Water Pump experts?

[wally888]

Just finished changing my 2nd. Reatta water pump. One on an 89 at 86k, the other on a 91 at 75k. The other 89 had 133k and may have had a new water pump before I aquired at 103k.
Easy task except for cleaning off the old gasket.
For several months I had noticed spots on the garage floor, never wet (sometimes a little damp but dried on the floor, stained concrete), thick substance, about the size if 1/2 a dime, shaped like splatters, dark brown and kinda in a row/line between the two front tires.
Did not appear or smell like Tranny fluid, motor oil, power steering fluid, antifreeze ........??
Two days ago I noticed a spot of antifreeze about the size of 1/2 a dollar bill. Yesterday was leaking several $'s worth.
During the installation of new pump I wiped out the inside of the pump pulley. Was like thick grease, thick, dark brown to black, a lot of............??
Do you suppose I had a slight water pump leak for some time, never enough to puddle but enough to mix w/ ?? and get slung out on the floor?
Does finding spots like these indicate an impending pump failure?

[EDBS0]

My 89 SHO leaked slowly like that for some 18 months. It comes out of the breather/drain hole on the bearing shaft. Kept adding Antifreeze and stop leak. The SHO water pump is a +$300 part and a 4 or 5 hour job to R&R. That is why I waited so long. While there did timing belt etc. because already apart.

My 89 started to leak similarly and within a week it completely failed. Fortunately was at the end of the block and coasted home. Dumped most of anti freeze out. So when it starts to leak, if it is like mine it will likely fail very soon.

Your "gunk" could also be a stop leak product in the rad installed at manufacture. The water pump bolt holes go through to the water jackets.

Interesting currency you have there our 1/2 dollars are actually coins not bills. Suppose we had shin plasters (25 cent bills from the 1800s) but here our 1/2 dollars are coins not bills. [img]/ubbthreads/images/icons/grin.gif[/img] Here our 1/2 dimes are NICKLES! [img]/ubbthreads/images/icons/wink.gif[/img]

Robert,
1/2 a dime is not a nickle. 5 pennies is a nickle!
A half a dollar is 50 cents but 1/2 a dollar bill is about 2 inches square.
Not exactly sure what parts are contained in half assed?
Actually 1/2 a dime is exactly just that, 1/2 a dime. They make great ball markers. I found one on the course several years ago just after the mower went by. A while later I was playing w/ Jodie Mudd at East Lake in Atlanta and he insisted I give him my 1/2 dime. It was later reported to me that he used it to mark his ball while winning the Tour Championship.( the only time I ever met or saw Jodie and the last time I saw my 1/2 dime)

[padgett]

Around 80k seems to be a magic number for 3800 water pumps, did our '90 around then. Wasn't too difficult. Seep through hole in neck indicates a bad shaft seal and is usually the first indication of a problem.

'nother reason I like to run engines cool, less pressure in the cooling system.

[EDBS0]

padgett;

Obviously it is near the end of a long hard day for you. While I almost without exception completely agree with everything you say, do or recommend re automotive issues I am not certain here.

I am reasonably certain that it is the pressure rad cap that determines the pressure in the coolant system (within reason). I would expect that by the time the coolant temperature is over 120 degrees F the coolant is at full pressure and the cap is venting fluid into the overflow recovery container. Certainly by the time your system is at 160 your system is fully pressurized and I believe we both run 180 thermostats?

I could be wrong but I think your system is at the same pressure with any thermostat temperature because it is governed by the rad pressure cap?

PS: You lost a point today you are down to 792,134,235,345,273,850,976,927,881,052,903.14129 left [img]/ubbthreads/images/icons/wink.gif[/img] But I am not certain?

When did they change the spelling of NICKEL? Even on Melmac, it's "el," not "le."

ALF [img]/ubbthreads/images/icons/grin.gif[/img]
Curator of All Things Ancient, including JJ

[EDBS0]

Alf and JJ;

Did you have trouble understanding what I was saying, could be my first response.
My second response could be . . . "Listen to what I say not what I type.

My preferred response would be from my good friends Messrs Merriam and Webster and their Merriam-Webster Collegiate Dictionary, 29th version, 50th reprinting, Fletcher internet version where they say . . . looking through rose coloured glasses [img]/ubbthreads/images/icons/wink.gif[/img]

Main Entry: nick· el
Variant(s): also nick· le /'ni-k&l/ [img]/ubbthreads/images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

We could be wrong [img]/ubbthreads/images/icons/confused.gif[/img]

[EDBS0]

[img]/ubbthreads/images/icons/grin.gif[/img] Take this at 9 metres high and 61 centimetres thick, this replica of the Canadian five cent piece is the largest coin in the world. [img]/ubbthreads/images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

O. K., that nickul is overpowering.
Question of the day:
Why does Canada have an Army or Air Force/Navy for that matter?
Would be no big deal for U.S. to provide protection. uu would like another front!

[EDBS0]

Give me a break [img]/ubbthreads/images/icons/ooo.gif[/img]

I feel another Anonymous User rant coming on.

You guys are spread so thin that . . .

Besides it is an excellent opportunity for pork-barreling, our political leaders favorite pastime [img]/ubbthreads/images/icons/wink.gif[/img] but you know all about that, right [img]/ubbthreads/images/icons/confused.gif[/img]

Ooh, aah, oww, sensitive! But it's nice to know you've admitted being a variant. Does your Neighborhood Watch know about this? Did you have to register with your local RCMP?

ALF [img]/ubbthreads/images/icons/wink.gif[/img]
JJ's staying outta this one!

P.S. Also notice your big coin is spelled "el." [img]/ubbthreads/images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

[EDBS0]

OK my welll travelled friend, the RCMP are also known as GRC. Do do you know what that stands for?

Robert: In my earlier, wilder days, I actually was taken into custody [img]/ubbthreads/images/icons/frown.gif[/img] by the

[color:\\"red\\"] Gendarmine royale du Canada [/color] in Edmonton.

Jerry [img]/ubbthreads/images/icons/frown.gif[/img]

[padgett]

GRC = Policemen walk in Quebec ?

As to pressure vs temp, if the cooling system were perfectly filled then any temperature increase would result in the pressure cap being the limiting factor (water is incompressible, not so certain about ethyline glycol). However, any cooling system has some air in it which is compressible and the cooling system itself (other than the block) expands some. If there weren't, there would be no overflow when removing a hot cap unless boiling.

Further there is always an excursion at the thermostat opening. Say with a 180, it goes to 185 before opening then drops back. That drop back lowers the pressure again but will not refill the system until the temperature drops below ambient and then will not completely refil. Would need to insrument somehow but I suspect the pressure in a typical engine that has not just been filled will be less at 180 than at 195.

[EDBS0]

Here they are affectionately known as [color:\\"red\\"]"Gravel Road Cops" [/color] Were you on a gravel road when they entertained you, perhaps it was Alf that they really had the interest in?

Interesting thoughts on the temperature and pressure fluctuating as the temperature goes up in stop and go traffic and then returns to the normal range. I think you are right there.

Do you have a 76 Camaro in mind? with all the options?

When thermostat opens at 185 fresh cold dense water (coolant) replaces the pumped out hot water and expands to the pressure the rad cap is operating at. Still the cycling just might reduce the pressure in the system.