Water pump seal & plain water coolant?

I was just wondering, is it harmful to the water pump seal to run (only) water in the cooling system? I need to flush my old antifreeze, so during the drains and refills with distilled water, is it OK to drive the truck for half an hour or so, to get it hot? Or should i restrict running time to the minimum needed to open the t-stat?
Any issues with water pump seal (or cavitation) on a few short trips with no added load?

It'll be fine. Just not long-term.

Cavitation isn't something that happens in the short term, you don't need to worry about that. Running straight water should be fine, seeing as the normal boiling point of water is 212*F and our thermostats open at 192*F. Just don't leave straight water in if you're expecting temperatures to get down below freezing.

Golden Helmet said:

Just don't leave straight water in if you're expecting temperatures to get down below freezing.

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Ya think? Thanks for the reassurance... temps have been going down to the 20's at night so I definitely will get the 50/50 final mix completed during the day.

Hoping I can find my slow leak(s) too - I'm still worrying that it's coming from the rear of the head gaskets since I got it hot (but not warning-light hot) when the serpentine belt jumped off. Advice on here is mostly not to bother retorquing the head bolts... if it lifted the head slightly then new gaskets are the proper solution. (Runs fine, no coolant in the oil or vice versa). I really don't want the "mechanic in a bottle" solution, either.

DrCharles said:

Ya think? Thanks for the reassurance... temps have been going down to the 20's at night so I definitely will get the 50/50 final mix completed during the day.

Hoping I can find my slow leak(s) too - I'm still worrying that it's coming from the rear of the head gaskets since I got it hot (but not warning-light hot) when the serpentine belt jumped off. Advice on here is mostly not to bother retorquing the head bolts... if it lifted the head slightly then new gaskets are the proper solution. (Runs fine, no coolant in the oil or vice versa). I really don't want the "mechanic in a bottle" solution, either.

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Add dye to your cooling system and use an ultra violet light to find the trail. Worked awesome on my setup, both heads leaking slightly at the rear. I was one of the ones that asked about re torquing, and I went ahead and did it. No more leaks and I feel a LOT better about running 13-14 psi daily.
The dye cost way more than I would think, like $11 or something but the UV flashlight on Amazon is about the same which I was happy about.
And once the dye is in, it stays working! I just checked again the other day and it's still working, even after 4 months and replacing about a full cooling systems worth of coolant due to my stupid leaking radiator.

Didn't you just replace those heads?

DrCharles said:

I really don't want the "mechanic in a bottle" solution, either.

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Not all the cooling system sealers cause problems - you just need to be careful what sealer you use. Irontite was suggested to me by Russ (typ4) when the headgasket at the rear of the driver's side head starting weeping coolant. The "particles" are so fine you can't hardly see them. The heater core was fine, and the slight headgasket leak dried up after I put the Irontite in the coolant. I ran the truck this way for over a year with no issues and no more coolant loss. I eventually did pull the heads and replace headgaskets and install studs but not entirely because of the slight hg leak. The water pump had been leaking slightly, and the Irontite did not fix that. I did not expect it to fix a rotary seal issue as it is made for sealing very small gasket leaks. Since I had to disassemble the front serp. drive to change to water pump anyway, and I wanted studs for the long term, I decided to do the hg's and studs at that time. So, if the hg's continue to weep a bit on your truck, this may be a option to stop the leak (without plugging up the coolant system) and give you time to buy studs, etc. and actually plan for when your truck will be down for the hg/stud install. I don't own stock in the company that makes Irontite - just saying it worked for me and I would use it again under similar circumstances.
http://www.irontite.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1&products_id=2

Speaking of leak-detection, the coolant I use on my IDIs - Zerex HD ELC coolant - is red. When it dries somewhere, it leaves behind a very distinctive white/pink residue. It's very easy to see where things have weeped.

I think the Zerex G-05 gold coolant does something similar, though the color is different.

That's be useful. I'm in the middle of a coolant flush - I can get about 4-5 gallons out at a time without removing the block plugs. Draining the second 4 gals. of distilled water. Third time of a 4/8 exchange will be 1/8 of the original mixed coolant remaining, or 0.5 gallon of green. Fourth and last will leave less than a quart of antifreeze behind... that ought to be close enough!

Meanwhile it's no longer "moist" up front by the t-stat housing (I also retorqued the water pump bolts while I was in there). Haven't had the time or courage to look at the back of the heads yet

tbrumm said:

Irontite - just saying it worked for me and I would use it again under similar circumstances.
http://www.irontite.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1&products_id=2

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Where do you get Irontite from? Order it online from their site? If Russ says it's good, then it's good!!!

