Water pump leaking
 

Well it seems my water pump has a leak from the back of the pump. My repair manual says the most common problem with water pumps is a leaking seal or bearing failure. Since the leak is in back of the pump my guess would be a seal. Can I just replace the seal or does it require a new pump?

1972 Mercedes 350sl


Thanks
Les

Sorry to say but if the pump is leaking coolant you have no choice but to replace it .Or if your lucky , and the car is a few years old ,you can remove it and get it rebuilt. I was looking for seals and bearings for my 260E i had no luck ..And also once they leak, it rusts the bearing inside the pump .

Water pump leaking
 

I took the pump off today, the gaskets are all in good shape. The bolts were not tight at all, I think that was the cause of the leak. No noise when you spin the shaft so I am going to use some gasket sealer and reinstall the pump. Hope it works.

Thanks for the reply
Les

I think they speak of the shaft seal. Usually this leaks when the bearing fails.

If it is leaking from the pump to block mating surface then I would say gasket. Now that you have encountered loose bolts....maybe you have found the problem.

If it was me and I went to all the trouble to actually remove the pump......I'd just put on a new one.

Problem is that an OEM new pump for the V-8 is quite expensive C$465 is what I was quoted) There are aftermarket pumps for under $100, but those may not be a good choice.

Owning same car as Les and faced with similar problem (but most likely a seal leak), I replaced with a new Laso pump which was reported to likely be an OE manufacturer. Cost me about $150, I think and working fine after 2 1/2 years.

There was a time when MB sold rebuilt pumps for a reasonable price. Not cheap now though. Part number is 117200380188. (88 for rebuilt). US$344 list, $281 on-line.

If it is just the bolts or the rear gasket leaking, I would try and keep your present pump (assuming it is an original).