I have a Gates water pump sitting in my garage waiting to be installed on the Yukon. It was made in China...but it looks like a very nice pump. The casting is clean and smooth, machined areas look nice. I am definitely putting it on as I have never had issues with Gates products. For those of youu who have seen failures of Gates water pumps, what fails exactly?

 

[kschachn]

Originally Posted by another Todd
For those of youu who have seen failures of Gates water pumps, what fails exactly?

The one I used on my Honda started weeping coolant from the weep hole within about a year. I replaced it with an Aisin pump and it went the full interval with no issues.

 

[nthach]

Originally Posted by another Todd
For those of youu who have seen failures of Gates water pumps, what fails exactly?

The bearings and the mechanical seal. FWIW, I have a Gates on a Explorer and it's holding up but I'm seeing leaks when I did plugs on it.

 

[Trav]

^ This. The bearings are junk, bearing wears, seal fails, pump develops a leak. Aisin is a good OE manufacturer pump for Asian cars. I just say no to RTV of any kind (I really hate that sh..) unless its an oil pan with no available gasket or a gap filler as seen on some intake front and rear with no seals eg GM 3.1/3.4.
For scuby oil pumps I use an anaerobic sealer only, not RTV that may stray into the oil passages. High Tack or Hylomar M on anything else that requires a sealer, Hylomar M on the lower hose to plastic thermostat housing.