[Z06] Eating water pumps
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 27
Likes: 0
From: Whittier CA
Eating water pumps
My '04 Z is now on its 4th water pump with just over 24,000 miles. Dealer replaced the first and second on warranty. Car now off warranty and it cost $900 for the pump, belt, tensioner and coolant flush. I paid it, but we're treating the system, not the disease. Any thoughts on what's causing the pumps to go out?
Pro
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 556
Likes: 0
From: Jacksonville FL
St. Jude Donor '06-'09
details please
When you say failing are you saying that you find the car in a puddle of coolant out of the blue or does it drip. Is it making any noise prior to failure, what does the bearing feel like on one of the old ones.
When you say failing are you saying that you find the car in a puddle of coolant out of the blue or does it drip. Is it making any noise prior to failure, what does the bearing feel like on one of the old ones.
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 25,889
Likes: 7
From: Virginia Beach
CI 3-5-6-7-8 Veteran
More deatails please... I'm on my stock pump and when I pulled it out during my cam swap last January it looked fine. I have been running HPDEs with my car for 5 years so it's got some very hard miles on it.
I've heard of the seals going bad around 100,000 and people being greeted w/ a puddle of coolant.
What's happening specifically?
I've heard of the seals going bad around 100,000 and people being greeted w/ a puddle of coolant.
What's happening specifically?
Race Director
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 17,640
Likes: 1
From: Lenoir City TN
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11
I agree what seems to be the problem. Water pumps these days last for awhile. There are a very few things that go wrong. Either the seal goes which causes leaks or bearing noise.
Safety Car
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 4,030
Likes: 6
From: Maryland
I have run in to cases where a well-respected mechanic was actually screwing up the car. For example, I take car in to have brake& clutch fluid changed and when I get it back the AC does not work. It worked when I took it in.
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 10,864
Likes: 196
From: Southern CA
My '04 Z is now on its 4th water pump with just over 24,000 miles. Dealer replaced the first and second on warranty. Car now off warranty and it cost $900 for the pump, belt, tensioner and coolant flush. I paid it, but we're treating the system, not the disease. Any thoughts on what's causing the pumps to go out?
I had my 1st w/p replaced last week @ 24k on my 04Z. Service mgr seemed to think it was a bit "early" for it to go. Leaking out the weep hole. 4 seems REALLY excessive.
The stock ls1/6 w/p is not a very heavy duty unit which is unfortunate. The w/p's on the LT engines were pretty crappy also.
Grants makes a "blueprinted" w/p for racing that many guys use. If I were paying myself, I'd put one of those in & it's actually not an extremely hard job to do if you want to DIY.
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Drifting
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 1,993
Likes: 7
From: LaPine Oregon
shooting in the dark ...........
With 4 water pumps in such a short period and assuming they are all GM parts and assuming all the failures have the same symptoms. I would question the (1) parts, (2) I would look at the radiator system pressure, (3) alignment of the pulleys.
Please keep us updated.
Please keep us updated.
Pro
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 564
Likes: 0
From: The Great Nation of North Carolina
Realistically in ANY scenario whre a problem occurs 4 times and you replace the part and the problem comes back, you are treating the symptom, not the problem.
I am not a Water pump expert but I suspect belt alignments/tension as there really is nothing else !
Like many here , I have owned multiple cars in the past 40 years and I have changed 1 water pump from failure at the weep hole.
7 Corvettes, 0 water pumps.
Take this car to a REAL Corvette person, or Cooling specialist shop, it appears the Dealership is good at reading the Service Manual and replacing Water pumps.
I am not a Water pump expert but I suspect belt alignments/tension as there really is nothing else !
Like many here , I have owned multiple cars in the past 40 years and I have changed 1 water pump from failure at the weep hole.
7 Corvettes, 0 water pumps.
Take this car to a REAL Corvette person, or Cooling specialist shop, it appears the Dealership is good at reading the Service Manual and replacing Water pumps.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 2,458
Likes: 105
From: Northville Michigan
There is a far better solution than the Meziere electric pump.
Evans cooling makes a replacement pump with a redesigned impeller, an improved bearing and far better flow at high rpms.
The correct pump for a LS engine is a EP3913, and you will need a new drive belt - EB3913-C.
You can read about the pump at this web site:
http://www.evanscooling.com/main25.htm - Select CATALOG on the left of the page, then select COOLANT PUMPS from the list.