Technical What's the average life span of a sbc water pump

The 6 cylinder water pump in my old beater started making some noticeable noise yesterday, it's not leaking or running hot but I suspect the bearing on the impeller shaft is worn and it's time to replace the water pump. HRP

 

A long time if it's GM. 10 15 years. How old is it?

 

What are you waiting for?! I have customers with bad u-joints or other critical drive train parts ask the same question....how long can I drive it like this? I ask them how much is a tow bill and how much will the further damage cost to repair if they don't attend to the issue NOW.

 

Depends if it's made by the China National Cereal, Foodstuffs and Animal Byproducts Company, or one of the crappy factories of lesser quality.

 

The wp in Clarence was still OK when I switched engines. It had been in use for about 23 years and no way of knowing how many miles. The odometer didn't work for most of that time. A pretty good guess would be somewhere between 50K and 100K miles.

That being said I imagine your question was rhetorical and you've already replaced it.

 

how off balance is the fan?how tight was the belt? do you use just water? where was it made?how lucky are you? are all factors....

 

Until it breaks.

 

The water pump is a 6 cylinder GM and it's attached to a zip's riser.

Giving it some thought I installed it when I put the engine in the car, that was 32 years ago so it's well past it's expiration date!

The fan s true.no off balance, the belt is tight enough that it doesn't slip, I use water & antifreeze, and as old as it is it was probably made in the USA, it was purchased from the local Chevy dealer and as the old song goes if it weren't bad luck I'd have no luck at all. HRP

 

At 32 years you just may have gotten your money’s worth.
I usually find the life span of a component directly related to the level of access to change it. For example a rear transmission mount. In one car I had with 30 minute access to change it, it lasted forever. On another, which meant removing the crossmember, which meant removing the exhaust . . . Seems like I was lucky two get two years. Same part.

 

The Life Span Of A Water Pump Is Based On How Far Away From Your Tool Box You Are...(25) ..

 

Because of a idiot driver that had to text while driving ladyhrp's Magnum wagon was rear ended and while it's being repaired she is driving my daily pickup, thus I'm driving the '32 daily.

I plan on picking up a new Chevy 230/250 Inline 6 Cast Iron Water Pump at the Chevy dealer Monday if they have it in stock. HRP

 

Or leaks...

 

Auto Zone has the neat aluminum one with the high flow impeller.



Duralast Mechanical Water Pump BWP-386HDA

• Part # BWP-386HDA
• SKU # 197227
• ★★★★★No rating value for Duralast Mechanical Water Pump BWP-386HDA
  (0)

• Notes: 100% New. Heavy Duty Aluminum Version. Without A/C

 

But the title of the thread says SBC water pump, which may cause some confusion.

 

Six Banger Chevy.

 

Lots and lots of miles and years if you don’t over tighten the belt . That is one of the fastest ways to kill a pump

 

I've had 3 Napa Ultra super duper lifetime water pumps leak on my 261 ('54 235 pump) since last year and they're new not reman. I say find an NOS or NORS pump and put in quality seals/bearings yourself.

And I'm one my 2nd NEW master for the '41 from Napa since last year also .

 

Well yeah, they're new.

 

Yeah, I know. I wanted a good warranty on both and I was questioning the quality of the rebuild parts they sold for both also.

 

32 years seems a little weak on a GM pump. Should be at least 76yrs. I think an email to GM customer service, care of the warranty dept. is in order.....

 

I think the pump on the 250 in my 48 was original to the 1974 engine that had 95 K showing on it when I pulled it out of the Pontiac Ventura aka Pontiac nova and put it in in 1989 and then drove it more than 100K in the next 13 years. I don't ever remember replacing one on a customer rig either. That doesn't mean that they don't wear out though. The same as any other belt driven item overtightening the belt is hard on the bearings.

 

I suppose that may have been a slight misnomer, the Zip's risers are designed to raise the height of the water pump up 5" to center the engine driven fan on the radiator for maximum cooling efficiency and in doing so the inline 6 cylinder water pump is required to cool the sbc. HRP

 

The bearing noise is is telling you that shortly it will leak

 

I think Egge Pistons in Sante Fe Springs, CA, still rebuilds water pumps. It probably will be lots better than a rebuilt pump from Carjackistan,or somewhere, and sold by chain auto parts places.

 

Hello,

On the upper end of the scale, our 1965 El Camino had no problems for 120k miles. By the time my wife and I began our talks about selling the El Camino and getting something else, the El Camino may have overheard us talking inside the seating area. Yes, it is funny, but how else can one decide that after all of the road trips, daily drives, rain, snow, dirt, dust, and other crappy things to put the El Camino through, it must have heard us planning for the future.

The whole pickup bed area was full of snow, the dirt racing motorcycles, then a Harley sportster, furniture, and countless surfboards. It held its own and ran so smoothly that we thought we hit the jackpot as a well made car/truck. It must have been made on a Wednesday at the Fremont, CA plant in the SF Bay Area.

But, as soon as we moved to a new house, we continued to go over 1000s more miles to the Bay Area, Baja Mexico and to the mountains. Nothing ever happened. As soon as it began to get close to 122k miles, we had the discussion and little noises started to happen. At first, it was ok and we accepted it as just an old guy moving on in road life. (sounds like all of us old guys, today)

Then by 124k, the noise got so loud that I knew it was coming from the water pump. So, a simple taking apart the front area, and removal/installing the new water pump was simple enough. But, it was on a cold winter night and we needed the car for the next day. So, into the cold night I worked until it was finished. It was not an enclosed garage with a heater, but an open car port with no heater, but several t shirts and a sweatshirt.

Jnaki

The job was complete and nothing happened for the rest of the time we owned the El Camino. By 125k, we sold it to a surfer from Dana Point and he was a happy camper. Several times, I would see it cruising around on Coast Highway. Then one day I was in Laguna Beach and saw a light blue El Camino that just had a different feel to the car/truck. It was my old red one painted blue. So, the life of the 125k 1965 El Camino moves on to its next round of living with a new owner.

Problems with the water heater was at 122k and the El Camino was sold at 125k. There was no rust and the seats were brand new as I took off the clear plastic seat covers for the new owner. He thought it was a brand new car, until he saw the odometer.

Built in 1964, purchased new, in late 64 as a 1965 model with the different front end and hood.

12 years of blissful driving and no problem maintenance…

 

Got a phone call from Old Man Dave yesterday while I was in the garage doing some maintenance and he reminded me of a thread Deuce Roadster (Randy) had posted back in 2011 where he suggested using the AutoZone ( BWP-386HDA ) water pump because it is aluminum and has a plate on the back of the impeller which he said it aided in the flow of coolant with less cavitation.

Randy originally clued me in on the zips risers and I have never had a sbc run hot since I started using them, moving the fan up 5 inches does center the fan in the middle of the radiator.

Randy passed away several years ago but his advice/post is still helping us to this day. HRP

 

Do these make the fan end up farther forward in addition to raising the fan?

 

No sir, they do not.

The short sbc w/p is 5 5/8" verses the 6 cylinder w/p is 3 7/8"

I also run a 17" Steel blade fan. HRP

 

Wish I had remembered to look at Randy's info. Did it by memory and made a plate to go on the back.

 

Thanks very much.