Are water pump lubricants neccesary with the green anti-freeze, the products I am talking about is Prestone Water Pump Lubricant, or is it best for me to just change my coolant every 2 years, also would it be a good idea to get some of those ph test strips. The radiator I have is aluminum, my intake manifold is aluminum and I have a cast iron engine block. The other question I have is has anyone used a product called No-Rosion. I put in a new radiator because my old aluminum radiator had some leaks, I was also thinking about 1 of those zinc anodes that are supposed to stop electrolysis and corrosion. I made sure that when I put this radiator in that I put the rubber cushions so that there is no way that my metal radiator support can touch the radiator. I guess I should also check my grounds so that there is no electrolysis traveling through my cooling system, any thoughts would be appreciated.
Water Pump Lubricant
- Thread starter c3po
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What's water pump lubricant? I thought water pumps have sealed bearing assemblies, so what's there to lubricate?
Never used any on my 1986 VW Jetta.
Still has its original water pump @ 335k miles.
Another item to waste $$ on. Just change the coolant and hope you have luck.
Take care, bill
Still has its original water pump @ 335k miles.
Another item to waste $$ on. Just change the coolant and hope you have luck.
Take care, bill
lol! Never care about oil-based (those that react with water to become something milky and slimy, like drill-bit cooling/tapping lubricant) for water pumps, never recall (for doing mech work for 18+yrs) for any cars under my maintenance scheme ever needing one ( I currently still have a pool of approx 22 vehicles under my maintenance/servicing).
Those that tend to weep through their weep holes are, IMHO, already past their prime and most of them are OE which already clocked over 150,000kms, so replacing them along with a new timing belt makes good sense and get them cars going until they reached the scrapyard.
While I don't dispute the possibility of these so-called "water pump lubricant worked in the days of yore, truth is, is it still necessary these days? (for I have yet to confront any Asian and European automobile manufacturers for the need of that in their maintenance program)
Almost all late green ethyl glycol based(green) coolant made in the mid to late 90s and subsequently, all OTC silicate-free universal automobile coolants are aluminium and iron alloy compatable already (there's already additives in some of them such as phosphates of some kind to react and protect aluminium radiators, etc.)
So, my question for you is, why would you go off the beaten path and resort to adding additional "add-ons" that risks upsetting the chemistry within your already compatable coolant?
Q.
Those that tend to weep through their weep holes are, IMHO, already past their prime and most of them are OE which already clocked over 150,000kms, so replacing them along with a new timing belt makes good sense and get them cars going until they reached the scrapyard.
While I don't dispute the possibility of these so-called "water pump lubricant worked in the days of yore, truth is, is it still necessary these days? (for I have yet to confront any Asian and European automobile manufacturers for the need of that in their maintenance program)
Almost all late green ethyl glycol based(green) coolant made in the mid to late 90s and subsequently, all OTC silicate-free universal automobile coolants are aluminium and iron alloy compatable already (there's already additives in some of them such as phosphates of some kind to react and protect aluminium radiators, etc.)
So, my question for you is, why would you go off the beaten path and resort to adding additional "add-ons" that risks upsetting the chemistry within your already compatable coolant?
Q.
afaik, there are "lubricants" in formulated coolant....unless I am thinking of some water pump "conditioner" marketing nonsense.
I used this Prestone Water Pump Lubricant once... maybe 15 years ago (I was 16... didn't know any better). If I remember right, it was a milky, oil-based additive.
I've rebuilt plenty of water pumps since then. They have a sealed, greased bearing- the coolant never touches it unless the water pump fails. The only thing in the water pump that could possibly be 'lubricated' is the seal, which is generally a carbon-ceramic seal- designed to be lubricated by coolant.
IMO, oil-based lubricants are a bad idea. I just learned in class the other day that Detroit Diesel has warned against oil-based lubricants in coolant, as it negatively affects heat transfer. Here's the quote:
Quote:
ADDITIVES NOT RECOMMENDED
The following describes the types of additives not recommended for use in Detroit Diesel engines:
Soluble Oils
> Soluble oil additives are not approved for use in Detroit Diesel engine cooling systems. A
small amount of oil adversely affects heat transfer. For example, a 1.25% concentration of
soluble oil increases the fire deck temperature 6%. A 2.50% concentration increases the fire
deck temperature 15%. The use of soluble oil additives may result in engine overheating
and/or failure.
Here's a link to the Detroit Diesel brochure that mentions this:
http://www.detroitdiesel.com/Public/brochures/7SE298.pdf
There's also a service bulletin out on it... not available to ya'll mere members of the public. Only to highly skilled elite diesel-trolls like myself.
I've rebuilt plenty of water pumps since then. They have a sealed, greased bearing- the coolant never touches it unless the water pump fails. The only thing in the water pump that could possibly be 'lubricated' is the seal, which is generally a carbon-ceramic seal- designed to be lubricated by coolant.
