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jturbo10 12-07-2012 09:58:17 67.232.123.92 Report to Moderator	There are pro"s and con"s for camshaft driven waterpumps and I"m sure JD engineers did a lot of analysis before approving the concept. I personally like the no-belt water pump, however, I subscribe you might want to consider using a time line replacement strategy. Like in airplanes, we replace certain line items based on time/cycles rather than when broke. If you wait until you actually hear the bearings squeak or see antifreeze in the oil it could be a costly engine overhaul. My JD 4450 water pump had a slight squeak when it was first started during hay season. I shut it down at the first sign of water loss in the radiator. I was very lucky as the bearing case was intact when I put it in the shop and replaced the water pump. Don"t know what is an appropriate hour to automatically replace a cam run water pump but maybe John Deere has some data on time-between-failure stats on their water pumps. Since water pumps are about $450 to replace many people will not replace before failure. Maybe something around 4000 hrs or 5-6 yrs which ever comes first is a starting argument point. JMHO [Reply]   [No Email]
DEEREMEYER1 12-08-2012 18:35:29 71.50.25.139 Report to Moderator	Re: Old 531/619 any relation to the new 12.5 ? in reply to jturbo10, 12-07-2012 09:58:17   I tend to agree. I've seen belt-driven water pumps fail and take out the fan, shroud and very expensive radiator. The main thing with gear-driven water pumps is to simply check the oil every day, which you should be done anyway, regardless of what type of water pump is on the engine. It doesn't take much coolant to turn oil milky, and if you're keeping track of your oil and coolant levels daily, you should notice a leaking water pump before it becomes a major issue, along with keeping the weep hole open. And of course cooling system maintenance is a big part of it. The pumps last a lot longer with good coolant in the system than with junk coolant that has lost all of its additives. To many guys think that as long as the freeze point is low, the coolant is good. More to it than that. If I had a Deere with a gear-driven water pump, I'd just make it a habit to rebuild the water pump every 2000 hours or so and change the coolant, thermostat and radiator cap at the same time.   [Reply]  [No Email]
Tim S 12-08-2012 19:56:55 68.75.23.93 Report to Moderator	Re: Old 531/619 any relation to the new 12.5 ? in reply to DEEREMEYER1, 12-08-2012 18:35:29   I don"t agree, I would rather buy a radiator than replace a head and valve train...and as far as checking the tractors over each day checking the coolant level and belts, and wiggling the fan is routine that we have been doing for years,,to me it"s just another flaw in new design...   [Reply]  [No Email]
Tim S 12-07-2012 10:10:31 68.75.23.93 Report to Moderator	Re: Old 531/619 any relation to the new 12.5 ? in reply to jturbo10, 12-07-2012 09:58:17   Yes, Like them or not we will still need to deal with them....It"s to bad that something can"t be built into them to protect against a failed bearing...   [Reply]  [No Email]
DEEREMEYER1 12-08-2012 18:43:44 71.50.25.139 Report to Moderator	Re: Old 531/619 any relation to the new 12.5 ? in reply to Tim S, 12-07-2012 10:10:31   If a guy could keep the weep hole open and clean that would help a bunch and if the oil seal were more robust or maybe some kind of double-lip seal so coolant under pressure couldn't be easily forced past it. If a guy could come up with something better there might be some money to be made...   [Reply]  [No Email]