12/2/2018 Time to dispel the myth of water pump lubrication - Chicago Tribune

Time to dispel the myth of water pump

lubrication
By Bob Weber

AUGUST 5, 2010

Q I read your recent column suggesting that the use of coolant stop leak provides the benefit of water
pump lubrication. Modern automotive water pumps do not require any type of lubrication. In fact, if
the coolant comes in contact with the bearing, the pump has failed. Today's pumps have a sealed, lubricated
spindle bearing. This type of bearing has an outer housing, a seal and a lubricated bearing at each end of the
housing and a shaft which extends out of each end of the housing. One end carries the impellers for the
pumping action and the other end the pulley for the belt that supplies the power.

Water pumps generally fail because of seal failure due to old age, from coolant contamination, or from
excessive drive belt pressure. Please stop perpetuating the myth of bearing lubrication.

Signed: Twenty-one years in the bearing industry and a lifelong motor head.

— A.M., Chicago

A Y our point is well-taken, yet marketers of cooling system products continue to claim that they provide water
pump and thermostat lubrication. We have heard this and repeated it for so long, it has become gospel in our
minds. By the way, you forgot another cause of water pump failure: cavitation. Worn out coolant allows
bubbles to form on the cast aluminum housing that create pits, or cavities, when they explode.

Q As a Prius owner for the last seven years I fully agree with your analysis of S.S.'s poor mileage: poor driving
style. Here are a couple of other thoughts. Tire pressures are very important for good mileage, especially on the
Prius.

In addition, significant use of the AC, especially on Max, would have an impact, even more so if S.S. starts the
car and cools it down before driving. But driving style, or lack thereof, is likely the main culprit, unless he is
hauling around a car loaded with lead ingots. Even in the dead of winter in Chicago with mostly short-hop
driving, my 2002 never gets below 32 to 33 mpg and in summer gets 47 to 53 depending on AC use.

— B.C., Oak Park, Ill.

A Y ou make a good point about the tires. In fact, owners who have replaced their tires with other than the
original type report a drop in fuel economy. Here is a cool chart of fuel economy penalties from the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency:

Q We have a 2005 Prius that is my wife's and she prides herself on good mileage figures.

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12/2/2018 Time to dispel the myth of water pump lubrication - Chicago Tribune

The best mileage is driving downhill with a tail wind and no air conditioning. (Kidding.)

My wife gets 10 to 15 percent better mileage with gas that does not include ethanol. Why would this factor be
ignored?

— D.F., Allentown, Pa.

A Y our point is also well-taken. Gallon for gallon, there is about 20 percent less energy in alcohol than gasoline.
Ethanol contains 76 British thermal units per gallon while gasoline contains 98.

Q In this Sunday's Motormouth column an owner wrote in about a Hyundai that had rodents chewing
through the wires in the engine bay. A theory for why this happens is that many new vehicles use soybean-
based covering on wiring.

Perhaps they are attracted to this plant-based material instead of conventional plastic wire covering. I guess
renewable resources aren't always the best.

— T.K., Elk Grove Village, Ill.

AY um. Soy insulation tastes great with a little chocolate-flavored soy milk and a bit of tofu on the side. Darn
vegan critters.

Bob Weber is an ASE-certified master automobile technician. Address your questions to Motormouth, Rides,
Chicago Tribune, 435 N. Michigan Ave., 5th Floor, Chicago IL 60611, or e-mail motormouth.trib@verizon.net.

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