Overheating: Steam coming from top of water pump? What does that point too?

[5spd GT]

Well I popped the hood today and I had steam coming out of the little "bleed hole" from the water pump and I could here boiling water/coolant a bit. What could this be pointing to? What is blocked or happening?

Thanks for any ideas

 

[TomCat]

The little seal deal on the bearing is probably shot... Me thinks your water pump is gonna die. AFIK the weephole should never have coolant coming out of it.

 

[HISSIN50]

Yep, from the sound of it, the bearing on the pump is going south David. (be sure there is not a hose or back plate leak, which would flow down to the weep hole area).

If you want, you can pop the serp belt off and do a little tugging and pulling on the pump's pulley. You probably will feel some slop.

Good luck bud!

 

[5spd GT]

Thanks JT, so surely that isn't the reason for the overheating by itself...the waterpump does look older...I'll probably get one from autozone...

I am losing coolant by the way so I'm assuming headgasket is blown I was planning on replacing them anyways...can't wait...

 

[Mustang5L5]

I am losing coolant by the way so I'm assuming headgasket is blown I was planning on replacing them anyways...can't wait...

I would replace the water pump first.

Reason being that the water pump could be the cause of the overheating and the coolant loss and not an HG.

You could have an intermittent coolant loss through the botom weep hole and just never noticed it or the top weep hole coule have been steaming for a while. Also, bad waterpumps can cause overheating themselves.

WHat temp does your engine run at? Are you using an autometer gauge to confirm or the stocker. Coolant at normal operating temp will steam if released from the cooling system into normal atmosphereic pressure.

 

[HISSIN50]

David, you have more heart than I do. I know you have a ton of projects getting ready to go over the holiday here. Were I close to ya, I would come help you wrench some (and find a midget for that heater core. ).

A new pump is not too much money. A new one from the parts store is around 30 beans and I think guys get new FRPP or FMS pumps from Summit for like 50-70 bucks (dont hold me to that latter part).


Sounds like a small add-on for when you do the big tear down.

Good luck man!

 

[88_GT_5_oh]

I would replace it with a aftermarket higher flowinfg one personally, it'll flow alot better and will probably help your overheating problem. i figure with these kinda things, for the diff. in price its worth it to just get a quality aftermarket one.

 

[jrichker]

Some tips for replacing the water pump...

Take a cardboard box, & turn it upside down. Count the number of bolts that hold the water pump on, don’t forget to count the 4 funny looking studs too. Poke a hole in the box for each bolt/stud. Arrange the holes in a circular formation, and mark the box at the 12:00 point. When you remove a water pump bolt, put it in one of the holes in the box according to where it came out of the water pump. When you are done, all bolts will be arranged it the exact same order and position that you removed them from the water pump. That makes re-installing them easy, no wondering where does this bolt go.

A long shank tap should be used to chase the dirt & corrosion out of the original threads before you reassemble everything. Cleaning the threads will help prevent the bolts from seizing next time (yes, there will be a next time).

Use lots of antiseize on the bolts to protect them from corrosion and make them easier to remove next time.

A word about the links, if they don’t work, do a search on the part number (P/N). MSC updates their catalog regularly, and the pages may change, but the part numbers don’t. You will need the Adobe Acrobat viewer which is also a free download – http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html

Long shank 5/16” taps

http://www1.mscdirect.com/CGI/NNPDFF?PMPAGE=275 5/16” pulley tap, 6” shank P/N 04801189 price $14.26

OR second choice, will not clean all the bottom threads unless you grind the end of the tap.

http://www1.mscdirect.com/CGI/NNPDFF?PMPAGE=275 extension tap, 6” reduced diameter shank P/N 04701181 $16.17

See http://www.windsorfox.com/engtbk.htm for Stainless Steel Water Pump Bolts with Custom stainless steel studs. Allow the use of factory accessory brackets without hunting for obsolete parts or using spacers.

Kit comes complete with nine polished stainless 12 point bolts, four stainless studs and nine stainless oversized washers.

Price: $65.95

 

[2000xp8]

I would not buy a waterpump from autozone. I trust nothing they have other than oil and detailing products.

The FMS stock replacement pump is pretty cheap, if i remember correctly from buying one 6 months ago it was like $55, which is not much more than autozone is going to charge you.

Edit: in fact i just checked buyfordracing.com and it's $42.
Their prices are usually in line with most motorsport dealers. Sometimes i compare their prices to Downs ford.

 

[vristang]

I am losing coolant by the way so I'm assuming headgasket is blown I was planning on replacing them anyways...can't wait...

