HELP!! What direction does water pump turn? Major problems!
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Instructor
Joined: Apr 2001
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From: Valencia, California
HELP!! What direction does water pump turn? Major problems!
I took my "89 L98 to a Corvette Specialty shop to have the water pump replaced with the new GMB unit I purchased, since I did not have the will to do it myself. The car was getting hot at stoplights and a little coolant was leaking out, otherwise, it drove fine. He called me yesterday and said the car's radiator was spewing coolant and the motor was overheating badly after he changed the water pump. He suggested that the GMB pump has the impeller installed backwards, and that I should have him install an AC Delco pump on it. Of course, I am being hit with a double installation charge. Any thoughts? Can anyone verify the direction of rotation on the L98 water pump pulley? :cry
[Modified by Tire Smoke, 10:10 AM 8/23/2001]
[Modified by Tire Smoke, 10:15 AM 8/23/2001]
[Modified by Tire Smoke, 10:10 AM 8/23/2001]
[Modified by Tire Smoke, 10:15 AM 8/23/2001]
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Re: HELP!! What direction does water pump turn? Major problems! (Tire Smoke)
I'm not sure at the moment which direction it turns, but I do know that the water pump on L98 cars turns the opposite direction as older sbc water pumps because of the serpentine belt setup. If you got a standard sbc water pump then your mechanic is probably correct.
[Modified by Marcho Polo, 9:19 AM 8/23/2001]
[Modified by Marcho Polo, 9:19 AM 8/23/2001]
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2001
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From: La Fontaine Indiana
Re: HELP!! What direction does water pump turn? Major problems! (Tire Smoke)
the water pump on 89 L98 should turn counter clockwise when you are standing in front facing the car the engine turns clockwise your mechanic may be right. Did you order pump for your car or just tell them you needed a pump for sbc 92 and later corvettes turn in the opposite direction :lol:
[Modified by black bart, 8:15 PM 8/23/2001]
[Modified by black bart, 8:15 PM 8/23/2001]
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From: Valencia, California
Re: HELP!! What direction does water pump turn? Major problems! (black bart)
I ordered a specific pump for the L98 Corvette. My mechanic verifed the part number as the correct pump...er.....correct box with part # on it with a pump inside. I will know on Friday what the outcome is.
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Re: HELP!! What direction does water pump turn? Major problems! (Tire Smoke)
2 things.....
if the radiarot was :U out coolant....wouldn't that mean that the waterpump is installed and is pumping water???? how did he determine it was spewing water? did he heat up the car and then pop the top? i do that to mine all the time......last night i wanted to top off the radiator.....it was about 200* and i popped the top with the engine running with the hose on and it shot a foot high out of the radiator.....i dunno what to say....
but according to the way my serp belt is run on my '85, it looks like the pump should turn counterclockwise.
take it for what its worth! and good luck
if the radiarot was :U out coolant....wouldn't that mean that the waterpump is installed and is pumping water???? how did he determine it was spewing water? did he heat up the car and then pop the top? i do that to mine all the time......last night i wanted to top off the radiator.....it was about 200* and i popped the top with the engine running with the hose on and it shot a foot high out of the radiator.....i dunno what to say....
but according to the way my serp belt is run on my '85, it looks like the pump should turn counterclockwise.
take it for what its worth! and good luck
Burning Brakes
Joined: Dec 1999
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Re: HELP!! What direction does water pump turn? Major problems! (Tire Smoke)
No flame intended, but this is why alot of shops will not install parts that the customer brings in. If the shop had ordered the part and it was incorrect, you would not be charged the extra removal and installation charge. Sorry.
BTW, I don't know if I agree with your mechanic. My experience (could be wrong though) has been that if the water pump is turning the wrong way, it won't push any water. If you pull the back plate of the water pump, you'll see that the impeller is shrouded and pointed in one direction. If it spins in the opposite direction, it'll just push itself through the water and not push the water in and out of the pump housing. I really don't know what he meant by "spewing coolant." Is it from the overheating, or is it from the overtemp? Where, how and under what circumstanses is it doing this? (ie. hot with the cap off, cold with the cap off, cap on, etc...) If your radiator is clogged internally, you'll overheat and possibly increase the pressure in the cooling system enough to spew coolant past the cap and out into the overflow tank. Good luck and keep us posted.
BTW, I don't know if I agree with your mechanic. My experience (could be wrong though) has been that if the water pump is turning the wrong way, it won't push any water. If you pull the back plate of the water pump, you'll see that the impeller is shrouded and pointed in one direction. If it spins in the opposite direction, it'll just push itself through the water and not push the water in and out of the pump housing. I really don't know what he meant by "spewing coolant." Is it from the overheating, or is it from the overtemp? Where, how and under what circumstanses is it doing this? (ie. hot with the cap off, cold with the cap off, cap on, etc...) If your radiator is clogged internally, you'll overheat and possibly increase the pressure in the cooling system enough to spew coolant past the cap and out into the overflow tank. Good luck and keep us posted.
