sbc eats water pumps

Anyone have an idea why my 350 crate eats water pumps..Put one on last year to go to Kerrville and the new one is leaking now. Belts are not too tight..

 

Cheap pulleys that are out of round, revving it way to high (had a friend who went through water pumps in highschool, because he'd always slam the auto trans down into 1st and zing the wee out of the engine), or the pulleys aren't aligned.

Check there. Past that, I dunno.

-Brad

 

Too many spacers on the fan will do it too.

 

Cheap water pumps?

 

If you think you're over-reving the water pump, they make larger pulleys to slow it down. You could measure yours and check the junk yards for one a little larger,

 

So will an out-of balance fan, and a locked up fan clutch.
You say the belts arent too tight, but if all your accessories are on one side of the engine, it'll pull on that bearing.

Dexcool aint good either.

 

you can always put an electric one on and not have to worry about it.

 

Use GM pulleys. New auto store pumps. Alt on left a/c on right. Alan grove mounts with a idler for a/c belt slap. Electric fan. Pulleys are matched for size. ????

 

DITTO!

 

Had a similar problem with an old malibu i had. Went through 3 pump's in one year, usually blowing seal's and leaking through the weep hole after higher rpm 'games'..
Went with a new, not rebuilt pump and never had the problem again..and that was with the same fan and pulleys.
I now only use new, higher quality pump's in everything i build and have never had a problem since.


Tony

 

Went through a series of "rebuilt" fuel pumps,many years ago.
At least 4,bought in different places,different prices.
By the marking on the box,all from the same rebuilder.

Finally found a different source,no more problems.

 

sounds stupid, but check your belt tension- too tight and you'll do a pump in nice and quick (translate as I did the same thing too many times as a teen).

 

you did have anti freeze in it right? those seals need lube

 

It's called autozone. Seriously, never heard of such a problem. However, some of these autopart stores really have some **** anymore. Most of it gets rebuilt south of the border with substandard parts and labor. Try Napa or some higher grade auto parts store or even your gm dealer.

 

If they puleys aren't bent, or misaligned and you aren't runnign a fan off it (as you said yours is electric), not overspeed, belts aren't too tight (as you say they're not ) and you are running antifreeze, then X3 on a ****py pump.

I know they're spendy but have you tried one of the Edelbrock pumps? They are supposed to have bigger bearings (a****st other things).

You also might try an annode (in case it's a corrosion problem).

 

You can't over-rev a stock pump. The engine will self-destruct long before a quality pump will. I agree with the "junk pump" guys, the only thing that will screw a good pump is a bad fan, and you aren't running one.
Just a thought, check your rad cap. had one once that made ridiculous pressure, blew a pump seal before I found it. Rare, but possible.

 

Sometimes Air In The System Will Cause Damage By Cavataion, The Loading And Unloading Of The Pump Impeler By Large Air Pockets. Bleeding The Air Out Before High Rpms