Oil your water pump?
 

I started hearing a loud buzzing noise whenever the engine was running, and I was afraid it was transmission related. But when I checked further I found it was coming out of the water pump. The I recalled my dad saying the water pump needs oil once in a while. Sure enough theres a little hole on top of the pump casting, and when I put in a few drops of motor oil, the buzzing went away. Weird, but it doesn't seem like a normal maintenence item. I thought water pumps are self lubricating.

oil bushing
 

i knew some of the old detroit iron cars had weep holes to oil the water pump bushing. i'll have to check my 220d and see if it has one.

I seem to recall that my old 200D had a lube hole on the top of the water pump.

Are you sure that you're supposed to put oil in the weep hole? This is the first time that I've ever heard of this one.

That hole is there to let coolant out if the seal fails. Were it not present, there would be no weep, and thus no coolant loss at all until the seal on the outer bearing failed. Then you're stuck where you are. As it is, the coolant out of the weep hole gives you ample warning that the pump seal is on its way out.

I imagine that oil is not good for the pump seal. If it's noisy, replace the thing. Yes, water pumps are self-lubricating.

Water pump outlasted the rest of the car.

Weep hole would be on the bottom, I believe.

This would have been many years ago, but If I recall correctly, I think it might have been shown in the book as a lube point.

The weep hole could be anywhere, as long as its between the bearing and the water seal. Putting it on top makes it easier to see if it's leaking.

I've never seen instructions to lubricate any pump there, but I'm willing to be proven wrong.

I'm with you there...every water pump I have seen is lubricated esclusively through lubricant packages that are part of the antifreeze and the fact many are sealed bearings. None have been externally lubed (an exception could be some antiques I have never seen)...the hole is the weep hole.

Whistling radial seal
 

I have encountered a number of radial seals which needed to be replaced and or lubricated due to a high pitched squealing noise (AKA-Whistle). I have replaced numerous M116 and M117 water pumps that poured coolant onto the crankshaft hub which essentially causes the crankshaft seal to dry out. After having to replace a few crankshaft seals after replacing the water pump I began to lubricate the front crank seal during the water pump repair.

In this instance perhaps the outer radial seal(s) on the water pump shaft was a bit dry causing an unusual noise. A little lubrication quieted the noise, for now. I do imagine the water pump [AKA: Gravy Pump] will need replacing soon….it's just a question of time.

Was this ever resolved? Oil in that hole? Yes or no.

It is a weep hole; not for lubricating the pump.

Weep hole is in the bottom of the pump ,and not on the top .I would think its impossible to oil the bearings in the water pumps. Reason is the bearings are sealed .. Once seals wear then water comes frrom the weep hole.Its the shaft that holds the bearing that goes rusty ,it then wears the seal till coolant leaks out. Years back old timers used to put a little suds oil in the radiator to help lubricate the bearings inside the pump.

This conversation shows the diversity oif the engines we service.


My 1937 Citroen Traction engine has both a zerk-type fitting for lube, and a small open cavity as a weep hole.


I have seen other cars that lubed the water pumps this way, but I don't know when that stopped. The DS!( Cit engine has a large needle bearing assembly that is lubed, and it is surrounded on both sides by rubber seals, on of which is partially lubed by the grease you add.


Someone needs to check out the lubde diagrams for the early cars and see what we can find out.

I read somewhere that a guy was able to lock out the water pump pulley by putting some tool in this hole so he could remove the fan. I forget where, but it might have been on another thread I started about removing the fan. I just grab the water pump pulley firmly and lean on it the opposite direction I turn the fan bolt with my cheater bar.



As far as a weep hole. yeah that would be on the bottom, but who knows... Maybe they put it on the top so you would notice the weeping and replace the pump.

As far as oil in that hole,
This was posted in my other thread about putting oil in that hole:
"the seal has a rubber bellows that will be deteriorated by the oil. This rubber bellows is what usually fails when a water pump starts to weep"

If it's making noise from that hole (Like the original poster of this thread said)... There might be some kind of lube that is not oil based and is safe for rubber that you could put in there. Or maybe if you truly put 1 or two drops of oil in there you'd be ok... Better to not risk it.

historical note... Old timers would run kerosene in their tractor radiators, (no thermostat) because it was a PIA to get antifreeze. My great grampa did it and an internet search confirms it wasn't that rare back in the day.

Yup, I remember this well. I once spent several hours trying to find a non-existent fuel leak which I knew HAD to be there because the coolant smelled of diesel fuel.:o The old boy who owned the tractor had quite the laugh when he heard of the problem I was chasing. Took me a couple of years to live it down.