I am searching for the cause of repeated water pump failure on a 2011 super duty 6.2L gas engine? Original pump plus two autozone pumps since September 2017. Last one lasted two weeks.

 

any chance their is another issue? Could easily blockage somewhere preventing pump from moving water correctly.

 

tensioner froze up, belt too tight? wrong belt?

 

that seems more logical, don't know why I forgot those

 

I am not an autozone fan...

out of balance fan blade... fan clutch damaged
and as others have stated...

 

What's failing, the bearing or is it just leaking? I had two Napa water pumps leak on a Hyundai right after I installed them. They warranted them but I wasn't going to try another one so put a factory one one on and no problem. It turned out the finish on the part that the seal rides on was two corse making the seal leak.
Mark

 

Auto zone is the dollar store of parts stores. Advance is getting just as bad. When it comes to parts that are critical and/or labor intensive to change, I go oem or equivalent quality. I'm betting you just have defective parts. I worked at advance for 3 1/2 years while in high school and just out(man that was a while ago now). I've seen it happen many times.

 

I used Advanced for years... (contract)... but yes, they have gone down to Autozone level...

the deal breaker for me... 5 camshaft sensors in 1 week... for one customer's car. thankfully it was an easy change...but still.

 

Autozone and advance auto are maybe good for wiper fluid and that’s it! I’ve bought many parts from both only to have them fail. Last time I got drums for my wife’s Corolla and they where both warped. Finally learned my lesson. I would try a motorcraft water pump.

 

I believe the original pump failed due to a bearing failure. Coolant then leaked through the weep hole or seal. I believe the two subsequent pumps failed at the seal. The bearing / shaft turned smoothly when I checked them after removal. The tensioner pulley is not frozen up - it turns freely. The belt is the the original one and appears to be good. The fan clutch appears to be fine - I don't know how to test it? Could be just crappy autozone parts? I did not replace the thermostat because the engine never overheated - it just puked coolant out of the seal / weep hole. I would think that if a thermostat was stuck open that it would not over pressurize or damage a water pump seal? I have not driven the truck since the newest pump was installed.

 

Get a Motorcraft and be done with it.
Mark

 

You haven't by chance replaced your radiator cap recently have you? Any chance your cap is too high pressure? You can have your cap pressure tested.

That or just bad replacement parts.

I would suspect something is causing your coolant system to run over pressured, since you really shouldn't have lost your first water pump either.

 

Here was a water pump failure on a brand new truck. No detail root cause.

 

You could have a bad or out of balanced fan. That was the cause of the failure in the video. Just look at that cheesy piece of crap, probably from China too.

Water pumps can end up being junk right out of the box. Especially low dollar remans. Had an AC Delco professional water pump for a modular be bad right out of the box. Seal was installed improperly and damaged so it leaked. IMO a lot of bad water pumps are caused by low skilled monkeys putting them together and little to no QC. Throw together fast and cheap and out the door.

 

I wouldn't be surprised if the water pump and other engine parts are now made in china. I lost my plastic rear hub cap a couple weeks ago so I bought a new one from the Ford dealer. When installing I noticed on the interior side was molded "Made in china". So I of curiosity I removed the other rear plastic hub cap that's original to my truck and it didn't say where it was made, but I suspect it was made in the USA.