Mark:
On your response to Pat, I have to differ in one area. The water pumps of the
Datsuns, just like all of the American cars, use a mechanical seal to prevent
the fluid from leaving its designated area. For the automotive seals, this is
usually a carbon grade face against a ceramic face. These faces do require
lubrication, and water is not the best. And the faces definately wear, with a
three year life considered good.
As a side note, for anyone who has ever used additives to derust a block by
running the engine with these chemicals in the cooling system, you almost
always have to replace the water pump afterwards, as either the chemicals, or
the solids (rust)destroy these two faces to where they no longer seal to each
other. Been there, done that.
Dan & Susan
Marc Sayer :
<<Second, while the idea of an additive
in the coolant to "lubricate" the water pump is often used to aid sales, and
while most folks seem to buy into the concept, I believe it lacks a good
scientific basis. The bearings do not run in the coolant, there are no parts of
the water pump that run in the coolant that are subject to wear or that need
lubrication. The bearings are really the only wear parts in a pump and they are
sealed well away from the coolant and lubricated separately. So just what does
the antifreeze or additive lubricate, Seals? They are lubed with the bearings or
are self lubricated. While they do ride in the coolant on the one side, I have
never seen anywhere any indication that they need special lubricants in the
coolant. OTOH the one thing that all cars, and especially those with bi-metal
engines, need in the coolant is some sort of corrosion protection. Antifreeze
will give you a certain level of this. Even better is water with a good
corrosion inhibitor additive, or water and RedLine WaterWetter, which is also an
excellent corrosion inhibitor. >>
|