Water Pump Going Bad?

[mydi777]

Been having some pulley noise so I took the belt off to hand check each one.
All the pullies seem fine except the water pump, Doesn't make noise when I turn it by hand but it does have a tiny bit of wiggle in it when I pull up and down on it.

When I let the car get up to normal temp. and feel the upper coolent hose it is hot which is normal, but it also feels very firm. I am not sure if it is suppose to feel firm or if this is a sign that the water pump is not doing its job.

The temp. gauge stays in the middle which seems too high to me "noRMal"
If it is not normal where should it be?

The Haynes book says that if there is ANY wiggle in the water pump pulley to replace the pump...So what do you think am I over reacting or should I replace the pump?

[97Stallion]

nah, it's getting old and the bearings are probably going bad, no big deal, it's happens to every car. It's just normal wear and tear on the car.

[silverstangboy]

if its wiggleable then its replaceable, what will eventually happen is the bearing will seize up and the blade will stop turning on the water pump, even though the pump will still turn.
(but don't take my word for it, im not sure what kind of water pump ford's been putting in these days)

[Ponycarman]

Wiggly shafts are bad, means the bearing has play in it. Next the seal will start to leak by and you will get a collant drip out of the bottom of the pump's snout. There is a hole there where the coolant will leak.

I had to replace my pump last summer. I also replaced all my hoses while I was there. One small bit of advice is that if you do replace the heater hose make sure you keep the flow restrictor in it or you will eventually blow your heater core.

Steve

[silverstangboy]

true words of wisdom there!!!

changing a heater core is not fun either

[Ponycarman]

Took me two long days, mostly farting about doing it though. The entire dash has to come out. To do that you have to pull the console too and it is easier to loosen the steering shaft pinch bolt and unbolt the entire colum fromt eh dash support as an assembly.

If you blow a core you will be best off washing out the heater box too. Oh, yeah, you gotta evacuate the AC system too, I have a license and the proper tools to do that, but if you have a shop do it it adds to the cost.

Steve