Too frequent of water pump bearing failures

[rabbitman]

So I changed my water pump earlier this summer due to some very loose bearings, it didn't leak but I figured it would wait 'til the most annoying time and then get a bad leak.

I thought I used a good brand for the replacement but it's developing the same looseness. The belt (no AC) is sooooo loose it was slipping during the summer when I rarely used the headlights, now that I use 'em lots and it's rainy weather I always have to turn the lights off and rev it before turning them back on or it'll slip forever. The belt is in good shape, I just know that if I tighten it so it stops slipping the water pump will finish failing even faster.

What's ya'llziz water pump life span like?

[BigVWman]

On the v belt driven pumps I usually average 3-4 years to a pump at least over 80k usually, and i won't say that is always the finest quality pump either. last three years i have been using meyle pumps even though the box has a little sticker says china they have been the easiest to find with a cast impeller and i am partial to the cast impeller, i have yet to have one fail. i have had a gmb pump fail in 3 weeks, a bosch with plastic impellar 1 season. Why we would ever want a plastic impeller or  stamped steel is beyond me. I would think belt too loose and flapping would be just about as bad for a bearing as too tight since it has to absorb all the extra vibration.

[maxfax]

I bought my last pump from *gasp* prothe..  Cast impeller, and the machining looked pretty good..  Since it was for the crack engine I wasn't too worried about longevity..  90K and a few years later it's still there and working..   Maybe the oil in the coolant helped it out. 

Are you sure it's your water pump bearings getting loose, or a crappy belt.. The last few V belts for the VW and My niece's 300D haven't seemed to last for crap..  They don't look worn, but are definitely stretched when compared with a new one..  These were Carquest belts which are made by Gates...

[CRSMP5]

pm nathan_b and order one of his cast impeller ones.. he is one of the few who can get them and they good quality.. they meyle (sp??) but they sell both cast and stamped.. and somehow he gets cast...

[nathan_b]

pm nathan_b and order one of his cast impeller ones.. he is one of the few who can get them and they good quality.. they meyle (sp??) but they sell both cast and stamped.. and somehow he gets cast...

60 shipped continental us (ups) for "late stlye 9 hole" WITH metal/rubber gasket. cast impeller, meyle (china/germany).

yadayadayada china blah blah, yes some say china on them, no have not had a bad experience with them. I would not hesitate to use one on my car and myke has one in his ahu jetta coupe.


like RSMP5 said, some meyle ARE stamped, mine are all cast. I can also sell non-***ty conti belts.. GRAF has become all stamped... and gmb.. (not a good euro brand imo). always stamped. I can also do whole housings.

[BigVWman]

I have never seen a stamped meyle, but do agree on their quality they seem to last well. my other favorite used to be hepu but i haven't seen one around in awhile. my supplier deals graf, meyle and gmb.

[CRSMP5]

the stamped ones are out there.. i opened the box with a WTF with immediate call afterwards... but some shops only get stamped.. like my fathers.. where myke/nathan got cast.. either its a good thing.. or their wherehouse has a bunch of "old stock"

ive put quite a few on the past couple years with no returns/issues.. my toaster has a cast one.. and i get them thru nathan now.. since no myke.. LOL..

[rabbitman]

Thanks guys, I think mine is a either a geba or a hepu.........I remember that the names where funny .

I would think belt too loose and flapping would be just about as bad for a bearing as too tight since it has to absorb all the extra vibration.

Good call, certainly makes sense so I'll tighten it up.

[rabbitman]

Tightened it the other night so I'll update after a while of driving.