Waterpump question
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Waterpump question
Seems like my waterpump is on it's way out. Not getting heat out of the rear and th front is not near as hot as it should be. Feeling the radiator hoses I really can't feel coolant flowing so i figure the fins are pretty worn on the pump. So looking at replacement pumps should i go with a ford or an aftermarket seems as there is quite a price difference between the two. If I go with an aftermarket will it flow the same as a factory pump? Any input will be appreciated.
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What year Expy? I am not familiar with Expy Water Pumps, and whether they use plastic or metal fins, so if it is metal, it is possible to have the fins completely corroded, especially if you don't make coolant replacement/flush part of your reg maintenance. I do it every year, I think the recommendation is every 2 years. ?????
Also, like alloro said, it could be a blockage in the heater core or as simple as thermostat.
Also, like alloro said, it could be a blockage in the heater core or as simple as thermostat.
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I just put a new thermostat in it today and tested it in boiling water before i installed it. If the heater cores were blocked up would'nt i still get good pressure in the upper radiator hose? Right now i can pinch the hose shut with ease and feel nothing flowing through it, just assumed it was a sign of the waterpump going bad. It is a 99 expy, I am unsure of the prior maintanance done to it as I just got it a year and a half ago.
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I just put a new thermostat in it today and tested it in boiling water before i installed it. If the heater cores were blocked up would'nt i still get good pressure in the upper radiator hose? Right now i can pinch the hose shut with ease and feel nothing flowing through it, just assumed it was a sign of the waterpump going bad. It is a 99 expy, I am unsure of the prior maintanance done to it as I just got it a year and a half ago.
Check the heater core hoses.
If you have air trapped in the heater core (from low coolant levels), the input hose will be hot, and the outlet hose will be cool. If both hoses are cool, then you have a problem with the water pump and need to replace it. By cool, I mean you will be able to grab hold of them without burning your hands!
If it turns out you were low on coolant and need to get the air out of the heater core, drive your truck up on ramps, remove the radiator cap (please make sure the radiator is cool before doing so) and start the truck and turn your heat on HIGH. Let the air escape...
Fleet Owner
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If the coolant wasn't flowing, the engine would be overheating. Keep in mind that coolant does not flow through the upper hose until after the engine has reached full temperature and the t-stat is opened up. Even then, the flow is minimal at idle.
Flow through the heater cores has very little to do with the flow through the upper hose. The two systems are parallel to each other. So even if one of them were clogged, coolant would still flow through the other.
After say a 5 mile drive down the highway...
How hot are your heater hoses?
Is your temperature gauge at it's normal position?
Is your coolant bottle filled to the HOT line?
Is your dash temperature dial turned up to hot?
(Don't laugh, I once spent two days back and forth helping someone troubleshoot a no heat situation only to find out the **** was all the way to the left for full cold air.)
Flow through the heater cores has very little to do with the flow through the upper hose. The two systems are parallel to each other. So even if one of them were clogged, coolant would still flow through the other.
After say a 5 mile drive down the highway...
How hot are your heater hoses?
Is your temperature gauge at it's normal position?
Is your coolant bottle filled to the HOT line?
Is your dash temperature dial turned up to hot?
(Don't laugh, I once spent two days back and forth helping someone troubleshoot a no heat situation only to find out the **** was all the way to the left for full cold air.)
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New User
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Coolant level is good no leaks. I have'nt tested the cap I will do that tommorrow. The heater hoses in the rear are both hot. When I turn the rear heat on it is hot for about 10 secs then turns cold and the heater core is cool to the touch then. Turn off the heat for a min and the heater core warms up again and same thing ocurs when I turn the heat on. Up front the heat is only about 100 degrees comeing out of the vents. I had the rear interior tore apart yesterday to verify blend door operation.
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Fleet Owner
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When I turn the rear heat on it is hot for about 10 secs then turns cold and the heater core is cool to the touch then. Turn off the heat for a min and the heater core warms up again and same thing occurs when I turn the heat on. Up front the heat is only about 100 degrees coming out of the vents.
