Water pump lubricant, do I use it?
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Senior User
Joined: Jul 2015
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From: Just north of DC
Water pump lubricant, do I use it?
Another short story, No heat in the cab and a temp gauge that doesn't move!
So I figured the temp gauge was broke and the heater core must be fouled!
So I pick up a couple of gallons of antifreeze concentrate and a new thermostat w/ gasket. Drain the fluid, open the thermostat housing and no thermostat! That should have been my first thought.
All back together and works great. Lots of good hot cab heat.
Now for my question, Should I add Water pump lubricant?
Thanks
Ulfie
So I figured the temp gauge was broke and the heater core must be fouled!
So I pick up a couple of gallons of antifreeze concentrate and a new thermostat w/ gasket. Drain the fluid, open the thermostat housing and no thermostat! That should have been my first thought.
All back together and works great. Lots of good hot cab heat.
Now for my question, Should I add Water pump lubricant?
Thanks
Ulfie
Post Fiend
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 5,831
Likes: 121
From: St Albert, Alberta
Another short story, No heat in the cab and a temp gauge that doesn't move!
So I figured the temp gauge was broke and the heater core must be fouled!
So I pick up a couple of gallons of antifreeze concentrate and a new thermostat w/ gasket. Drain the fluid, open the thermostat housing and no thermostat! That should have been my first thought.
All back together and works great. Lots of good hot cab heat.
Now for my question, Should I add Water pump lubricant?
Thanks
Ulfie
So I figured the temp gauge was broke and the heater core must be fouled!
So I pick up a couple of gallons of antifreeze concentrate and a new thermostat w/ gasket. Drain the fluid, open the thermostat housing and no thermostat! That should have been my first thought.
All back together and works great. Lots of good hot cab heat.
Now for my question, Should I add Water pump lubricant?
Thanks
Ulfie
Thread Starter
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Senior User
Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 132
Likes: 0
From: Just north of DC
Not needed in our trucks. Water pump lube was used in old style water pumps with packing nuts and bushings were talking the 1920's here. It is one of those things that carried over and never really died. Newer pumps have a mechanical seal (usually graphite and silicone carbide) that require no additional lubricants in the coolant.
Thank you.
Ulfie
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Aug 2016
Posts: 1,480
Likes: 6
From: Great White North
I have never heard of the lube but I did learn from a mechanic, who thought outside the box, a neat trick. If your cooling system is gummed up use powdered dishwasher detergent. Run the engine for 15-30 minutes and then drain and flush again before adding new coolant. If it is good enough to get your dishes clean then it should clean your system he said. I know this is a bit off topic but maybe someone will read it and try.
Post Fiend
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 5,831
Likes: 121
From: St Albert, Alberta
I have never heard of the lube but I did learn from a mechanic, who thought outside the box, a neat trick. If your cooling system is gummed up use powdered dishwasher detergent. Run the engine for 15-30 minutes and then drain and flush again before adding new coolant. If it is good enough to get your dishes clean then it should clean your system he said. I know this is a bit off topic but maybe someone will read it and try.
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Aug 2016
Posts: 1,480
Likes: 6
From: Great White North
That does make an interesting point and of course newer vehicles have more aluminum in them. I did actually try it on a 1979 Pontiac Grand Prix with a 301 V8 and had no issues. There was a lot of brown liquid that came out.
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From: Just north of DC
I knew I had seen a can of this in my work shop but it was hidden on a top shelf. here are some photos.
Ulfie
Ulfie
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From: Waterloo, Iowa
Hot water don't need heating, but that's what people call 'em. Likely marketing BS, people lie awake at night worried about their water pump lubrication. We got something to fix what ails 'em for only $14.95
Thermostat is important, year round, even in sunny climes, some engines running without one can over a short time fill with sludge, and piston cylinder wear is rapid. All the machined tolerances and clearance inside an engine are based on an engine running somewhere around 200°, running cold will waste gas, dilute oil, etc.
Thermostat is important, year round, even in sunny climes, some engines running without one can over a short time fill with sludge, and piston cylinder wear is rapid. All the machined tolerances and clearance inside an engine are based on an engine running somewhere around 200°, running cold will waste gas, dilute oil, etc.
Post Fiend
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 5,831
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From: St Albert, Alberta
The pump seal is not soft there is nothing to keep supple it has silicon carbide (ceramic) and graphite surfaces that mate to each other and are kept in tension with a spring it is similar to the seal used in your AC compressor and the same as seals in industrial application pumps. They do not need out side lubrication other than the coolant. Such seals are used in water pumps for steam heating plants where the environment is pretty harsh with lots of additives for scale and deposit prevention. The lubricant thing is a left over from an era were a packing gland was used.
See below of a pic of a water pump off a mid 1920's Buick.
The Lubricant in the coolant was used to help lubricate the packing gland so it did not wear the pump shaft and to lubricate the shaft bushing.
Some even had a grease nipple to lubricate the packing gland this was usually accompanied by a spacer (lantern seal) in the packing gland under the grease nipple. Such set ups are still used in some applications, prop shafts in boats for example.
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