I have what sounds like a bad bearing in my water pump or alternator. I can't quite tell which it's in though. Any suggestions on how to confirm which part the noise is coming from?

Thanks

 

You can hunt down a bad bearing by using a length of heater hose as a stethoscope. Prod around while the engine is running and put the other end of the hose to your ear. Be careful around the radiator fan blade, they bite! If you have a bad alternator bearing, you can also tell by removing the belt and turning the pulley by hand (with the engine off). A bad bearing will feel rough, and make a grating and/or squeak sound. When the bearings are good, you should be able to give the pulley a twirl by hand and it will spin smoothly.

 

One other thing, if you have a bad bearing in your water pump, you might see fluid laying under your car which is coming out of the wheep hole on the water pump housing.

 

Thanks for the input guys. I'm hoping it's the alternator as it's an easier fix but, I just looked and I can see a small trail of rusty water running out of the weep hole, down the water pump and then down the radiator hose. I'll pull the alternator belt this weekend and see how the alternator spins but, sounds like the weep hole is my glaring clue that my water pump is bad?

I bought the car already done and it's running a 383 stroker with what looks like a standard cast water pump. Is it safe to assume it's running a standard 350 WP? Any way to ensure I get the right WP if it turns out that's my problem?

 

Give the pump a spin by hand when the belt is off. If the bearing is bad, you should hear it. Regardless, a leaking pump means time for a new one. Your car originally came with the short style water pump, with the alternator on the drivers side. In 69, it changed to long pump, alternator on the passenger side. Since your engine has been modified, the previous owner could have easily changed that setup. Which of those two configurations do you have?

 

Just like 69 Camaro mentioned, for your year Camaro, the short type water pump is the correct one, but it doesn't mean that the other person didn't put a long one on. They are very easy to tell the difference between, the short one is close to the block where the long one, well, sticks outs more from the block.
Next, they make a cheap cast pump or you can get an expensive electric pump, so it's up to you and your budget. Some pumps flow more water, some are aluminum, it's just like every other part you buy, there are options.
Let me ask you this, does your motor use a serpentine belt setup or just the plain V belt? The only reason I ask, and someone maybe need to correct me, but I think the serpentine belt setups use a reverse flow water pump and would be different from a standard pump.
I'm just throwing that out there, just in case you do use that setup.

 

My alternator is on the passenger side and I want to say I have a good 1.5-2" between the front of the block and back of water pump. No serpentine belt- individual V belts. Sounds like I have the long pump?

If I hit Rick's or Year One, it looks like the small block long pump is the one I need? If it helps, i can grab a picture of mine later tonight... I assume as long as the pump looks the same as mine, I'm good?

thanks again,
Chris

 

To me that sounds like a short pump, but I've been working on big blocks for some time, so I might be confused, which is not hard to do....

A short pump, from the block to the end of the pump is 5-7/8" and a long pump is 7-1/4".

Unless you want to pay big bucks for a water pump, there is nothing wrong with getting one Autozone or Advanced Auto Parts. I've used them before with no problems.

 

Here's a chart for you.

 

Yes, without a doubt you have the long pump, your car has been "converted". The short pump literally hugs the timing chain cover on the back side.
GM did it only those two ways (long pump/passenger side alternator, short pump/drivers side alternator).
The alternator being on the passenger side is generally the giveaway, without even needing to look at the pump.