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Mountain Pass
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My 97 Expy, heats up fine but coolant is spilling out of the cap after I drive for about 6 miles. I just recently changed the t-stat, heater core (front) and the blend door (I broke that trying to get to the heater core). The hose coming off of the t-stat housing is cold to the touch, but there is pressure in the system. The bottom radiator hose is only warm I can grab it and hold on to it, so it's not hot. The heater core hoses are hot and I can't hold onto those. Could I have a water pump issue? I didn't mean to steal the topic but it seems like alloro is right about the heater core being clogged.
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From: Westford, MA
Most of the time a waterpump will leak before it lets go. If you can't feel the flow of coolant it may be an air pocket in the system.
What you can do is WHILE THE TRUCK IS COLD take off the radiator cap and see where the fluid level is at.
Start the truck up with the radiator cap off and let it run,blast the heat inside the cab to get everything circulating around,and see if the fluid level drops inside the radiator.
If it does an air pocket has more than likely worked it's way free, add more anti freeze until the level is up again, and see if it continues to drop.
Also if the level of the fluid keeps dropping pressure test the system,to see there it's leaking from.
Let me know if this has helped.
Tony
What you can do is WHILE THE TRUCK IS COLD take off the radiator cap and see where the fluid level is at.
Start the truck up with the radiator cap off and let it run,blast the heat inside the cab to get everything circulating around,and see if the fluid level drops inside the radiator.
If it does an air pocket has more than likely worked it's way free, add more anti freeze until the level is up again, and see if it continues to drop.
Also if the level of the fluid keeps dropping pressure test the system,to see there it's leaking from.
Let me know if this has helped.
Tony
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Most of the time a waterpump will leak before it lets go. If you can't feel the flow of coolant it may be an air pocket in the system.
What you can do is WHILE THE TRUCK IS COLD take off the radiator cap and see where the fluid level is at.
Start the truck up with the radiator cap off and let it run,blast the heat inside the cab to get everything circulating around,and see if the fluid level drops inside the radiator.
If it does an air pocket has more than likely worked it's way free, add more anti freeze until the level is up again, and see if it continues to drop.
Also if the level of the fluid keeps dropping pressure test the system,to see there it's leaking from.
Let me know if this has helped.
Tony
What you can do is WHILE THE TRUCK IS COLD take off the radiator cap and see where the fluid level is at.
Start the truck up with the radiator cap off and let it run,blast the heat inside the cab to get everything circulating around,and see if the fluid level drops inside the radiator.
If it does an air pocket has more than likely worked it's way free, add more anti freeze until the level is up again, and see if it continues to drop.
Also if the level of the fluid keeps dropping pressure test the system,to see there it's leaking from.
Let me know if this has helped.
Tony
Mountain Pass
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I did what Tony said, I took off the cap and it hissed, so there was pressure in the system from running the engine yesterday. I started the engine let it warm up, cranked up the heat, I would rev up the engine and I could see the coolant in the tank go up and down every time I reved the engine. I stopped reving the engine and then the tank overflowed. I let it run and placed my hand around the top hose and it started to get hot then I could feel the hose pulsate and I could see the bubbles start coming up from the bottom of the tank. I let the engine run for about 10 more min. and I drove for about 13 miles and relly hot air comes out of the vents, and no issues with overflowing. It looks like air was the problem that I was having. Thank you all for you help and I hope that this is a lesson that air in the cooling system is bad.
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Took your advice alloro and flushed the cores, you were right on. I can roast myslef out of the truck now. Flushed the rear core first due to ease of access and looking at the front one it looked like a lot of trouble to get at so I found an easy way to flush the front one. I used the hoses at the back core and pinched off the front lines on the tee side that lead back to the engine. Saved the trouble of haveing to protect the plug wells from a watery mess. Thx for the advice guys.
Fleet Owner
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Hey good thinking! Anyone that has ever tried to disconnect the hoses going to the front core, understands how hard they are to get at and remove.
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