59 Water Pump suppliers
 

What's the recommened place to buy a water pump for a 59 - there are none listed on this sites store - also, what else should we replace while doing this job?

PS - It's been a while I know:o, but my son has had the car in Denver for his school year and driving it with no major problems...I think we are lucky the water pump didn't go earlier!

I have lot's of pictures to post that I promised a long time ago about our interior restoration thus far;)

Just check the hoses and the condition of the coolant. That pump fits 55-early 63.

Napa should be able to get you a pump.

Yep....and some of the NAPA lines carry a lifetime warranty !:D
I am sure they will have to order it for you....couple of days at most...usually.

Great, thanks guys! I had the pressure pump on it last night which is how I discovered the leaks - some hoses slightly and a small radiator leak just now seen. With all the crud on the front I can not see the water pump weep hole but since it is not holding pressure after tightening the hoses I am assuming the water pump seal is bad too - and after 50 years needs replacement:eek:


With the radiator do you guys recommend new of just repair? I'm also thinking a fan shroud would help so I'll look for that as well.

NAPA can also have it rebuilt if they cannot find you one. They rebuilt the one for my old Buick for $70 but it took them 2 months

If you're getting the pump from Napa, make sure you get one that rotates in the correct direction. If my memory serves me correctly, there are pumps available that rotate both clockwise and counter-clockwise. I've been wondering what models the counter clockwise pumps fit.

Either pump will work since they still rotate the same direction. But the reverse cooling 55-59 engines should have the cast impeller clockwise Napa #58594. 60-63 with the stamped ccw impeller #58298.

I was at autozone the other day and priced out pumps there as well for my 60 cover.
The kid behind the counter kept punching up the same 8 bolt water pump and after about the 5th time of me telling him no, he finally found the 4 bolt water pumps on his computer. They listed the cw and ccw pumps.

There is no such thing as CW and CCW Pontiac water pumps. Yes, the impeller looks different in some designs. And yes, the stamped impeller looks different (some folks say backwards) than the cast impeller. But they are all built to turn the same direction and provide coolant flow in the same direction.

Instead of continuing my rant, I'll point you to my previous rant on this subject:
http://forums.maxperformanceinc.com/...d.php?t=593938
which also includes part numbers from NAPA if you follow the thread far enough.

Excellent, I'll check with NAPA and report back as we proceed.

After looking at the old threads I'm still not sure I understand why there are different offerings and the CW, CCW argument but regardless, NAPA has them and based on what I read here 58594 is the the PN you guys are saying fits.

Both CPR and Ames also carry them cheaper than NAPA though no lifetime warranty.

A local machine shop friend of mine said they used to sell kits to rebuild them your self, or through the local machine shop - anyone try this?

They are also available through Rock Auto. That's where I got mine.

One more source, and this is interesting - CARDONE manufacturing sells thorugh many channels including auto parts stores and it's the exact same PN #58594 as NAPA. But here's the kicker, you can buy it through Summitt Racing for $30 or NAPA for $120:eek:

Anyone know if I am wrong in assuming these are the same part?

This is a good fact to confirm for all of us.:attention

OK, so I see Cardone was already mentioned in past threads to confirm they rebuild for NAPA - so why should NAPA charge such a premium over Summitt? That makes me want to get away from NAPA!!!

Why is your Napa price so high? the last one I bought for my 287 5 years ago was in the $30 range.

Bill - I don't know but I'll double check tomorrow to be sure they got the right price.

As I look at the car it looks like more than just the round piece around the bolts will come off when I pull it - I've cleaned off lot's of the dirt and grease and I'll assume that's what's covering the seams between the pump and the engine for now, such that what I've seen in the pictures of the new pump are accurate.

Also, how do I remove the pulley?

The pump is bolted to the timing cover, not to the "engine".
I paid NAPA about $50 for the 58594 pump.
If you've got the fan bolts out and the fan off, simply pull the pulley off.

Jack / all;

I double checked NAPA and it's $120.00 PLUS shipping for the cast impeller CW rotation, 58594 and $47.00 for stamped steel, which they also refer to as the CCW rotation unit.