As mentioned by others don't get too worried about the head gaskets just yet. From what I understand any time there is a coolant leak when the system is hot, there will also be air leaking into the system when things cool down. When the system cools, air moves into the cooling system, displacing water, which causes the coolant loss. Each time the car heats up and cools back down, more coolant is lost. Hope that made sense.
Also air pockets in the cooling system will cause high and erratic temp readings, which would further contribute to your problems.

I dont' remember what I paid for my FlowCooler pump, but I've had it for several years now, and it is still in great shape.

Good luck 5sp GT

 

[Michael Yount]

" From what I understand any time there is a coolant leak when the system is hot, there will also be air leaking into the system when things cool down."

Not true. I've had two different vehicles with aluminum heads that had minute cracks that ONLY leaked coolant when the vehicle was at operating temperature. When cold there was no leak at all (coolant out or air in) -- not even when pressurizing the cooling system with the 'pump'. By the way, air is only gonna be drawn into system through a leak point if the pressure in the cooling system falls below atmospheric (partial vacuum). Depending on how the system is configured -- a partial vacuum on the cooling system may or may not occur.

 

[vristang]

" From what I understand any time there is a coolant leak when the system is hot, there will also be air leaking into the system when things cool down."

Not true. I've had two different vehicles with aluminum heads that had minute cracks that ONLY leaked coolant when the vehicle was at operating temperature. When cold there was no leak at all (coolant out or air in) -- not even when pressurizing the cooling system with the 'pump'. By the way, air is only gonna be drawn into system through a leak point if the pressure in the cooling system falls below atmospheric (partial vacuum). Depending on how the system is configured -- a partial vacuum on the cooling system may or may not occur.

Interesting.
What I described above was the best explanation I could come up with for what I had happen with my 2.3 when a small leak developed on one of the heater hoses. I was not losing enough coolant to notice the loss, but the erratic temps due to air pockets was quite noticeable. Maybe something else could have caused the temp fluctuations? I just tightened up the hose clamp, and the problem went away.
Where was the leak on the aluminum head vehicles you mentioned?
I guess the only way a coolant leak could allow air to enter the coolant system is if there is something wrong with the overflow system? The only way coolant system pressure should be able to get lower than atmospheric is if the overflow does not allow coolant to backfill the radiator, correct?
I'm just thinking out loud here so let me know if this makes sense.
jason

 

[Michael Yount]

Your reasoning makes sense to me Jason regarding overflow functioning.

Both cracks were in the combustion chamber in the head. One was repaired - aluminum welding/clean up. The other ran so close to the valve seat, we trashed the head and bolted on a good used one. One car was a 67 Datsun (now Nissan for you youngsters), and the other was a 70 Audi 100LS.

 

[Darkwriter77]

Just a side note, you'll probably wanna invest an extra $5 or so on that little L-shaped bypass hose off the pump, while you're at it. Those things are notorious (especially here in AZ) for getting all petrified and cracking or swelling and bursting over time. There might even be a tiny pinhole in it, now, and it could be spraying coolant onto the pump to mayhaps make it appear to be steaming from the top - exactly what happened to me with my '90 Town Car last year.

Either way, best to change it while you have the pump off, as that thing's a lot harder to maneuver into position with the pump fully attached as opposed to clamping one side onto the pump, sliding the hose on, and THEN bolting that bugger up.

 

[Michael Yount]

Couldn't agree more with darkwriter - that pesky little bypass hose is the cause of more t'stat housing and water pump leaks than any other single cause. People try to position/tighten things with it in place -- and it fights you all the way. It should always be completely removed BEFORE starting any work on t'stat or pump replacment, and never put back on until AFTER everything is bolted up snug. I replace it about every other time I have to work on those components. It's easier to just cut it off and put a new one on in my opinion.

 

[5spd GT]

Yep the bypass hose is on the list already

Mine doesn't look to good and it pretty much rusted/galled to the pump anyways...

I'm just wondering what pump to get now. Highflow or stock replacement? www.buyfordracing.com has a good price on a Ford stock piece...

http://www.buyfordracing.com/shop/product_info.php?products_id=386

 

[Michael Yount]

Stock one's fine --- high flow is wasted money and HP on your car (most of our cars) in my opinion.....

 

[HISSIN50]

David, that is a nice lookin pump for a nice price IMHO (at BFR - I would get that. ).

I wonder how much, if any, a HV pump helps at idle. And otherwise, I would begin to worry about hoses and stuff collapsing, or cavitation (I could be wrong).

 

[5spd GT]

A bunch of coolant was coming out of the bottom water pump hole this morning. Does that mean the bearing is shot even more right?

My car runs cools if I have a bunch of coolant in the radiator...

JT, I'll be looking for a midget

 

[TomCat]

Yep yep, time to break out the tools