Cool/Heat: Water Pump

[Corvanti]

it sounds like the water pump is going out in my '51 Champion Business Coupe. it will make a horrific noise for a few minutes, stops for awhile then starts with the noise again. this is at idle. it seems the noise goes away at higher rpm's.

definitely not the fan belt or generator.

my first stop was the SI catalog. a new one, 682630, is the same price as a rebuilt one - 682630R. the rebuilt one needs a core exchange, the new one does not.

so the question is: why would i want a rebuilt pump when i can get a new one at the same price with no core exchange?

[RadioRoy]

Are you assuming that the new pump is higher quality than the rebuilt one?
Perhaps the quality of the casting is different?
Most likely, the rebuilt price was established in the catalog before the reproduction pumps came into existence.

[Corvanti]

Are you assuming that the new pump is higher quality than the rebuilt one?
Perhaps the quality of the casting is different?

the only worry about the new pump is the lower quality of newer (overseas) parts. but i don't think there would be a big market to make new ones. i was thinking that SI picked them up from N.A. Sasco, etc.

the problem with the rebuilt part is the time it takes to send the core to them and waiting for the part here. we have decent weather here most of the time until late January and i want to drive her as much as possible!

[RadioRoy]

Sometimes you can order and pay a core charge and get the item right away. When you send in the old core, they refund the core charge.

Does SI do it that way?

[rkapteyn]

The Champion water pumps were also used on an Onan generator. (Onan being owned by Studebaker) and I may be wrong but I believe that they used an plastic impeller.
I found a plastic impeller on a Champion pump once and assumed it was one from Onan.
It is relatively easy to rebuilt your own if you have the correct tools and follow the shop manual.