So, I ordered from Summitt which gets them from Cardone who say this will be the cast unit for $29.00! Even if it's stamped steel still less than NAPA so go figure.

I might check for kicks & giggles on this. I worked for NAPA for years. Cardone was one of their suppliers. They sold several different levels of quality ...in all lines. Just because a part carries the same number doesn't meant it's made by the same MFG , it's a standard list number (most of the time)......I know the "lifetime" pumps I mentioned were NEW...not reman..and not Cardone...that I remember, maybe you can't get new ones anymore for our cars. What is Summits warranty?? With NAPA you generally just take back to store(with reciept) if a problem pops up...just like SEARS ..;)
That is a BIG difference in price !!??
See what I can find out...

If you are worried about "backwards" water pumps ...
 

... you should pounce on these.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/NORS-...item588819b74e

$19.50 is a great price for NORS. I wonder if water pump seals suffer from long-term (50 years or so) storage?

So much for that good deal. They refused to sell to me using a credit card on a phone call- insisted on PayPal, which I refuse to use.

They've increased the price to 40 bucks now. Has a cast impeller if you can believe their photo. I'm a little gunshy about putting a 60-63 water pump on my reverse flow 57 engine....I've heard stories of overheating from the oldtimers...can anybody clarify with 1st person experience? Just trying to be careful with my new motor...

See my previous rant in this thread. I've used backwards, forwards, cast and stamped on my '57 347 engine with no problems.

x2 Bill Hanlon....
FWIW: The so called reverse flow simply means the water goes directy to the cylinder head first from the water pump instead of through the block first as 60 & up do!!! Water exits pump the same way,the same direction...BUT ENTERS CYLINDER HEAD FIRST & THEN EXITS THE BLOCK..!!!!! You would have to reverse the engine rotation in order to use a reverse rotation water pump...Gheez..think about it..:2cents::2cents:
:):D:p

Regardless of curvature direction of the vanes, water is going to follow the direction of rotation. Curvature direction (or lack thereof) affects efficiency relative to pump speed.

In theory "cupped" in rotation will move more water at low speed but could tend to cavitate or create excess drag at higher speeds. "Backwards curve may not move as much at lower speeds but could still be designed to give adequate low speed flow. At higher speeds it wouldnt "drag" as much and less likely to cavitate. A straight impeller could exhibit the best or the worst of the other types, but generally still function well.

I met a guy at the swap meet at the POCI convention. He specializes in water pumps and fuel pumps. Has quite an inventory of old stuff. If you haven't gotten one already, you may want to give him a ring. Seems like a pretty good/reasonable guy.

Robert Wolf
Hard to find parts
Obsolescense Analyst
828-682-2663
[email protected]

Idle curiosity makes me ask if Pontiac ever made matched pairs of marine engines back in the day. Frequently those pairs were (are) set up to rotate opposite each other to counter torque steer from the props. Don't know how that might affect the WP but it might explain the CW and CCW pump offerings.

If they did, they would also need a different timing cover to properly direct the opposite direction flow from the pump.

In my opinion this CW vs. CCW pump is an urban legend.

Mickey Thompson's 4 Pontiac engined Challenger 1 had 2 CCW turning engines to counter CW torque from the other 2 engines...I got a buddy who has one of his spare CCW engines...have no idea if they used belt driven pumps but I'd doubt it.

As it turns out my water pump is NOT bad...did a pressure test, cleaned everything off and there are no leaks from the pump. We are however, still losing coolant and I don't know where from yet...possibly the intake manifold gasket?

First, I have a new problem :( in the carburetor inlet nut leakning so when I fix that, I can report back on the coolant leak in a new thread.

No, the reason was more fundamental- to cause the front tires to not turn backwards!
I believe Challenger circulated coolant to a tank (?). I don't remember the pump arrangement, but it definitely wasn't a traditional timing-cover-mounted water pump location. The original unblown engines had Harman-Collins flathead magnetos mounted on the fronts of Cragar timing covers (one of those covers is now on my hemi). I think the blown engines had cam-driven fuel injection pumps there.