Broken Water Pump Shaft Tonight...Caused MANY Problems...Pics

[82mustang]

So tonight i pull the car out for a drive, 10min later the water pump shaft just breaks right behind the mounting plate..i wasnt putting any unusual stresses on it(the belt was slightly loose, but the only one in town that came close to fitting the new motor), when the pump shaft broke it sent the clutch fan right into the radiator tearing it open, bending a few blades on the fan, bending my water pump pulley, and breaking my fan shroud...this water pump is a reman unit from Cardone(bought at schucks) that is not more than 2 months old and has less than 200 miles on it..i think schucks should replace the water pump with a better quality unit or give me a full refund at the bare minimum. IMO they should pay for a new radiator, clutch fan, water pump, radiator shroud, and water pump pulley...this is BS, please give me your opinions
EDIT: the belt is still in good shape, this incident was not caused by the belt coming off
Pictures:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v414/hyper7pbs/351swap009.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v414/hyper7pbs/351swap010.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v414/hyper7pbs/351swap011.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v414/hyper7pbs/351swap012.jpg

~Mark~

[sbcstang]

I friend of mine had the same problem with one from Advance Auto (same company). He got them to pay for a radiator, new pump, and shroud. Good thing you took pictures. You can start with the store manager that you bought the pump from. If you get nowhere with him, ask for his regional manager's number.

Chris

[BLACK85GT]

Looking at the pictures the waterpump is clearly at fault. If there would have been more tension on the belt I think it would have taken the shaft further into the waterpump. I would take them their pump back and ask them to also cover the other parts that you need to fix the car. I would also ask them to cover some of your labor since it was their fauly part that caused your damage.

[gregpro50]

Same thing happened to me a few years back. The problem is actually caused by the fan clutch. There is fluid in the clutch that makes it work and if it has leaked even a little bit over the years then while the fan is spinning the fluid collects to one side and throws the whole fan seriously off balance. The stress of the fan being off balance is more than the waterpump shaft can handle and it eventually gives.

[gtluke]

holy crap

[Chris Wood]

If there is a bright side--Good time to go to an aluminum radiator and electric fans though. I have seen blades break off of fans and go through hoods, shrouds etc, but I have never seen that.

[48fordnut]

on getting the parts store to pay, if you keep after them, and show them the repair bill. they might.I would get rid of the clutch fan.

[SoundsGood]

wow, never seen anything like that.thats a lot of damage:(

[82mustang]

good point gregpro50, if they replace everything i'll be amazed..i dont care about the labor since i can change the water pump out in about 20min. I'll buy a new fan clutch unit while i'm at it...and thanks sbcstang for your input i never would have thought to talk to the regional manager...the bottom line is they sold me a faulty water pump and it caused upwards of 200.00 in damage, if not more....plus i hate downtime!

~Mark~

[82mustang]

Also this fan clutch has about 102K on it, and worked fine on the old water pump(the bearing seals went out), 200 miles on the new motor and it decided to go bad?? the clutch wasnt wet with fluid or anything so i'm pretty sure it wasnt leaking

~Mark~

[sbcstang]

No prob. I used to work for Advance Auto. Each store has a couple managers, but there is also a regional and district managers. So try them both. The whole thing is like a pyramid. Too many chiefs and not enough indians.
In the situation with my buddy, they didn't reimburse him for the costs, they took the parts right off the shelf (well, rad, pump, clutch) and I think they can get fans as special order. May have to show a receipt from a yard or Ford for the shroud if they agree to it.

Chris

[WHTLTHR79RS]

Mark, I just called Schucks new me and they said a 1 year warranty on the reman waterpump. If they balk at buying you a new clutch fan, "settle" for a flex-lite.
Get the darn thing fixed...you got 2 weeks.

Neil

[82mustang]

well i went to schucks this morning and the manager was happy to help, he ordered me a new "3 core" radiator, fan clutch, fan blade, and water pump, the shroud and pulley i will get on my own..today i pick up the radiator and notice it's a 1 core, aluminum center with plastic tanks, and also has a tranny cooler(i said it was a stick). The clutch part is fine, but the flex fan they gave me is a standard rotation, i need a reverse rotation..also he said they have to do a lot of paperwork for the company to pay for all this stuff, but they will come through in 4-6 weeks...and then i will be reimbursed the full amount of the parts.. i'm gonna call them right now to straighten out the fan rotation issue, maybe they will trade both parts for an E fan, who knows...i also ordered BBK underdrive pullies for about 125.00

~Mark~

[82mustang]

just called and they ordered a rev. rotation fan, so the underdrive pullies, fan blade, and water pump should be here tomorrow by 4:00, YAY i finally get to drive my car again

~Mark~

[ujslost]

I have a shroud from a aero car if your intrested pm me.

[82mustang]

if i buy a shroud it will have to be local, shipping would be more than it's worth..Thanks though

~Mark~

[ujslost]

no problem.

[306gt]

I have a friend with a newly rebuilt 454 BBC in his truck. He bought a new water pump, radiator, fan, clutch. He got it running and 20 miles later the flange on the front of the pump came off. Took out his radiator, shroud, fan. The fan was still bolted to the flange. He bought a new radiator and fan assembly and the parts store gave him a new pump. He put it back together and 10 minutes later the flange came off again while Idling in the driveway. Took out all of his new parts again. He went back to the parts store and made them pay for everything twice. The first time he let it slide and just got them to give him a new pump and he ate the rest. The 2nd time he made them pay for the first time as well as the 2nd time. He bought all new stuff again at a different parts store. The flange is a press fit on the waterpump shaft. I guess there was not enough interferance fit on those two waterpumps.

[82mustang]

damn that sucks, at that point i would weld the flange to the shaft..then again try explaining to the parts guys that your weld didnt cause the cast steel shaft to break..i just want my car to move!

~Mark~

[85stanggt]

Get your money back and go buy a motorcraft one. You'll pay a little more at the dealer, but I think you'll get a better part. I know to change them every 80,000 miles or 10 years now cause that's when the original and its replacement failed. Within a month and a couple hundred miles.... :shrug: Don't know if they're still available for a 351, though.