Packard Forum Index » V-8 (1955-56)

Has anyone experienced noisy water pumps on the V8s?
My first pump ran only a thousand miles or was was growling .
The rebuilder sent me a fresh one & thought the first one looked really good inside.(upon disassembly)
This pump has maybe 8-10K on it and really growls. The sound really seemed like it was in the lower front of the engine but it was a great relief that it was not.
Quiet without the belt, noisy with the belt. Funny thing is, the pump feels really good, it's just the the seal(or something) that squeaks a little.
Has anyone here experienced something similar?
Thanks!

Good Morning...We had a similar noise with our 1949 -288 engine...it turned out all we needed was a new fan belt and a bit of belt lube...its hot and dry in the Arizona Desert and everything, including people, dry out and make funny noises! Ernie in Arizona

In my experience the first sign of impending pump failure will be coolant loss at the weep hole which results from coolant passing the seal. If allowed to remain in service, eventually you'll get bearing noise from the coolant working its way into the bearing. Over-tensioning the fan belt will certainly hasten failure.

Just from what I've experienced and what others have noted, the V8 water pump is no more or no less prone to failure than earlier cars.

Interesting thoughts. A spare pump might be a good investment.

One trick to check for belt noise, with the engine idling and the belts tensioned properly (not too tight or loose), CAREFULLY apply a bar of soap to each side of the fan belt. This will usually quiet a noisy belt at least temporarily.

If it's not the belt, pour a can of water pump lube into the radiator. It will quiet a noisy bearing and prolong lifespan.

Who was our club member that rebuilt these? A road spare may be a good idea...