water pump issues
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 267
Likes: 0
From: Kimberling city MO
water pump issues
My water pump on my 97 started leaking badly on thursday and by the time i got the car off the road and shut off i had lost almost all my coolant so needless to say the car was flatbedded back to my house. I figured the problem was the mounting gaskets so i replaced those and the o-ring on the back of the water pump. I have it all back together and its still leaking. I can tell its not coming from the mounting gaskets or the new o-ring. so where could the leak be? It looks like its coming from behind the pulley. Is there another gasket behind there? Any help is greatly appreciated.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 2,655
Likes: 5
From: Brea CA
Well.... the bad news..
You need a NEW water pump... they never really leak from the gaskets, or the "O" ring... it is leaking out of the hole they drill in the pump... to let you know the pump is bad...yup yup yup 
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 267
Likes: 0
From: Kimberling city MO
Originally Posted by Silvervettes
I assume that you have replaced the water pump. I suppose there is always that chance that a new pump could leak
Intermediate
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 47
Likes: 0
From: Abingdon Illinois
St. Jude Donor '07
prices
I looked at three sites and it looks like a range from about $100 to $185 and the lowest priced one was a remanufactured.
Sometimes the seal in the pump just wears out or the bearing in the pump wears out. Either way the pump will start to leak. In your case I would guess the bearing went out since it leaked the coolant out so quickly.
Hope this gives you some help.
Sometimes the seal in the pump just wears out or the bearing in the pump wears out. Either way the pump will start to leak. In your case I would guess the bearing went out since it leaked the coolant out so quickly.
Hope this gives you some help.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 267
Likes: 0
From: Kimberling city MO
Originally Posted by Silvervettes
I looked at three sites and it looks like a range from about $100 to $185 and the lowest priced one was a remanufactured.
Sometimes the seal in the pump just wears out or the bearing in the pump wears out. Either way the pump will start to leak. In your case I would guess the bearing went out since it leaked the coolant out so quickly.
Hope this gives you some help.
Sometimes the seal in the pump just wears out or the bearing in the pump wears out. Either way the pump will start to leak. In your case I would guess the bearing went out since it leaked the coolant out so quickly.
Hope this gives you some help.
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Advanced
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 72
Likes: 0
From: Salt Lake City UT
Almost all water pumps I've seen have a permanent lubed bearing on the shaft in the center. I'm guessing the vette pumps are also made this way. When the bearing wears out, runs out of lube, they start to leak out the center of the shaft behind the pulley. This is the standard failure mode. Sorry you changed the o rings. Too bad the parts man didn't tell you this. He really should have.