So, I replaced the water pump about 5k miles ago and now it is leaking. It looks like it is coming from a little hole on the bottom of the pump... Anyone know anything about this?

If it is truly coming from that whole ("weep hole") then the internal seal on the waterpump has failed.  I assume that you are using dyed coolant (antifreeze), so can see a dye tail from this hole.

 

If coolant is leaking from the weep hole, there is nothing that can be done other than replacing the pump.

sweet...thanks for raining on my parade eeyore...good to know

"No matter.  Its Ok... I'll just lead my cloud away from you."

 

 

Was it a new/rebuilt water pump?  I have had only 1 subie pump fail like that, and it was on an EA81 with lots of miles.

Edited February 16, 201313 yr by NorthWet

it was a brand new Beck/Arnley pump. By brand new I mean less than 24 months and around 5K miles. Good news though, it is still under warranty and I still have the old one that is good.

is it constantly leaking?

 

I have had more than a couple brand new pumps weep a bit soon after install, only to quit leaking when given the chance.

 

I attribute it to debris in the coolant system , stuck between the seal and the shaft within the pump.

 

 

The reman pump on my low mileage high compression ea81 is one such case.  It started weeping 4-500 miles after install.

 

It was weeping enough to dribble down the the oil pan.  It did this for a week or so.  I watched it carefully, then ordered up a brand new pump.   When the new pump came in I pulled it into the shop for replacement, only to find the leak had quit.   So I put the brand new pump on the shelf, and kept driving with the old pump.

 

Hasnt leaked since....  about 3k miles on it now.

Edited February 16, 201313 yr by Idasho

I would be concerned about the quality of any pump that came with debris between the seal lip and the pump shaft.  Coolant coming out of the weep hole is not a good sign, as that indicates possible coolant contamination of the pump's bearing.

Im not talking about debris that came in the pump.

 

Im talking about debris that is always pumping through the coolant system.

 

Also, the bearings are sealed.  A small weep early in the life of a water pump is not going to harm the bearings.

 

ok, maybe I will give it a few days then. cool pic by the way

More info here...

 

http://www.flowkoolerwaterpumps.com/info/common_waterpump_failures.html

 

 

 

Bottom line, nothing is perfect.  And items that utilize rotary seals almost always require time to "mate" with the surface it seals against in order to provide the best seal possible.

Awesome info:)

On your next one, try squeezing some greese into the top hole, then seal it off with some rubberized gasket maker.  The gasket maker keeps the dirt out of the bearings, and the greese makes the bearings and seals last longer.  You won't catch your dealer doing this though.