2003 f-350 6.0 eating water pumps

[Steve Mutter]

I had this one come in for no heat in the winter,the water pump impeller had broken off,so I replaced it and all was good,comes back 2 weeks later same problem,replaced the water pump and off it went, a week later same thing,so I called the hotline and told me that it was do to bad water pumps and how they are shipped,so they told me to keep replacing water pumps till I find I good one or replaced the front cover to the new style so you can put the bigger water pump in,has anyone heard of this or I am missing something that be causing the impeller to bust off? one other note is that this is a reman engine that no longer has warranty

[Jim Warman]

Is the front cover showing signs of cavitation?

[Bruce Amacker]

Are the pumps new OEM, FQR, or aftermarket? You've had 3 pumps break the shaft in the last 6 months? I assume that all three are from the same supplier? I assume the tensioner is working correctly, right? What type of coolant are you using? I assume the mix is correct and the coolant is not freezing and causing an excessive load on the pump.

 

I've never heard of this situation and would also seem to think it is a supply problem. I'll guess these are remans and the reman company is providing junk, I generally change suppliers long before I have 3 bad in a row. Nearly 10 years ago I made a decision to use only new OEM water pumps after having a rash of new aftermarket pumps come back on the hook. I can't remember having one come back after that.

 

[Steve Mutter]

the back of the front cover looks like a record,it has groves that I was thinking it was just from the impeller hitting it when it broke,when the first pump broke I installed I new belt and serp belt tensioner and filled with 50/50 gold coolant,it is a ford part but I don't know if it is a reman I will have to look into that

[Aaron]

so they told me to keep replacing water pumps till I find I good one

See my signature?

 

Keep changing parts 'till you find a good one.

[BrunoWilimek]

Not exactly the same, but I had a 97 Crown Victoria from out of town that kept eating water pumps. I replaced the original pump with a Carquest reman unit(because it was a few bucks less). That one only lasted a month or so before it started to leak at the weep hole, so I replaced it again, under warranty from Carquest. After I replaced it yet again shortly thereafter, I asked if they had any problems with their waterpumps, and the answer was no, and they wondered if it was the installation that was at fault. I inspected all pertinent components and even went so far as to send the rad out and it was supposedly plugged internally, so I replaced it. That pump failed and by this time the owner had had enough of driving 2 hours back to our dealership to get warranty, so he opted for a new Ford pump. I have never seen him back since, so that must have fixed it.

[DieselD]

yup very common on those 03s. they will keep blowing up until you replace the front cover and pump to the later style. i just had a thread on this not too long ago with part numbers

[Steve Mutter]

in the end we just replaced the front cover,we can not get the old style front cover any more,it comes as a kit,04 and up cover and water pump, oh well I guess next time I know better