Thanks Whitey!

 

Ford also sells an RTV in a 5.5 oz tube for use on the 7.3, but it is grey. I have used it on water pumps with no problems.

 

My airtex lasted 40K before leaking out the seep hole. Maybe I provoked it a bit because I was running my ELC too lean (small leak on t-stat made me add water a couple times) and my coolant definitely had rust in it. Bought a motorcraft (felt a bit heavier?) and put a bead of high-temp red rtv around the gasket. Not a drop so far. Oh, and I put a small bead of rtv around the airtext also which didn't leak itself. When I pulled the airtex, i noticed the t-stat gasket rolled during installation which caused the leak there. Hopefully the thorough flush, second new $90 batch of Rotella ELC, new motorcraft radiator, and hoses will keep me on going strong (at least on the cooling side) for a while.

 

The original pump on my truck died after 140k. What makes you think an OEM pump is going to last 200k?

 

Final Charge ELC coolant and the fact that I've had a coolant filter in my system for a long time so there should be no casting sand left in it to hurt the seal.

 

Honestly, I'd be happy if any replacement part lasted as long as the original.

 

Exactly. Why do the original pumps last so long verses ALL the others?

 

That is the $64,000 question that man has been asking for ages and it is not just water pumps, it includes engines transmissions and most anything else mechanical.

 

*Disclaimer - I like posting information because I have it and like to share. I am not trying to instigate anything or promote anything, just sharing knowledge. This post is in no way affiliated with a company I work for that does not currently sponsor the forums....... O_O pleasedontbuymystuffcuzofthispostgobuyclays

That's because branding.

Once upon a time, Ford had a contract with a company to make their water pumps and brand them as "Motorcraft". Years later, that contract expired.

Do they come with a Ford logo? Absolutely not.
Are they a Motorcraft part? Nope because that's a brand name and you didn't buy it from Ford.
Is it still the same as the OE pump. Yep.
Is that company Airtex? OMG NO, WHERE DID THIS RUMOR COME FROM??

Airtex is an aftermarket manufacturer who makes product based of OE design. IE: Dorman

If Clay is advertising a genuine OEM water pump and not using lingo like above, then it's probably really an OEM one. No reason to assume it's not because of a lack of Ford / Motorcraft logo.

Also, about the China thing:
Parts are assembled in North America and the housings are forged overseas. Obviously, a big ole' CHINA stamp looks bad but it's just the reality.

HOLLA,
Gettin' paid for typing this from my
iphone 4 samsung NOTE 7500 computron!

 

Strictly Diesel has original Alliant pumps. I have had two. They are great.

 

Consider using Aviation Form-A-Gasket on the mating surfaces, and in the o-ring groove, too. It's good stuff, and has served me well for over fifty years.

All surfaces first have to be clean and dry!

Another product that I have seen used with a lot of success is 3M Super Weatherstrip Adhesive (comes in both black and yellow), but it can be "stringy".

I find the Form-A-Gasket stuff is a lot easier to work with. Comes in a can with a brush-in-the-lid. Reminds you a little of thin tar (but it isn't).

Your tip for the day from an old fart.

Pop

 

Anyone that experienced sub par WP performance, running a bypass cooler?

I'm running a guzzle setup bypass, Airtex pump with 150k..(1/11 install). My OEM is on the shelf, 100k on I with no issue

 

I've got about 120,000 miles on this pump (the truck's second one) WITH a Baldwin bypass filter system that's been on there almost all of those miles (since 2010).

Still got green coolant, too, with DCA-2 (sometimes known as BTE) SCA.

Pop