AC Delco Water Pump, Made in China

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But it's assembled in the U.S. and has Canadian-made F.A.G. bearings. I was glad to find something with brand name bearings, since it's driven by the timing chain (2.4L Quad4) and the cost of the pump is minor compared to the work to change it. The Cardone reman and new Chinese NAPAs used unmarked bearings.
 
It's for a '99 Sunfire GT. 120k miles. Not bad life for a water pump, but I was sure hoping the original pump would last longer. I drain and replace the radiator every 30k with 60/40 Dexcool.

It has been driven about 1200 miles since I noticed the dampness under the water pump, but the reddish fluid was dripping onto the drive shaft right by the transmission seal so I had assumed that the transmission seal was the one that was weeping (there hasn't been enough leakage to drip onto the ground yet). Then the pump started to get noisy and I looked a little closer.
 
Originally Posted By: GMBoy
And worse yet - GM is contemplating selling off AC/Delco.


My understanding was that AC/DELCO was just a "branding" company nowadays and not really owning any sizable manufacturing concerns.
 
Originally Posted By: rpn453
It's for a '99 Sunfire GT. 120k miles. Not bad life for a water pump, but I was sure hoping the original pump would last longer. I drain and replace the radiator every 30k with 60/40 Dexcool.



120K miles is "not bad life for a water pump"? I've seen some cars that go their entire life with the original water pump. We had several Nissan products in the 80s that went to the junk yard or were sold with over 300K miles on them with the original pump.
I have a Ford sitting in my driveway with over 200K miles on it and the pump has never been changed.

On some of the GM forums, some of the OEM water pumps are making around 50K miles. I have a Trailblazer with less than 50K and the pump needs replaced. The bearings are going bad.
 
Originally Posted By: Hootbro
Originally Posted By: GMBoy
And worse yet - GM is contemplating selling off AC/Delco.


My understanding was that AC/DELCO was just a "branding" company nowadays and not really owning any sizable manufacturing concerns.


That is pretty much true. Even the oil filters are split between Delphi and Champion I believe. Used to be a time I'd go out of my way just for the AC/Delco part, not much anymore accept for some electricl parts.
 
Originally Posted By: oldmaninsc
120K miles is "not bad life for a water pump"? I've seen some cars that go their entire life with the original water pump.


I would hope that the average water pump does last longer than 120k miles! Really, 10 years and 120k miles on a part isn't good, but it's not that bad, especially as an isolated incident. I've changed the alternator and a muffler strap (twice - must be a sacrificial anode!). Everything else has been routine maintenance.
 
Never having to replace a waterpump has gone the way of the dodo. Back before the switch to extended life coolants You'd maybe have to do one about every fifteen-twenty years. The last fifteen years or so GM seems to be installing disposable water pumps on their engines. I usually get about seventy thousand miles out of one now. Make sure you get one with a lifetime warranty.
 
The first waterpump change (warranty) on my 2006 GMC Sierra Denali pickup (6.0L) happened at 12,000 miles. Waterpumps really have no set written lifespan to predict failure by. I've had them go 200k miles, 70k, and 12k and everything in between. Atleast with hoses/belts/plugs etc you got some idea.
 
Originally Posted By: kingrob
Never having to replace a waterpump has gone the way of the dodo. Back before the switch to extended life coolants You'd maybe have to do one about every fifteen-twenty years. The last fifteen years or so GM seems to be installing disposable water pumps on their engines. I usually get about seventy thousand miles out of one now. Make sure you get one with a lifetime warranty.


Do you think that extended life coolants such as Dexcool are contributing to the early failures? The other vehicles I service use the standard green stuff, so it would be more convenient in the long run for me to go green on this one too.
 
Quote:
Do you think that extended life coolants such as Dexcool are contributing to the early failures? The other vehicles I service use the standard green stuff, so it would be more convenient in the long run for me to go green on this one too.


Maybe its coincidental, I don't know. I just know that on the older cars that took "conventional" green I never experienced regular water pump failures (or intake gasket leaks, sludged radiators, etc.) I never had to ever replace a radiator until we started getting cheap plastic radiators on our cars, about the same time as Dex-Cool came out.

Maybe it's a combination of cheaper parts and cruddy anti-freeze?
 
Originally Posted By: rpn453
Do you think that extended life coolants such as Dexcool are contributing to the early failures? The other vehicles I service use the standard green stuff, so it would be more convenient in the long run for me to go green on this one too.


I change my Dexcool every 6 months - 50% coolant to 50% distilled water.
 
I got 135K on my stock WP in my LT1. (cam driven waterpump). I got 10K out of the bosch 100% brand new replacement. Since some idoit put a f-car WP in the B-car box, I ended up with a Fenco reman. That lasted about 20,000 miles. The bearing was still fine, but I had some weeping coming from one of the press fit heater pipes so I replaced it with a duralast pump.

Gf has 116K on her waterpump. With Dexcool nonetheless. I just changed the Dexcool out 16,000 miles ago, and guess what it looked nice and orange
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My 89 caprice had a somewhat loud waterpump, but it was still going at 220K!
 
Originally Posted By: Merkava_4
Originally Posted By: rpn453
Do you think that extended life coolants such as Dexcool are contributing to the early failures? The other vehicles I service use the standard green stuff, so it would be more convenient in the long run for me to go green on this one too.


I change my Dexcool every 6 months - 50% coolant to 50% distilled water.


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my 96 sunfire has had two coolant changes with dexcool in the past 12 years
I'm still on the original water pump.
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I guess no one remembers the WPs in the 70's and 80'-depending on the car, you caould be replac ing every 50K miles.
My 77 Trans AM with 400 Pontiac ate its first WP at 26K

I think we've come a long way-probably due to serpentine belts and lower angular stress on the bearings
Steve
 
No problems with Honda pumps prematurely failing, belt or chain driven. Sometimes the gasket will start to weep a little bit, usually not. Haven't seen any with noisy bearings. Honda uses extended life coolant now (blue colored), supposedly good till 105k, we'll see how that goes. I prefer the old 45k interval for replacement.
 
Originally Posted By: steve20
I guess no one remembers the WPs in the 70's and 80'-depending on the car, you caould be replac ing every 50K miles.
My 77 Trans AM with 400 Pontiac ate its first WP at 26K

I think we've come a long way-probably due to serpentine belts and lower angular stress on the bearings
Steve


I remember cars back to the 50's, and I've had cars of many different makes and models. I had several GM cars in the 60's and I only remember replacing one water pump on a 63 Olds Super 88 with about 150K miles on it. I was the second owner and was very good friends with the original owner.
Like I said before, we had many Japanese vehicles from the 70's and 80's that the water pumps lasted a long time - 200K miles or more - (like I mentioned earlier) some the life of the vehicle.

But I will admit the 70's - especially late 70's/early 80's American cars DID seem to have a lot more problems than they should.

But I question if we've really made that much progress when a GM SUV that cost $30,000 - $50,000 new - have water pumps that last 50K miles or less.
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