I was heading home from work today running 60 mph. Saw the temp gage jump up to L in normal, so I pulled over to the side of the highway to check the radiator.
Full...and just warm. Odd, so I chalked it up to the dash flaking out like the oil pressure does.
I get maybe two miles down the road and she starts slowing down, crap, shove the clutch in and it dies Great no power steering to make the frontage road turn.
Made it and rolled to a stop. Popped the hood and she's whistling from somewhere on the passenger side of the block to the front. I grab a jug from the bed and hoof it to the burger shack up the road for water. When I got back and dumped it in, the water didn't hesitate to come right back out.
The gasket between the water pump backing plate and the timing cover puked out. So I called my pops for his truck and trailer, it was pouring out to fast to limp it 8 miles home.

​​​​​​​
Bottom up view with the air pump on the lower right.
​​​​​​​She finally started after cooling for twenty minutes but had a wicked misfire. After an hour she ran fine and I drove up the street real quick before tearing into it in case it was worse than just the pump

 

Is this the 5.0L you're limping along to buy time to build a 5.8L? Might have to put a little more hop in your step toward the build! That's a bummer though, its no fun being left on the side of the road.

Are you thinking new water pump and keep driving it?

 

Yes same one. And I have everything to put it together minus finishing the heads. Just a couple exhaust manifold bolts to extract and one intake bolt.
​​​​​​​If I worked a normal work schedule I'd probably have it done by now. But, I've been on 6 13s for over a year lol. And the last 6 months the Missus has had me remodeling the homestead. Out with the carpet and in with the hardwood and tile. Basically a 90 hour week haha. So I actually told her last week I need to get on the engine so I can have it ready to put in because mine isn't going to last much longer. Maybe this will convince her.

 

Well, new water pump from the parts house has been installed. Hit the you pull for a fan clutch assembly and radiator from a 250 and so far so good. So for 68 bucks she's got a darn near completely new cooling system that can be swapped over to the 5.8 later

 

That's a lot of working! While it's good to have the work, I don't envy that schedule. Good to hear it's running again, as it doesn't sound like you have the time to do a swap right now anyway.

 

Yes my schedule is pretty nonstop for work. Truth be told, since it wasn't catastrophic failure it was nice that it broke down, have a day off to do something other than the normal grind lol