Water Pump Failure??

[72bumbee]

Took off this morning to pick up a load of wood, and I hear CLANG! RATTLE RATTLE!
Saw the steam rising and pulled over immediatly. (in a safe spot) Opened the hood, and saw radiator fluid all over everything and figured out the clang rattle rattle was the radiator cap ricocheting inside the engine compartment!I put some more fluid in it as soon as my wife rescued me, and started it back up sans cap. Started hearing odd rattling noises that eventually went away, but the engine seems a bit warm. I went and bought a new water pump, but wanted to ask everyone, if there is any sure way to tell it is the water pump failing,and not just a faulty cap. I figure, there had to be some wicked pressure in there to blow that cap off there. Also wondering if oil pump failure might be a cause. The guage reads low oil pressure, but I have driven it all over since I put in the intake manifold gaskets, and never had a problem with it overheating. Of course, it could be a guage issue, because I know the fuel guage and charging guage are off kilter. tank reads 1/4 low. charge guage never moves.
What say YOU ALL?
Steve

[flyboy71]

The cap is supposed to open up above a certain pressure. Doesnt sound like yours did. The system needs to be under pressure to keep the coolant temp below the boiling point. When it came off you lost that pressure and the temp quickly rose past boiling.

The rattle could have been a piece of the pump maybe. Hard to say. If its a pump going bad it would either squeak from bearings going out, or leak around the seals, or if the impeller blades are corroding off it cant circulate as much fluid which could also cause the increase in temp. Only way to know is to pull it.

[convincor]

if your other gauges seem to be off (seems like there reading low) the instrument voltage regulator may be your problem.
As said above, usally a pump gone bad will leak out the weep hole.
If it's not leaking remove the belt and spin the fan. How's it feel? turning smooth? Does it wiggle around?
Otherwise again like said above, if the impeller is bad hard to tell without pulling the pump off. And if your going to do that you may as well just replace it.

[72bumbee]

Okay, I cannot hear any unusual squeeking or see any weeping. As a matter of fact, I just started the thing, and it idled for quite a wile, but the thermostat never opened to my knowledge. Where can I find the voltage regulator for the instrument panel.? (sorry off topic)
Thanks

[72bumbee]

Are there any tricks to removing the old pump and power steering unit? Any tips or tricks would be appreciated.
Thanks again.

[70_F100]

No tricks, it's a pretty straighforward job.

I know you just replaced the hose from the pump to the manifold. Just a tip for whatever it's worth, replace that hose again while you have the pump off. No matter what method you use to replace that hose, there's always the chance it got damaged if you didn't do it with the water pump off.

[convincor]

Where can I find the voltage regulator for the instrument panel.?
Thanks

easiest to see here is the 67-68
see on the right side. little box (3/4"x1-1/4")approx. two wires going to it.
Same location on above, it's just hidden by the printed circut board..
See if someone has a spare around. LMC wants $50 for it...

[fordman]

if you are going to replace the water pump the only thing i cna think of is you have to tilt the water pump pulley when it goes on and coems off. becuase it might catch on the crank pully. it depends on which pulley is ont he crank. i think it is only the trucks with a 3 groove crank pulley for a/c that you have to do that to though. i cant remember.

[convincor]

if you do the pump, use thread sealer on the bolts going into the block.

[72bumbee]

Here are some pictures of some seepage that I just noticed this morning. I hope this is not a cracked block or something. I can't really tell where this is coming from except that it is coming from above. Any ideas?
And yes, I will be replacing the little hose between the intake and pump again. I have a ton of goodyear hose left!

DSC07035.JPG

DSC07036.JPG

[70_F100]

It's hard to tell from the pictures.

It's most likely either the thermostat gasket, bypass hose, intake gasket or possibly even the head gasket. All of those have the potential to leak and cause coolant to run down like in the photos.

My first guess would be that the top radiator hose is leaking at the thermostat housing (also the easiest to fix). Try tightening the hose clamp and see if that helps. If that doesn't fix it, get you a small inspection mirror that will allow you to see the bottom side of the t'stat housing and the bypass tube.

If it were the head gasket or intake gasket, you would, most likely, be able to see either of these leaking if your only leak is at the front of the engine.

A thought crossed my mind earlier today after reading your original post. The chance of building enough pressure in the cooling system to blow the radiator cap off is slim-to-none. Remember, you have to turn the cap nearly a quarter-turn to take it off, then press down to get past the stops to fully remove it. A hose would have blown before that much pressure would build up in the cooling system.

Knowing that you just worked on the engine, the greatest probability is that you never tightened the cap after filling the radiator with coolant. Don't be embarassed to admit it, because you wouldn't be the first person to ever do that. Also, since you just blew out a bunch of coolant all under the hood, there's a possibility that the "seepage" you're seeing is just some residual from that escapade. Dry off as much of what's there as you can, then go to Autozone or Advance and borrow their cooling system pressure tester. Pump the system up to about 14-15 lbs, and any leak should be easy to find.

[72bumbee]

HAHA! Actually was told that by a good sameritan who stopped. He said the same thing about the radiator cap not being on! I am not embarassed at all, I just discounted him, cause he was no one I knew..... and I was frantically trying to see where the juice was spraying from.
Started the motor this morning until the thermostat opened, and the cap was on, the dripping in the pictures stopped. and I could not see any weepage. I am assuming once everything warms up, it closes any cracks and holes. Saw moisture in one spot around the threads of the nipple on top of the intake (whatever it is called) also wanted to make note that I recently changed all the heater hoses and water hoses on the top of the motor. When I refilled with coolant, I could have forgot to fully tighten the cap. I forgot to put the gasket between the carb and spacer block after the intake gasket! I am not above pointing out my own stupidity.
So I will start cleaning up the radiator coolant off the top of the block, and see what happens.
Thanks again.
Steve

[70_F100]

One wrong assumption on your part. Generally, if it leaks when cold, it's going to leak when it gets hot (keyword: generally, meaning "not always"). There is some expansion/contraction, but it's so slight you'd never know it. That's one of the properties of cast iron that make it a good metal for engines!!

Now, to the clean-up.

The easiest thing is probably just to wash the engine down good with a garden hose.

That will wash away all of the "spilled" coolant.

Then, just drive the truck a couple of miles, and the remaining water will be blown off the engine and/or evaporate.

MUCH easier than trying to wipe up anti-freeze!!!

[72bumbee]

I do this at work, when my hyster heats up, but is it okay to lightly wash with a water hose while it is running? Sort of elementary question, but I just need to hear another opinion. I am careful not to hit the dizzy or the carb when doing this so it should be cool. I just dont want to cause an extreme temp fluctuation and crack some Iron!
What is it with coolant. it is like that stuff does not dry???

[70_F100]

Coolant is ethylene glycol. It's formulated so that it will NOT evaporate. The glycol is the component that makes it hang around.

Don't worry about whether or not to wash it cold or hot. The only reason not to wash it hot is the condensation that WILL form in your distributor cap. Best to wash it without it running, unless you want to get a bath from the fan spraying the water.

Don't just lightly wash it. Rinse the HELL out of it to make sure you get it all.