w best sewage pumps

Best water pump?

94burbk1500

I've got a 94 k1500 suburban with the 5.7l motor. The water pump started leaking a few days ago at 140k miles. I'm not mad, I drive this truck hard as hell and it's never left me stranded. Water pumps for these engines are dirt cheap, I want the best OEM style replacement out there, wondering what you guys suggest. Been looking at the GMB high performace pump on rock auto as well as a couple of "pricey" (sub $100) pumps on jegs. What would you guys put on if money were no object?

Supercharged111

Have you looked at an AC Delco replacement? The one I got for my 1500 looked identical to the 200k+ original that I removed.

df2x4

X2 for ACDelco, I know a lot of their parts are outsourced these days but I legitimately feel like their quality control is a step above the rest. Stick to OEM part numbers, stay away from the "Professional" and "Advantage" parts.

RichLo

x2 to above if you want to stay pulley driven, otherwise if money was no object, I'd switch to electric and upgrade to a high amp alt.... IF money was no object.

PlayingWithTBI

Here's what I put on my 88 - Made in the good ol' USA!

kennythewelder

ACDelco

L31MaxExpress

Flowkooler

Schurkey

I've purchased Flowkooler water pumps. I'm less enthused than I used to be. Far as I can tell, they're GMB pumps with a cut-down impeller and a sheet-metal shield poorly welded into position. I had to grind the spot welds to make clearance to the timing cover, otherwise they dragged on the alunminum timing cover and would have scored it.

studigggs

I just put in a Delco OEM version, and it was exactly like the original that lasted 29 years.

L31MaxExpress

Not the new ones. They have an aluminum impellor that is machined to work equally well in either CW or CCW rotation. I have been running one of their Vortec pumps for several years. Engine seems to run cooler in heavy loading and sustained high rpm. Order online from flowkooler and get free shipping. They seem to have the best pricing in-house. I am swapping from a Vortec pump to a TBI pump on my 383 Vortec. Eliminating the external coolant bypass and using the internal bypass.

Supercharged111

Did you drill the block for that? I thought Vortec blocks lacked a water passage for that.

Schurkey

I got caught on that. Didn't realize it's a two-part drilling, from head deck down, and then intersecting with a second drilling from water pump face rearward.

454cid

Are the GMB pumps Chinese?

Schurkey

I thought they were Japanese, but the way things get moved-around, it's hard to tell without contacting the"manufacturer" or looking on the box.

L31MaxExpress

Nope. I have not had a Vortec block in my possesion that has not been drilled and I am going on 10 of them. The factory Vortec head blocks off the water port. My aftermarket heads are drilled. TBI water pump and spacing the accessories and crank pulley 1/4" will simplify my setup. With the forward facing plenum space is at somewhat of a premium where the OEM vortec pump has the heater and bypass connections. My new new aluminum radiator has a 3/4" heater return fitting built into the cold side tank. The only external connection to the pump will be the lower radiator hose.

454cid

I believe the company is Japanese, but that doesn't mean the pumps themselves are made there.... A lot of Sony stuff is Chinese, for example. Still a large Japanese OEM likely has decent quality even if made in China.

racprops

I drive a 1993 Chevy custom Star Craft G20 Van with a TBI 350 with dual air in Phoenix AZ. I lost the original water pump. As I was running a Large 6 blade Fan with a themo clutch, so I was looking for a water pump with heavy duty bearings and extra flow. I bought a Edelbrock water pump with those features, and so far with a 30K miles the Van barely ever runs warm, she stays at 190 all the time . She does not over heat any any time.

CrustyJunker

I looked heavy into this when I was replacing my TBI water pump. Many of the new cast iron replacements you see out there are rebranded GMB. Unless you find some new old American stock or it's remanufactured in an older casting, that's what you're bound to find. The GMB logo will be laser etched on the front of the pump. I bought a GMB pump. It was Chinese, but it hasn't leaked yet and keeps my high compression 383 in check. Mine came painted black and included gaskets. I should also note I bought the high volume model. Nice to see the extra effort than my previous raw-cast graphite-rubbed replacements. Although it didn't hurt operation, they became rusty immediately if left uncoated.

454cid

I thought about painting my Gates pump but it was winter, and I just needed to get it installed. It didn't rust until I hit it with degreaser and the pressure washer. I don't know what they coated it with, but for something that looked like oil it sure lasted longer than I expected.

L31MaxExpress

I think the bigger bearing is more important for overall life expectency than anything when you have clutch fan turning on it. Are you running the Flex-a-lite replacement blade?