I got a 1986 F-250 xlt lariat with the 6.9. Came down to visit my parents in the truck. Second day here (not the drive down, luckily) I notice a puddle under the truck coming from my oil cooler. Picked up a new set of o-rings from Ford for about $30. That was, for me, the worst job I've ever done on a vehicle and I don't wish that on anyone Got it changed with me and my dad and its fine. flushed the coolant and oil systems just in case but they didnt look that bad.

Fired it up the next day and found it leaking from my water pump. Everything's hitting me at once and I'm not even home to really make things easier. I've done water pumps before, on my s-10 and my wife's car. Went and got a new pump from oreily's that came with the gasket and top bolts. Got it changed mildly easy without the clutch fan tool and put it back together and it leaked again.

I took it all apart again today and went and got a new fel-pro gasket thinking that maybe i got a cheapy one with the pump and SLOWLY and METHODICALLY put it on. Mating surface was clean enough to eat off of. My dad and I slowly, one on each side placed it straight on. Checked the bolts and edges with a telescoping mirror and everything was perfect but when we put fluid in it and ran it a bit there was a small leak. Like a few dips every 20 mins or so and I said whatever I'll fix it when I get home.

Went out to dinner and as soon as i shut it down at the parking lot it blew out like a faucet all over the restaurant lot.

I dont have a lot of time on my hands since I have to leave tomorrow so I'm gonna put this industrial grade sealant I have from my old job all the way around it until I have time to do something about it.

Is there a more serious problem happening? Its leaking out of the bottom of the water pump. I rtv'd all the bolts and everything was perfect.

I know its a lot to read but any help is appreciated. Thanks

 

"got a new water pump from oreily's"

that there is the problem ..

their parts are junk just that simple ..

i bought a starter from them because they offered the lifetime warranty ..

first one wen't slow after 6 months of light use ..

second one grinded teribly often when starting .. i thought it must need shims .. i took it off and upon inspection the gear in the nose had almost zero taper .. it was just flat not finished with rounded 'ramps' to slide it into the flywheel ..

grinded them into the correct shape and no more problems .. that is until this one fails for no reason in a few more months .. likely ..

glad i got the warranty AND kept the receipt .. but would rather not have to use it ..

i always ben gettin' my stuff from advance auto ... but i was broke and $150 ish for a lifetime warranty mitsu seemed like a great deal .. but .. i will not do it again ..

water pumps are supposed to leak 'a tiny bit' from the weep hole .. because here o rings on the shaft are lubricated by water and this keeps it free from obstruction .. though hardly anyone ever notices as it is a very ocassional drip that is normal ..

they probably are rebuilding water pumps without resurfacing the shaft or using new warped or poorly machined shafts .. which are just tearing out the o-rings again ..

unless you have major league contamination in your coolant it's just their part ..

 

and the coolants' pressurized and the orings are internal on the shaft ..

sealant on the outside is likely to have no effect .. it's just gonna blow out faster as the oring completely tears out .. i would repair it before driving any great distance or you'll likely be stranded ..

 

I'm usually an Advanced Auto guy myself. But where my parents live there's only Napa and Oreily's. Napa wouldnt be able to get it in before I left but Oreily's could get it that day. If I wasn't under such a time budget I'd wait for better parts. Atleast I knew enough not to go with the remanned...

 

Also here it sits 2 am for me and I took it off anyway. Shaft and everything is fine but I measured the edge and go figure its warped on the bottom driver side. Dont have time to deal with it so sealant it is until I get home.

still hope thats all it is.

 

where is it leaking from? the shaft, the gasket, or the bolts?

I haven't done the IDI water pump job, but I remember reading on this forum about something to do with the bolts needing to be sealed as well.

 

well that's good news .. at least sealing a bad edge will likely hold long enough to get you home .. oh yea .. when u get it fixed try the generic carquest brand coolant .. low silicate good stuff

 

Hi, This is the most recent thread on Water Pumps I came across. I was having a small leak of Coolant. Did not seem a weep hole leak. A little more flow but still small amount. I had very little play in fan? So, On line I came across someone selling a NOS Motorcraft Brand Water Pump for $79. It arrived in Original Box that had been opened. Inside was the Water Pump. My Question: This water pump had NO Ford markings on it. Only 4 numbers were molded into the casing. They are not Ford numbers that I know of. Could this be an Aftermarket or do some Ford / Motorcraft Brand Parts come without their Markings? The casing of it is a little rough. It does have a stainless pump blades?

 

Older thread and OP has probably fixed everything somehow but never reported.
I was going to replace my pump this week and new part came from Rock Auto on Saturday. So I opened the shipping box and found retail box inside which was broken like somebody dropped it on concrete floor. Pump was in plastic box with big letters MADE IN CHINA. F@&^! There also was a gasket in plastic, with the same writing. Gasket looks cheaply made and was damaged by the heavy pump being in the same box.
That pump from Rock Auto was Gates for $30 in case you want to know. Will be requesting RMA tomorrow.

 

Same here... Mine will be sent back with full refund! I contacted my local Ford Dealer and they still carry the correct Motorcraft Water Pump for $86. I believe its worth the price to know I'll only do this job once in the next ten years. It is not as easy a job as compared to other vehicles I've owned. I have read on here that some cheap brands have a high failure rate.

 

I did report. I took some super strong aircraft sealant and rounded the whole pump. Been holding for 6 months now.

 

You remind me of that old saying... " putty and paint make it what it ain't "