IMO, oil-based lubricants are a bad idea. I just learned in class the other day that Detroit Diesel has warned against oil-based lubricants in coolant, as it negatively affects heat transfer. Here's the quote:
Quote:
ADDITIVES NOT RECOMMENDED
The following describes the types of additives not recommended for use in Detroit Diesel engines:
Soluble Oils
> Soluble oil additives are not approved for use in Detroit Diesel engine cooling systems. A
small amount of oil adversely affects heat transfer. For example, a 1.25% concentration of
soluble oil increases the fire deck temperature 6%. A 2.50% concentration increases the fire
deck temperature 15%. The use of soluble oil additives may result in engine overheating
and/or failure.
Here's a link to the Detroit Diesel brochure that mentions this:
http://www.detroitdiesel.com/Public/brochures/7SE298.pdf
There's also a service bulletin out on it... not available to ya'll mere members of the public. Only to highly skilled elite diesel-trolls like myself.
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I wanted too let you guys know that I am not going off the beaten path, I was skeptical about water pump lubricants and in my search on the net last night I found that they are really not necessary, since no 1 answered my question about coolant ph strips, I still may pick some up. I would think that No-Rosion would be an oil based product so I will stay away from it. When I flushed the cooling system before putting in the radiator, I flushed out 12 gallons which is 48 quarts, I had several bottles of distilled water and kept flushing until it was clear. I think I will flush this coolant every year or 2 years, I am sure the ph strips should give me an idea how long I can go on the green stuff, I guess it is true that if these coolant additives contain or are oil based they may eventually cause leaks. I also wanted to add, does anyone know if those zinc anodes are any good.
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IMHO I personally don't think those zinc strips of any help given that an aluminium-compatable, silicate (or sometimes phospate free)-free OTC automobile coolant already comes with a well-balanced chemistry and additives to keep corrosion in-check for the chemical life of the coolant, so adding zinc strips may have upset the chemistry.
If you ask me, I have complete and unconditional trust in most OTC antifreeze coolant as far as aluminium radiator/multi-metal support's concerned. Don't forget that in the days of yore (60s, 70s) where a lot of Japanese subcompacts already came with alu head +iron block to begin with ,and most good OTC coolant already supports, if not properly protects these metals from corrosion. I hope you get my drift.
Just flush, refill and drive happy.
Q.
If you ask me, I have complete and unconditional trust in most OTC antifreeze coolant as far as aluminium radiator/multi-metal support's concerned. Don't forget that in the days of yore (60s, 70s) where a lot of Japanese subcompacts already came with alu head +iron block to begin with ,and most good OTC coolant already supports, if not properly protects these metals from corrosion. I hope you get my drift.
Just flush, refill and drive happy.
Q.
Originally Posted By: Bill in Utah
Never used any on my 1986 VW Jetta.
Still has its original water pump @ 335k miles.
Another item to waste $$ on. Just change the coolant and hope you have luck.
Take care, bill
Wow thats awesome...Im still on the orginal water pump with 100K, like you ill keep my fingers crossed.
Never used any on my 1986 VW Jetta.
Still has its original water pump @ 335k miles.
Another item to waste $$ on. Just change the coolant and hope you have luck.
Take care, bill
Wow thats awesome...Im still on the orginal water pump with 100K, like you ill keep my fingers crossed.
c3po,
While I also agree that Quest (among many others) are quite knowledgeable, reliable, & level-headed, I wouldn't use # of posts to draw that conclusion.
While I also agree that Quest (among many others) are quite knowledgeable, reliable, & level-headed, I wouldn't use # of posts to draw that conclusion.
Originally Posted By: c3po
Benjamming, are you saying that Quest is wrong, please elaborate as too what you are saying. What I am getting at is do you have a different viewpoint.
I didn't read it that way c3. What I got from his statement is no to discount someones knowledge based upon a minimal amount of posts and not to go the other way, that is not crowning someone an oil god because they have several thousand. Sounds reasonable to me, although most of the folks here that have a ton of posts seem very knowledgable about the subject at hand.
Benjamming, are you saying that Quest is wrong, please elaborate as too what you are saying. What I am getting at is do you have a different viewpoint.
I didn't read it that way c3. What I got from his statement is no to discount someones knowledge based upon a minimal amount of posts and not to go the other way, that is not crowning someone an oil god because they have several thousand. Sounds reasonable to me, although most of the folks here that have a ton of posts seem very knowledgable about the subject at hand.
Originally Posted By: c3po
Thanks, Saturn Fan, I see your point. I will try to be more careful in the future, but no 1 on here has said go use water pump lubricant which tells me as far as this topic goes we are mostly if not all in agreement.
You bet c3. I have never heard of using water pump lubricant in an automotive application myself, but I am sure someone here has. I do like the 2-3 year total system flush idea.
Thanks, Saturn Fan, I see your point. I will try to be more careful in the future, but no 1 on here has said go use water pump lubricant which tells me as far as this topic goes we are mostly if not all in agreement.
You bet c3. I have never heard of using water pump lubricant in an automotive application myself, but I am sure someone here has. I do like the 2-3 year total system flush idea.
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Originally Posted By: c3po
This is what I like about this board, I learn something new everyday.
same here, i am thinking of changing profession now.
This is what I like about this board, I learn something new everyday.
same here, i am thinking of changing profession now.
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