Hey all. I recently bought a '96 F250 7.3L PSD. It started leaking coolant from the bottom of the water pump (gasket has started breaking apart in a small spot) so I figured it's time to replace it. The hoses and radiator are original and have not been replaced so I'm planning on going ahead and doing those as well. I'm purchasing most parts from RockAuto and the total parts cost is starting to get a little high, so I'm trying to find places to save a little money. A few questions with this in mind:

1. Between the Gates and Motorcraft water pump, the Gates is almost half the price. Is the difference in quality negligible enough to go with the Gates instead of the MC?
2. I'm planning on going with a Spectra Premium radiator. I don't currently use the truck for heavy towing or anything like that, so sticking with a plastic/aluminum radiator seems reasonable. TYC and OSC also make radiators at a reasonable price. How does the Spectra compare?
3. If I'm already doing the water pump, hoses, and radiator, would it make sense to replace the fan clutch and coolant reservoir as well or are these safe to skip if there aren't any major issues?
4. Is there a parts list anywhere for doing a water pump replacement? I want to make sure I'm not missing anything. I'd hate to get halfway through and realize I'm missing an O-ring or something.
5. I've heard getting the fan clutch off is the hardest part. Any recommendations for doing this effectively?

This is my first time tackling a job like this so any recommendations or opinions would be much appreciated. Thanks.

 

I’m running a gates water pump on my truck 5 years still no issues. Get new water pump bolts. Clutch fan I use a punch and hammer to break nut free. Still have my factory coolant over fill on my truck no issues yet.

 

I would get the motorcraft water pump. I’ve used the top end NAPA pump with good results, but was in a pinch. Get in the habit of always sourcing a motorcraft part if available when replacing anything on the truck. You will also need the thermostat housing, housing gasket, thermostat, and the lower outlet elbow and gasket. If your coolant reservoir is gnarly, then replace it. Make sure when replacing your radiator, the rubber isolators on the core support are present and in good shape. Otherwise electrolysis issues to come.

The thermostat housing and the lower elbow on the water pump usually are corroded and you should replace them so they seal. Check out riffraff diesel and get Motorcraft parts.

The fans easy to get off with the loaner tool from Auto zone or such. Personally, I like to use the fan clutch wrench versus beating on the nut. Just make sure you stick the tabs on the water pump gasket into the water pump and don’t pinch it on installation. It’s pretty straightforward.

My dealer has concentrated Motorcraft green coolant for $17 a gallon. Consider flushing the entire system including the block if you can. Lots of sediment will come out. Also get VC8 additive for coolant.

I’ve concluded that most aftermarket aluminum radiators including Micci Moto look nice but get about three or four years out of them. Nothing is built quality anymore

 

I would run the Gates WP with no issues. MC parts are good, but Gates stuff is pretty decent quality as well. I am still on my OEM WP at 250k miles so even if you only get 100k out of the Gates it's well worth it in my opinion.

Fun fact: My supervisor and like 5 other people at my company used to work for Gates!