I hear the story about how everyone is changing these water pumps in one and two hours and all I can think is you guys are just throwing them back together as fast as you can with out cleaning anymore than you have too. I spent over an hour cleaning the grime off the front of the motor and prepping the mounting area. Then I replaced the A/C belt, all the heater hoses, the radiator hoses and cleaned the fan shrouds the air tube, MAF sensor and changed some of the spring clamps. Not to mention repeated trips to the auto store. I guess I'm just funny that way.
---------- Post added at 03:21 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:04 PM ----------
I too was under the impression that once these pumps start to leak a little you better replace them right away. Well let me just say mine started leaking over a year ago when I stored it for the winter in my heated garage. I had to put cardboard under it because it was leaking even when not being driven. Then I drove it all spring, summer and fall before storing it for another winter. During the summer months I added a total of about a gallon to the coolant recovery tank. It would appear that the bearing seal is what fails NOT the bearing. It never ran hot and never made any noise.
---------- Post added at 03:43 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:21 PM ----------
I just replaced my 2000 tahoe Water Pump with a "NEW" Water Pump from NAPA, PN; 45005. I too thought about spending more for the GM "Original" Pump until someone on this forum mentioned that most all the aftermarket ''NEW'' Pumps come with a Limited Lifetime Warranty, that made sense to me so I went with the aftermarket Napa. I paid just over 115.00 for this Brand New Water Pump, you do the math.
---------- Post added at 03:52 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:43 PM ----------
I'm thinking you got a remanufactured NOT a new one. Not a big deal as all the parts that wear out are replaced with new ones. 60.00 for a new one just does not seem possible, do you know where the pump was made.
---------- Post added at 04:02 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:52 PM ----------
Maybe easy to change as in "Take Off '' the truck but cleaning the six bolts that are half rusted and cleaning and sanitizing the mounting area, carefully tightining the six bolts but not over-tightining them, hooking up all the hoses properly, wiping off years of grime and dirt because you take pride in your work and want the engine bay to look as nice as the rest of the truck, figuring out that the radiator to throttle body coolant hose is one size at the radiator and another size at the TB so you cant just replace it with bulk heater hose so you reluctently leave the original one on there even know it is over ten years old, running to the auto store multible times because now that you have replaced the pump and all the hoses you figure you might as well replace the belt, tensioner and idler because the shroud and belt are off and now is a good time. not really that easy.