Coolant pump

[glenboy]

Im on my second NAPA pump in my 02 GMC van...in not even a year...it keeps toasting the seal...now I am going to buy a OEM replacement from the dealership...I believe the cheaper seals get too hot and let go...has anyone else had this issue on these vans running a PTO

 

[Jim Martin]

the shaft seal.....????

 

[Willy P]

Running dex cool? Don't. Google the issues with that crap.

 

[glenboy]

Yes the shaft seal..haven't had dex cool in a while

 

[Jim Martin]

When you look at a bad seal does the inside look egg shaped

 

[glenboy]

Dont know...im assuming theres a warped spot somwhere

 

[Jim Martin]

Dont know...im assuming theres a warped spot somwhere

if it is egged shapped in the center...then there is way to much tension on the pulley and it is causing the shaft to rub into the seal......
there is only a few things that cause seal to go out.....shaft rub.....to much back pressure...which on a water pump it has other places it can release so this should not be a problem........and time.....yours are new..

your running a direct drive.....I would start by checking pulley tension.....

 

[glenboy]

The pulley tension is pre set by a tensioner...now I had tightened the shit out of my belts on my direct drive...I almost believe that might have caused it

 

[Jim Martin]

The pulley tension is pre set by a tensioner...now I had tightened the shit out of my belts on my direct drive...I almost believe that might have caused it

if your direct drive pully is in line with the water pump and you are over tightening it....there is your problem....
pending on how much pulley wrap you have when they added the direct drive....you need about 1/2 inch drop in the largest span of the belt when you tighten it up...it will seat it's self and from that point be a bit loser but not enough to hurt it and you should not have any tension on any of the shafts...........

 

[glenboy]

 

[glenboy]

I loosend the belts last week when I realized the water pump was leaking...kinda late eh :-)

 

[glenboy]

Ok..I replaced the water pump on.my 02 GMC van...the first two were NAPA...didnt last 8 mos...so finally I put a Dealership replacement pump on 2 weeks ago...I am blown away at how hot my Steam Genie is cleaning...I mean stam rolling and wet shoe tips...never had it get this hot, this consistently in 8 years...lesson learned...OE replacement is vehicle specific...whereas the napa pumps were not even close

 

[Shane T]

I can see why an OE pump may last longer but how does it make your unit run hotter. Something is not right.

 

[glenboy]

I believe the flow rate is proper..as opposed to the pump from napa covers several motors...listen! I have been running this bad boy for 8years...and my shoe tips are getting wet.and steam is rollin up.and since I changed the pump,well thats the facts

 

[Lee Stockwell]

I have used high performance high flow water pumps that made a huge difference.

 

[glenboy]

Thats my point lee..one thing ive learned in my small business..you get what you pay for. Heck the napa pump probably applies to 5 different motors...whereas the dealer asked me for a vin #

 

[Shane T]

I would think that a higher flow pump would result in a more efficient cooling and lower temperatures to the exchanger.

 

[glenboy]

Im.not dreaming.fellas

 

[Shane T]

I'm not saying your solution isn't hotter than before, I just don't understand how a different water pump makes that happen.

 

[dgardner]

The correct pump might be lower flow than the NAPA one.....

Glen probably replaced the thermostat too? Might have made a difference.

 

[Lee Stockwell]

NO. I'm SURE higher FLOW results in MORE heat to the HX. The high flow pump cost about 50% more than the stock pump.

 

[dgardner]

I see.

 

[glenboy]

No stat...just a coolant pump...no drugs no.ludes

 

[Lee Stockwell]

One other thing I did was increasing the hose diameter to the HX.

 

[Jim Martin]

the slower the water goes threw the system the hotter it gets..........if it is moving to fast then it does not have time to heat up........

when it is time to cool our machines down to shut them off...we drop the curtsey hose on the ground and open it up in order to get the water flowing threw the system to drop the temp.....or we open the by pass....( same thing )....

that being said.......these are also closed loop systems......if he was popping seals and his system was leaking then the water was escaping and not heating/pressuring like it should......

 

[Lee Stockwell]

It is a closed loop. The engine is the source of the heat. What doesn't go thru the heat exchangers goes thru the vehicle radiator. If you can push more engine heat to the hx the hx will get hotter.

My experience has been with Bane and Butler coolant exchangers. You will never get "too hot" via coolant.

 

[Jim Martin]

but he was never pressuring up correct if he had blown seals and it was leaking........

 

[Lee Stockwell]

The radiator cap sets the system pressure. The static (circulating) pressure of the pump is typically lower.

Usually engine water pumps fail due to overstressing the bearing with either belt tension or out of balance fan assemblies.