Water pump replacement - mandatory or optional for 355 major?

I went ahead and bought a bunch of "while your in there" stuff, including the water pump. Glad I did, once i had it apart, i noticed my water pump was "squeaking" when turned by hand. New one is nice and smooth.
43k miles

 

well it is usually a while youre in there part to change..

but as you've mentioned yours was rebuilt in June 2014, so its already 4 years old..
then you'll do major over the winter.. and if don't change it and if next major only in another 4-5years.. that current pump will have 8-9yrs of service..
in that case probably best to do it.. you don't want to get stuck between majors with a water pump issue on the current unit etc.

 

If it was rebuilt in 2014, I would leave it alone unless it makes noise or leaks.

 

i agree with this. 2014 isnt too long ago, if it isnt exhibiting any symptoms of failure i would leave it. Im usually the "just change it" kind of mentality, but in this case i would leave it personally.
I changed my water pump with the new one from superformance in the UK in 2017. Havent had any leaks yet and a few thousand miles later all's well. i dont have any experience with doing the rebuilds like some have.

 

If it was done already, and its ran for over 6k miles then its proven itself to be a good part. Leave it alone.

 

I too agree with this.

 

So, 4 years ago the 21 year old water pump was replaced. Like others have said, I'd leave it (this time anyway).

 

Serviced mine 3 times and not changed waterpump. No leaks leave it alone I say.

 

I am with Mitchell on this I do mine every 2 majors

 

How often?

 

Yes except the new one for cheap has a metal pump versus plastic. Personally i dont like plastic water pumps never had much luck with them.

 

I always remove the pump when its there, never know when cavitation will start to destroy. Dont do like Smeadly did.



xo
Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

I do as well.

 

That's a whole other issue. I like what I use in my diesel truck. Zerex G05. It is cummins approved for anticavitation often found in hostile diesel environments

 

Yes I use the good stuff and change yearly, I run an additive also. Lots folks in the diesels run a sacrificial anode in the system also to suck up that voltage bleed

 

Cavitation can be found in any part of the motor not just the WP. Google cavitation and diesel motors as a primer on cavitation. It is a long known problem with many solutions. The easiest for us is to know that cavitation does exist even in our motors (I have seen ferrari cavitation damage in real life) and that the solution is a properly running motor and a quality compatible coolant changed at regular intervals. Hence my love of Zerex G05.

 

I have never heard of this WP issue before and have been lucky with the few I replace to just bolt them in and get lucky. Another Fchater including the OP was not so lucky and Pluzgit who fixes many of these cars also knows of this problem. I do not know what models are effected. But after reading my new procedure I think will be to use playdough and a caliper to measure the gap of impeller to housing. What sucks is the makers of the WP are NOT paying attention to what ever the factory spec is. Now we have to check their work. Like Plugzit said making a paper gasket might be needed to get the clearance. On the flip side it could also mean that some guys that complain of bad cooling might have too much clearance! That also makes for more pump cavitation. All this is very bad. We need to hunt for or derive the proper impeller to housing distance for optimal pump function. I do not remember reading a spec for that clearance. Off the top of my head, 1 mm seems very reasonable.

 

LOL yeah plasitgauge our wp now

 

Well I got a lot of play dough from my "Dr. Drill N' Fill". I will save you some.

 

Ohhh thats the good stuff very stable

I'm one of those that inspects clearance on everything

 

It's way more widespread then you can imagine today. I design and manufacture products for all the big boys to test for cavitaion from generators to off shore race boats. It also rears it's ugly head in machinery.