I'll spare you all the story on why I have both of these, but I need to return one of them. They both seem flawlessly made. The NPW came with a substantial paper-like gasket, which is nice. The Aisin says to use form in place gasket/sealer and is OEM for my car. One will be going on the Vibe in my signature. Coin flip? Any thoughts? Thanks.
I have an NPW and an Aisin water pump. Which one should I install?
- Thread starter Jonas
- Start date
Aisin only because I've never heard of NPW
What's the vehicle/engine?
I know AAP sells NPW so it's not a complete crap shoot, presumably. BUT: Aisin really is the gold standard for accessory driveline products like that and many other things, like automatic transmissions. Unless the price difference was simply unbearable, I'd use the Aisin.
ETA: If the existing wp is installed with FIP, then do that. No guarantees, but it implies to me they used it for a reason and it may be that they view that as necessary given how well the tolerances on the mating surfaces are held - and that is proprietary knowledge the OE makers hold, not 3rd parties. If you DO use the paper gasket one, I would be sure to use a dressing like Aviation #3 to offset the risk.
ETA: If the existing wp is installed with FIP, then do that. No guarantees, but it implies to me they used it for a reason and it may be that they view that as necessary given how well the tolerances on the mating surfaces are held - and that is proprietary knowledge the OE makers hold, not 3rd parties. If you DO use the paper gasket one, I would be sure to use a dressing like Aviation #3 to offset the risk.
Aisin……..
Both are very high quality pumps. If the Aisin pump is designed for sealant and you couldnt use a gasket with it I would be inclined to go with the NPW simply because I do not like using silicone on water pumps
Yeah, that was my only reservation. The Aisin pump says to use some special FIP and gives a part number for it. I may just be paranoid, but I really only want to do this once haha.
Aisin. And Toyota hasn’t used RTV since the 1990s 1UZ-FE V8s, but I think one more engine calls for RTV. The Aisin WP for the 1NZ Prius/Yaris/Echo and early xA/xB/xD comes with a nice coated steel gasket. I’m seeing on Rock the 1ZZ-FE uses a O-ring to seal the pump. The 2AZ-FE doesn’t call for one.
If need be, Toyota FIPG 103(1207B), less than $20 at the dealer or the $80 1282B if you’re OCD and Toyota Pink SLLC or Dex-Clone/Cor-Guard is being used. TBH, the cheap Toyota FIPG or Permatex Right Stuff Gray 90 Minute will work. Use the more expensive stuff for the coolant passages between the block and timing cover and Valley plates.
If need be, Toyota FIPG 103(1207B), less than $20 at the dealer or the $80 1282B if you’re OCD and Toyota Pink SLLC or Dex-Clone/Cor-Guard is being used. TBH, the cheap Toyota FIPG or Permatex Right Stuff Gray 90 Minute will work. Use the more expensive stuff for the coolant passages between the block and timing cover and Valley plates.
NPW looks legit in its own right, but Aisin is OEM on various brands, and on vehicles such as Volvos, owners and even some dealers will say don't bother preventive maintenance changing the water pump when doing the timing belt at 90k or so because the pump is so durable just preventive maintenance change it at the second timing belt change.
no pictures? 
I'd use the NPW just based on the gasket alone
2009 Vibe/Matrix 2.4l 2AZ FE 4cyl engine
The Aisin impeller sure looks a LOT beefier. If using FIPG doesn’t scare you off.
Odd....the water pump that came in the Aisin timing belt kit for the Lexus came with a gasket; one of those metal ones with the silicone bead around the perimeter. Toyota says to use FIPG.
Gasket or FIPG, doesn't make much difference to me. Once you learn to work with FIPG, it's not a huge deal - less is more.
Look. Must be made for the WP in question.
Gasket or FIPG, doesn't make much difference to me. Once you learn to work with FIPG, it's not a huge deal - less is more.
Look. Must be made for the WP in question.
A long time ago, when smaller parts houses affiliated with CarQuest/Federated/AutoPride existed before the current form of O’Reilly/AZ/AAP and before Aisin’s aftermarket push they would order you a GMB, ASCO(Aisin’s old aftermarket brand) Paraut or NPW water pump for a Japanese car from IMC/AD Automotive instead of a Taiwanese or Chinese Beck-Arnley one.
Now, Chinese pumps in a Gates/parts store box rule, unless you can get an Aisin, NPW or Hitachi.
Also, if you must use the paper gasket, unless it’s a Fel-Pro with a printed sealing bead, Permatex high-tack or Aviation Form-A-Gasket on both sides of the gasket will be your friend. If it’s a Fel-Pro, only apply dope on the “naked” side towards the pump.
The reason for this is the paper gasket will eventually stick, Permatex’s high-tack/Aviation claims to keep a “soft-set” and not “dry” so it’ll make life easier for repairs.
The reason for this is the paper gasket will eventually stick, Permatex’s high-tack/Aviation claims to keep a “soft-set” and not “dry” so it’ll make life easier for repairs.
Toyota oddly enough calls for ThreeBond 1282B for coolant sealing - it says it’s LLC(red, benzoate) and SLLC(pink, sebacate, similar to Prestone’s Dex-Clone based Cor-Guard) compatible.
However, dealer techs will use 1207B(FIPG 103) for everything, ThreeBond says it’s compatible with LLC - and that’s that Aisin is going off of. I assume for warranty work, a tech will use the proper 1282B RTV. FWIW, I had no problems sealing the front water bypass on a 1UZ-FE Lexus V8 with FIPG103 and that car saw Toyota red coolant exclusively. My parent’s Sienna I had to reseal the valley plate on, and I opted for the more expensive 1282B due to my choice of coolant, Prestone that uses both sebacate and 2-EHA.