The Valiant has been running warmer than it used to. It never got above 1/2 way on the gauge before, and now it does.

I replaced the radiator cap and thermostat that wasn't opening at 180 like it should and removed the block drain plug and reverse flushed the block.

I put in new coolant and started it up.
The water pump was noisy until the coolant flowed a little.
A clanking sound.

Is this a sign the water pump is going?

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63 Signet / 10 inch front drums / weber 2bbl / HEI / 2.76 rear end

If it quieted immediately when the coolant reached it, and it's not making any noise now and there's no seepage from the weep hole, I'd guess its fine.

brian

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https://tinyurl.com/yynpj4v2

There's no seepage.
I need to loosen the belt and see if there's play in the shaft, though.
Hate to trade in a cast iron pump for an aluminum commie-capitalist pump.

Edit: no play at fan

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63 Signet / 10 inch front drums / weber 2bbl / HEI / 2.76 rear end

Hmmm... so commies and capitalists have buried the hachet and are now making bad water pumps?? Who would have thought.....LOL

My last 2 pumps from NAPA have had play in the pump shaft bearing right out of the box. They both have been noisy running regardless of belt tension, etc. The tiny wobble in the bearing seems to 'tap' the metal fan and make it even noisier.

Is you car cooler now? If not, a good rad cleaning is probably next. Did you notice any amount of scale and rust inside the head passages when you pulled the t-stat?

Hadn't you heard?
Capitalism works great under Communist rule.
U.S. MBAs and Chinese MBAs buried the hatchet years ago.

Always the lowest price! Always!
Thanks. I was looking at a NAPA pump yesterday and was contemplating going back and buying it today.
I don't know yet. I need to put some stuff together and take it for a ride later. It's going to be almost 60 and dry in Seattle later today.
I didn't see any rust and scale when I pulled the thermostat, and coolant started draining as soon as I unscrewed the block drain plug. I took that as a good sign.

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63 Signet / 10 inch front drums / weber 2bbl / HEI / 2.76 rear end

My commie Al pumps have all worked fine. My car sometimes had an annoying, non-rocker arm related tick, but I didn't isolate it. Might have been the water pump, might have been the alternator - only at idle though.

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https://tinyurl.com/yynpj4v2