Today I installed a new water pump, after many other repairs. Figured i'd be on the safe side and replace the 20yo pump since I had the front end of motor off anyways. As I was filling the rad back up with coolant just as much as I put in poured out of the pump. I found the problem to be the new pump had oblong journal openings, whereas the old pump has quarter dollar size round journal openings in the plate. I've called 3 different parts houses and all have the same oblong journal type pumps. Has anyone else ran into this? If so how did you go about getting correct parts?

Thanks,

'91 Bronco 4x4 auto 5.0L

 

Do you mean the oblongish openings pictured here?



That's just a picture I pulled from the autozone website for the pump matching your year and motor. I don't really know anything about the 5.0 motors but if your old pump is good still maybe you should clean that one up and re-use it?

 

I've replaced a whole bunch of 302 water pumps over the years, and IIRC they all had the bullet-shaped coolant passages in the water pump backing plate like the pic GJ is showing. The 351 is the same, I pulled the timing cover off the Bronco last spring and while at it I also replaced a slightly leaking water pump under life time part warranty.

Are you sure you picked the correct water pump backing plate to timing cover gasket? Small block Ford water pumps usually come with two or three gaskets in the box with the pump, the user chooses the proper one to fit at installation.

 

I was looking at some water pumps recently seemed like the late 80s stang had circles but my 302 had the oblong holes. Reason I was looking at this cause did a moto swap timing cover on the stang motor didn't line up with my pump think it had 351 timing cover oblong holes pointed opposite direction Idk maybe the stang pump will help you