Waterpump Diag
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Waterpump Diag
Is there a simple way to tell if a waterpump is actually pumping? It's not leaking.
New temp sender, t-stat, correct 195 from Advance, & 13lb cap. No heater core or fan shroud.
No cap on the radiator, full of straight water to the bottom of the neck. When the t-stat opened, water flowed out of the radiator. Put the cap on, dash-guage went straight to the upper mark indicating the Normal range -- and kept easing up.
Took the cap off, no overflow, water is 1" below the neck, not seeing any movement, but that could be misleading, mechanical guage reads ~200 inside radiator. Put the cap back on, upper hose feels like hot, well cooked linguini -- no pressure in system. Dash guage goes up beyond Normal.
Engine compartment smells a little hot. Took the cap back off, no overflow, water still at 1", read the radiator temp at ~200, shut engine off, Old Faithful from the rad, and definite sounds of boiling from the rad and block.
I didn't time it, but I don't think the total run time was over 20 minutes, 1/2 hour at the outside.
I have an Edlebrock pump that I intend on installing at some point, and I'll do it now if it'll solve the problem, but I want to know for sure.
New temp sender, t-stat, correct 195 from Advance, & 13lb cap. No heater core or fan shroud.
No cap on the radiator, full of straight water to the bottom of the neck. When the t-stat opened, water flowed out of the radiator. Put the cap on, dash-guage went straight to the upper mark indicating the Normal range -- and kept easing up.
Took the cap off, no overflow, water is 1" below the neck, not seeing any movement, but that could be misleading, mechanical guage reads ~200 inside radiator. Put the cap back on, upper hose feels like hot, well cooked linguini -- no pressure in system. Dash guage goes up beyond Normal.
Engine compartment smells a little hot. Took the cap back off, no overflow, water still at 1", read the radiator temp at ~200, shut engine off, Old Faithful from the rad, and definite sounds of boiling from the rad and block.
I didn't time it, but I don't think the total run time was over 20 minutes, 1/2 hour at the outside.
I have an Edlebrock pump that I intend on installing at some point, and I'll do it now if it'll solve the problem, but I want to know for sure.
MSEE
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 10,386
Likes: 35
From: Austin, TX
If the t-stat opened and you saw the radiator level fall down, then you know it's pumping because that's the only thing it that could have made that happen. If your upper radiator hose is heating up, that's another good sign. My guess is your pump is working - you might need to flush your coolant instead.
Lead Driver
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 6,628
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From: Albuquerque
Without the cap on the water may start to boil in the block and gush out the radiator. Water pumps don't normally fail without leaking badly or making lots of noise. Otherwise only if the impeller rusts away due to a lack of antifreeze.
Elder User
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 886
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From: Houston/Hope BC
The simplest way I know to tell if it is pumping is to take the t-stat out and look down the radiator neck, flow should be healthy torrent at idle and tend towards insane as RPM's increase.
GL
GL
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Joined: Aug 2001
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From: Delaware
Originally Posted by IowaTower
Is there a simple way to tell if a waterpump is actually pumping? It's not leaking.
New temp sender, t-stat, correct 195 from Advance, & 13lb cap. No heater core or fan shroud.
New temp sender, t-stat, correct 195 from Advance, & 13lb cap. No heater core or fan shroud.
Your thermostat may not be correct. Check this link.
http://www.flowkooler.com/thermos.php
Last edited by danlee; Jul 27, 2007 at 08:26 PM.
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