water pump diagnosis
 

I can really use some help here on my '96 F 150 with 351 Windsor. My water pump is leaking and on Monday I plan to buy me a new one for 30 bucks at Napa.

however...Kseal, cost 14.00 and for a few bucks more I can get a new WP. I don't have a way of pressure testing it because I have no damn tools. Would using k seal clog up my heater or other parts? my cousin who's not a mechanic was gonna help me with this but he does know how to fix things. he's 60.

Just wanting to know if the kseal thing could ruin something if not properly diagnosed. ANY TIPS mechanically wise on performing this tomorrow will be of great help. Im going to look at a few more Utube videos on the change out. Thanks a lot.

Go with the new water pump. That "seals everything and won't hurt anything" stuff should only be used for an emergency to get home. Then dumped and flushed right away.

Tried some KW Block seal that all the parts guys said would cure the head gasket issue I had once.........5 gallons of diesel later and a tear down cured it, worked perfect!

Save the 14 bucks, you can use it foe some beer or a new cuss word dictionary.

I would never put anythiing in my radiator again, other then water and antifreeze. You never know what that stuff will do. You water pump is how old? nothing lasts forever. Replace it.

I appreciate it. and your right..it's a good way to put it..nothing lasts forever. I bought this truck in august of last year so I don't know much about it other than what previous owner told me. im surprised a wp is only 30 bucks. that's some pretty good news.

maybe I should replace the thermostat also...well, I hope to have this done by Tuesday. I don[t have the tool to remove the belt so I hope I don't screw this up. i'll stop by this shop in town and ask for a few tips. hopefully they won't get mad

Auto Zone and O'Reily's have free loaner tools, might check with them.

i forgot to mention that the fan blades were tight and didn't wiggle around. I went onto you tube again today and i'm having trouble with the videos not loading up. Not even the 6 second advertisements are running.

well, I haven't installed my new water pump yet but today I drove 40 miles RT to town and back and stopped off at a few place and once back home, no water pump leak. this is weird. I noticed it wasn't leaking around home town either doing a few errands.

before taking off I poured in good fresh water, started up the truck and added more to top off and took off down the hwy.

Maybe the wp doesn't leak on Tuesdays... lol...

Ok, have an update to my water pump situation....Turns out of course I'm lame. I mean of course I'm lame, when most of you guys installed yoru first WP when u were in h.s.

my cousin looked at the wp and noticed a bolt head was broken off. Now this shop I took it to for an eval. twice did not even notice there was a bolt head missing. they also didn't notice the transmission mount was broke off too, months ago concerning my drive line prob.

I had to have another set of eyes check that out. I won't take it to this local shop because they just don't know how to use their eyes.

at any rate....I don't think it is my water pump. Seems that the gasket is leaking from the bottom because up top everything is dry.

the leak comes from underneath so if in fact it is from the broken loose bolt i'll have to no doubt get it out of there...I just don't have the money to pay someone. can anyone recommend Kseal? as a temp fix until I find myself back to work? Remember it didn't leak after my 40 mile round trip drive on monday. still leaks but to a bear minimum. no leaks from last night. I'm moving to Reno, so i hope to find work there and will have the truck looked at throughout. thanks

I would keep putting water in until I could get the bolt out. I would never put that junk in my engine.

My money is on a bad water pump seal, which usually leak out the bottom through a weep hole. You will probably have to take the w/p off to get the bolt out anyway. Get your mind off of the Kseal, it will do more harm than good. W/p should slip over the bolt, if the head is completely gone, if not, you may have to grind it a little. Put a new pump back on regardless.

ok, thanks guys. it's a done deal then. no kseal.

No such thing as a "mechanic in a can"

Then where do they go to take a dump??????:think:

thanks guys and sorry for not posting in a while...I called a mobile mechanic, after I had the fan and shroud off and all but 1 bolt and a few other nuts off and just got stuck and gave up. He shows up knowing is all I had was a steelhead rod, new at that but he was one heck of a great guy. he just went out and bought me a new water pump, and installed it and I finished up on the fan and such and had to get help with the hoses. darn spring loaded was a pain. took it to a shop here in town and they tightened up what I missed and gave me and tightened 3 darn bolts to the fan that I dropped and never found.