Anyone heard of putting a bit castor oil in the coolant to help the water pump? Heard someone mentioning that at the autoparts store.

Why? I'm at 338k on the OEM water pump. Just do coolant changes.

Reason for asking is my JD water pump developed a leak and rusted out one of the alternator bearings. Alternator eventually froze up and burnt the belt right off pulleys. Dog Gone water pump quit leaking ever since I changed antifreeze and changed the front bearing in the alt. I just changed and flushed again last nite so wondering if any heard about castor oil.

Edited March 31, 20187 yr by JAG1

6 hours ago, JAG1 said:

Anyone heard of putting a bit castor oil in the coolant to help the water pump? Heard someone mentioning that at the autoparts store.

     Why yes, from the same guy that told me I had to rotate the winter air in my tires and put summer air in.   

 

I don't know how it's going to help.  There is a rubber seal keeping the coolant from leaking out and then the sealed bearings.  Just having a quality pump, changing the coolant, using distilled water and keeping the ph level around 6-7 and your good to go. 

                               

Edited March 31, 20187 yr by IBMobile

Don’t forget to flush the blinker fluid and to grease the muffler bearings. 

 

 

28 minutes ago, AH64ID said:

Don’t forget to flush the blinker fluid and to grease the muffler bearings. 

 

 

 

 

@JAG1 you do realize this is all in fun blinker fluid and muffler bearings... 

 

The castor oil idea I would be afraid of adding oil to the coolant at all. The oil will most likely cause the water pump seal to fail and water pump to leak. Then other rubber seals like the thermostat and water pump seal will most likely soften up too and leak. Not to mention what it would do to the rubber hoses like radiator and heater core hoses. 

 

If oil was such a good thing guys with blown head gaskets would bother washing out all that engine oil after a head gasket failure. 

Blinker fluid, I've been looking for that stuff all over the place.  I didn't know AutoZone had it. 

I already have the muffler bearings from E-Bay.                                       

  

A life time ago it was normal to add a small can of water soluble oil to the coolant if you ran water only. With todays coolants I cant see a need because if you feel coolant on your fingers it has a oily feel.

I know.....all fun. Life's not worth it w/o a little humor.  Must say we'll see what happens because I poured in organic Castor oil oil in the tractor w/ new antifreeze. I think it helps the seal not wear by getting lube to it. Time will tell. 

 

I need that blinker fluid if you find it, my eyes dry out so bad sometimes. lol

I'll bring you some along with the relays in May.

10 hours ago, JAG1 said:

I know.....all fun. Life's not worth it w/o a little humor.  Must say we'll see what happens because I poured in organic Castor oil oil in the tractor w/ new antifreeze. I think it helps the seal not wear by getting lube to it. Time will tell. 

 

I need that blinker fluid if you find it, my eyes dry out so bad sometimes. lol

 

The antifreeze should provide all the lubrication needed. 

Th

9 hours ago, IBMobile said:

I'll bring you some along with the relays in May.

Thanks Dan, but no more throwing 'gross tasting' candy under my truck... bears kept me awake all night.

All coolant system seals, O rings, hoses etc don't like oil of any kind. Might have been the thing to do in 1930 but not in 2018, water pumps back then used gland packing and leather seals i'd say so a little lube worked wonders coolant and cooling systems have moved on

Welcome to the forum. 

Thanks... Saturday morning at work passing some time away waiting for 2 cat loading shovels to finish so I can get some repairs done

3 hours ago, wil440 said:

Thanks... Saturday morning at work passing some time away waiting for 2 cat loading shovels to finish so I can get some repairs done

Thats cool, I love running excavators more than any, but a cat does a hell of a lot of work in a hurry.

Yes. Up until jan this year I worked as field service engineer for only cat dealer in UK and before that caterpillar themselves but now gone back to local quarry..... much less stress and no tips/landfills