Water Pump failure?
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 1,583
Likes: 5
From: Richardson Tx.
Water Pump failure?
I have a leak around the water pump but I can't see where its coming from. The hoses and clamps are nice and tight . If I watch it at idle I don't see it coming from anywhere but if I drive the car then park it I notice it fairly wet down by the pump. I am wondering if its coming out of the weep hole on the pump. I tried to put my hand on it but can't feel it.
The car is not over-heating at all but i have noticed a sqeaky sound at idle.
Perhaps the pump is still functional but close to failing? How can I verify this?
thanks
The car is not over-heating at all but i have noticed a sqeaky sound at idle.
Perhaps the pump is still functional but close to failing? How can I verify this?
thanks
Intermediate
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 26
Likes: 0
From: Central Florida
I think you are spot on with your diagnosis. I went though the very same situation with a 78 vette that I had a few years back. Turned out to be the water pump leaking at the weep hole, position so low under the shaft.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 3,126
Likes: 15
The lower weep hole is very difficult to see on a C3. An inspection mirror can help. I had to tear mine down to verify the source of the leak. If you have nothing better to do look through the link. mike...
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c3-g...alt-mines.html
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c3-g...alt-mines.html
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 3,126
Likes: 15
No, not a failure problem. The housing needs to have the correct clearance. You can see the terrible looking quality of the GM pump made in China. NAPA has the best new pumps. At least they did for my '77. I still did a little smoothing of the surfaces on the NAPA pump. mike...
Race Director
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 12,142
Likes: 54
From: Taylor Michigan
if it starts to push water out in a serious fashion, loosen the cap to the first notch to relieve the pressure...that way you could drive for miles and miles and never heat up as long as the fluid was ok
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 1,583
Likes: 5
From: Richardson Tx.
Well I am kinda disappointed because I was expecting the weep hole to be wet - it was bone dry.
There is a freeze plug in the neighborhood and it looks wet but I poked it with a screwdriver and it seems to be tight.
There is a freeze plug in the neighborhood and it looks wet but I poked it with a screwdriver and it seems to be tight.
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer
Brett Foote
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years
Joe Kucinski
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!
Michael S. Palmer
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Terrorizing Orange Cones
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 2,572
Likes: 17
From: Northern CO
Maybe the gasket on the rear plate of the WP is leaking then? Not easy to tell while mounted and if you already know that the t-stat housing is not it.
Just throwing out possibilities...
Just throwing out possibilities...
2026 Loser of the Year
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 36,595
Likes: 7,043
From: New Or-leens Loo-z-anna
Stick a 3" long piece of tight-fitting clear tubing in the weep hole/plug the lower end of the tube to hold any leaked fluid from the weep hole...it will be soaked if it's the leak source.
Check the bolts on the rear cover...maybe tightening them will help.
Last edited by doorgunner; Dec 19, 2013 at 09:59 PM.
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 1,583
Likes: 5
From: Richardson Tx.
I still have the mystery leak...
The water pump is about 7 yrs. old but only about 1500 miles on it. The bolts/seal on the back of the pump are not wet at all.
I ran a test: I let the car idle for 30 mins while I stood there with a flashlight - not a drip. Then I go drive the car and after a little while I can see smoke from the coolant hitting the headers.
I get home - the following items are wet: A/C compressor, both hoses at water pump and the front of the block on pass. side and on downward.
Question: If its leaking out the weep hole would the coolant get sprayed around the different places by the cooling fan/air flow?
Would UV Dye in the coolant be worth trying?
thanks
The water pump is about 7 yrs. old but only about 1500 miles on it. The bolts/seal on the back of the pump are not wet at all.
I ran a test: I let the car idle for 30 mins while I stood there with a flashlight - not a drip. Then I go drive the car and after a little while I can see smoke from the coolant hitting the headers.
I get home - the following items are wet: A/C compressor, both hoses at water pump and the front of the block on pass. side and on downward.
Question: If its leaking out the weep hole would the coolant get sprayed around the different places by the cooling fan/air flow?
Would UV Dye in the coolant be worth trying?
thanks
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 3,126
Likes: 15
Fan and airflow through radiator while driving can spread the coolant everywhere. No need for UV dye. Rinse or dry everything. Go for a short drive and come back home. Drive slow to keep spreading to a minimum. Look for evidence of leak. If none found, go for a couple of more miles and do the same. Sometimes a coolant leak will show itself during the cool down period. Just have to keep trying and you will eventually find it. Mine was leaking from the TVS threads on the thermostat housing. Since there was coolant on top of the housing then I knew where it was coming from. Would not leak under pressure and temp.. When the car sat for about a week when stone cold then it would leak. Good luck with it. mike...
Burning Brakes
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 1,116
Likes: 5
From: Middleburg Florida
If you want to add to your tools, this would be a great time to get a pressure tester, or maybe find a friend with one? Maybe the parts store will lend you one. Using one of these will make tracking this down really easy...
Racer
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 331
Likes: 44
From: Cincinnati Ohio
Look around the upper mounting bolt boss area. I have had two GM Performance Products Water Pumps develop a small crack in the bottom of the boss. It appears that the wall thickness between the water passage and the boss is too thin. The other place to look is the lower hose to pump connection. Some of the hoses are fairly large compared to the pump inlet. Even with the clamp tight, they may leak.
Unk
Unk