In the past I've bought & used pellets made from cinnamon & turmeric with good results. Discolors your water tho, & you think you're driving a Birthday Cake.

Also yrs ago I did a head/valve job on my Cat/Tomotor forklift with a Continental engine. Got gasket kit from Cat. Next day Cat man called & said to make sure I used the package of pellets that was in the kit. Asked him what they made from. After some stalling he finally said they were nothing more than cinnamon & turmeric.

Yrs ago when I was semi driving around the country I ALWAYS carried ground black pepper for stop leak.....I always carried rubbing alcohol to put in airlines in the winter time too. Back then alcohol didn't cost but 7-9-15-25 cents per bottle too. (tells how old I am too) I'll shut up & get back on subject....

Personally I think ground black pepper probably a bit too large to be circulating thru our IDI oilcoolers

Coolant exchange completed. At least now if the seep is still there, I can just replace it with more G-05 and distilled water, rather than have to worry about SCA concentration.

I'll hold off on the Irontite for now since it would have to be done while there's nothing but water in the system. It actually leaks very little, it's just annoying to have a machine that needs a repair May try retorquing the bolts once the weather gets warmer...

Edited to add: there's another factor-of-2 in there, since the last time that 4 gal. of water is added, that water stays in there and 4 gal of antifreeze is added. Anyway it's just a trace now. Will check the level tomorrow when it's cold again.

If you want to flush it use water and cascade dishwasher soap. Thats what I use and also what Caterpillar recommends. Fill with cascade and water and drive it for a half hour then let it cool and flush the cascade out with the hose with it running. Fill with fleet charge coolant

Isaac Ristow said:

If you want to flush it use water and cascade dishwasher soap. Thats what I use and also what Caterpillar recommends. Fill with cascade and water and drive it for a half hour then let it cool and flush the cascade out with the hose with it running. Fill with fleet charge coolant

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Hi Isaac, Do you have a link to the Caterpillar recommendation of using this method? Id like read it. Also, how much, how to dilute, do you agitate the powder in warm or hot water till it dissolves before adding? How much is too much Or too little? Need more info.

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8gitmusik1 said:

Hi Isaac, Do you have a link to the Caterpillar recommendation of using this method? Id like read it. Also, how much, how to dilute, do you agitate the powder in warm or hot water till it dissolves before adding? How much is too much Or too little? Need more info.

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I buy the liquid bottle of cascade and use the whole bottle then top off with water. I know its the only way to go when you have oil from a bad oil cooler or diesel from injector orings in a cat engine. We've been doing it for years ill do a little google searching for the caterpillar write up and see what I find.

Ok i've been reading they say not to use the liquid stuff i have for years. anyhow any non foaming detergent will work lots of people use laundry soap, 1 cup of powder cascade, somebody says ford recommends simple green, my coworker says he uses CLR. really anything that wont suds up. it's a old truck cooling system your not going to hurt anything.

Isaac Ristow said:

Ok i've been reading they say not to use the liquid stuff i have for years. anyhow any non foaming detergent will work lots of people use laundry soap, 1 cup of powder cascade, somebody says ford recommends simple green, my coworker says he uses CLR. really anything that wont suds up. it's a old truck cooling system your not going to hurt anything.

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Thanks for your input. I will do more research.

That info on using liquid was what Ive found also. "They" say DONT use it, you say "I have been using it for years".

The problem (just a contrary opinion, don't get riled up please) I have with taking advice on a forum is I know for the most part everyone here is trying to be helpful and share the knowledge and the love but since my wallet isnt fat, my back is old and I dont' know your background, history or expertise and success or failure for using what your recommending....

What I DO know is that.......

"You, OR "they" won't pay me a red cent if my water pump fails or if sodium hydroxide, which by the way, is just one of the caustic common ingredients in dishwashing detergents, ruins my WP seals (seals can be butyl, or viton or kynar which would resist caustics, but highly unlikely the type of o-ring seals used) in my water pump.

Caustic and acids, that may remove oil, even though non foaming, may create other problems that can get expensive and eat up lots of wrenching time.

Everything on the running gear/drive train on a Diesel is expensive. It doesn't seem to matter how old the diesel is, every part breaks a BENJAMIN not a JACKSON.

I'll digress and leave you to your "BEST PRACTICES" and tried and true methods, and, if I'm wrong here, or overstepped, my bad.... just putting it out there, we all have to CYOA cause if we don't, who will?



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