AutoZone water pump or OEM pump from dealer?

[Hollywood77]

I'm curious about this. I'm about to order 8 or 9 timing-belt-change related items from my local dealer.

I e-mailed the guy at the dealership (whom I always deal with) an Excel file with all my part numbers.

When he got back to me, it was with a price of $152.00 for a water pump.

That, to me, seemed to be a bit steep; so I called AutoZone.

AutoZone has one for $52.00.

I'm curious as to whether or not anybody has anything good/bad to say about using an AutoZone water pump?

That part would be my first AutoZone part, everything else has been Mitsu OEM from the dealer.

I guess, when I think about it, saving the $100 isn't my only concern. I'm concerned about using an AutoZone water pump. But if it's rock solid, then I'll go with it.

Sorry for rambling, and thanks for any help!

 

[My1GLaser]

JNZtuning.com has it for 117.20 if that helps any. I am sure I saw another brand that flowed more for about $75-80, but I can't find it right now. I will keep looking.

I don't have any experience with the AZ pump.

 

[92AWDHX40]

Well ive owned two dsm and ive used az water pumps in the past, and advanced auto,
never had a problem with them. Oem is sometimes more, never used a oem water pump
before though.

 

[welfle18]

I am actually running a AZ water pump and its been on for about 8 months now and no problems so far. When I build my rock solid engine I will use OEM though just for piece of mind.

 

[Hollywood77]

Ah, those are the kind of replies I was looking for!

Thanks guys!!

I'm gonna have to look into the one from JNZ -- thanks for the heads-up on that one, 1GLaser.

 

[greddyturbo19]

i always get my parts from autozone. pays off if you have the rewards card too. none of my parts have broken its been a year on some parts. i love autozone.

 

[Hollywood77]

I hear ya on that one man...I've got my rewards card i my wallet.

I think, for curiousity's sake, and for savin' a hundred bucks, I'm gonna give the AZ part a shot. We'll see how it goes.

 

[LTUDSM]

try ExTremePsi... They got "Top Line" water pump for 52 bucks.Thats what im gonna get when ill get my block from the machine shop

 

[stevestevesteve]

Yes, I am bringing up a 2 year old thread. I dont want to start another thread with a n00b question. Is this water pump I received in the mail a true mitsu part? I bought it off a fellow member who claimed it was a Mitsu pump, and it DID come in the mitsu water pump box.

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It doesnt have the Manufacturer Name on the neck of it, which other OEM ones do. But it doesnt look resurfaced, or scraped on the inside gasket side. And because it spins on bushings that it makes it hard to spin? it doesnt spin freely such as a turbine wheel. I take it they make it tight because the bushing wears out over time and it spins easier are time goes on?

 

[GooeyGus]

I cant comment on whether or not it's a real OEM pump, but I've never seen a water pump that spins freely. You should be able to spin it, but it shouldn't keep going after you stop. There are seals on the shaft to keep the water in the car, these cause friction

 

[2slow4now]

Are there any part numbers on it you can cross reference and look at a few auto part sites and maybe find the same number then you could figure out what brand it is. Hopefully a fellow member wouldn't stick you. Post the numbers and maybe someone can verify them for you for me I got a topline so I won't be any help. 6bolt or 7 bolt block would help too.

 

[DSM1G90]

I went to NAPA and got my WP for 52 bucks two years ago and running like a champ.

Parts from the service counter will be higher due to the sales that the dealership needs to make to stay alive.

"AutoCRAPzone" .. seen parts come out of them places that would even scare the ignorant.

 

[Blaze2gDSM]

That is not an oem water pump. Every one has "aisin" cast on the side of it, that is the name pf the oe manufacturer.

 

[turbosax2]

^ Agreed. Also, my 2g OEM water pump didn't come with a dowel pin for the pulleys (no hole for the dowel pin either).

 

[ziggo0]

I've had lots of luck with ASC brand water pumps through advance for the past several years.

 

[wraoffroad]

careful with those auto zone parts. i had 2 bearings fail in those things until i payed for a good bosch water pump. I haven't had any problems since. moral of the story is you get what you pay for.

 

[jjrock5]

Not sure about your water pump but a few years ago I bought a water pump for my 1.8 at Auto Zone and it crapped out within 2 months.

 

[stevestevesteve]

That is not an oem water pump. Every one has "aisin" cast on the side of it, that is the name pf the oe manufacturer.

Thats why I brought it up. It didnt have "aisin" on it.

Well, I guess I will be selling it and I will be on the look out for an OEM one. Here are some additional pictures.

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[my98gsx]

i personally wont put anything from autozone on my car. Their remanufacured parts are poor quality. You can get the OEM water pump from extreme psi or slowboy. The money you save from autozone isnt worth the headach when you need to replace it again and again. ( think about it, the water pump ins th the quickest job to do on our cars. ) Spend the money and do it right you dont want your car overheating, nor do you want your waterpump to leak.

 

[Fusionworks]

I've never seen an OEM pump come with the dowel pin...

 

[eazy2g]

Looks like the one on extremepsi, topline brand. It has the same markings.

EXTREME PSI : Your #1 Source for In Stock Performance Parts - Topline Water Pump : Mitsubishi Eclipse 90-99

 

[DSM1G90]

The one I got from NAPA had the dowel pin on the pulley mounting flange..and that symbol.

 

[92_6bolt_1290]

parts that come from places like advance auto or napa or auto zone aren't "bad" by any means...BUT they are made for stock cars, not modified cars. Obviously the OEM parts are made for stock cars but the same people who decide the specs for the oem parts also know the capabilities of the engine much better than aftermarket(unless you're switching to high flow) so if you want to feel safer at 450 whp then go oem but if you're just doing a job to a stock or very lightly modified car then you will be fine going aftermarket

 

[jjrock5]

Use partsdinosaur.com pumps. He won't sell anything that isn't as good as OEM. I ran one for a while with no problems. I think he has them for $40.

 

[96_charcoal_tsi]

I have worked for autozone for almost three years now and have been running one of our waterpumps for about a year now with no problems. Some things from autozone are junk but you get what you pay for, which is why we offer a lifetime warranty on slot of duralast parts.