A helpful assistant took it upon himself to really clean the 3 month old water pump for my ford while it was off the car last weekend. He was trying to be helpful and soaked it in solvent for an hour, scrubbed it and then very thoroughly blasted very orifice with brakeleen.

Now that it is back on the car is squeals like crazy. Am I screwed and just need to buy another or can I lube it somehow?
ncjay
HalfDork
3/29/14 3:49 p.m.
Compare the price of a new pump with the amount of time it would take to press the pump shaft out of the bearings, inspecting, regreasing, or replacing the bearings, and then putting it all back together. I'd probably just go with a new pump.
Woody
MegaDork
3/29/14 4:08 p.m.
Are you related to this particular assistant?
Woody
MegaDork
3/29/14 4:09 p.m.
And... why did you have to remove a three month old pump?
That thing really shines now 
Woody wrote:
And... why did you have to remove a three month old pump?
It was our well meaning, slightly geriatric shop cleaner/floor sweeper guy. I pulled the 170 out of the falcon and when I was about to install the 200 I realized the water pump being almost new was a good idea to swap over, especially considering I had a brand new gasket in my tool box for it.I took a break to walk the dogs and eat a meal and came back to a spotless work area (bonus!) and a very clean pile of parts. I thought nothing of it until the noise started.
The noise is still intermittent at this point but I made sure the NAPA next door has a spare in stock if/when I need it.
Still busy working out all the other bugs with this engine and transmission swap 
Ahh yes, we had a guy like him for a while.
Made me really nervous when he came looking for CA glue.
In reply to Trans_Maro:
Thursday he Mr. Magooed his way into bashing his head into the car on my lift. He was holding a pile of rags on his bleeding head, leaning over and trying to soak up the blood on the floor with the other hand... while it was still pouring off his brow into the area he was trying to clean. You cannot fault his worth ethic. 12 staples in his scalp later he wanted to come finish cleaning it up.
The car he lacerated his scalp on was this

In reply to Ditchdigger:
Um, I mean if you're gonna lacerate your scalp on something, that is a mighty fine example there. 
lrrs
New Reader
3/30/14 7:10 a.m.
Temp stop gap, maybe.
Squirt some heavy oil into the weep holes. The pump I had had 2 holes. I temporarily plugged the lower and oiled the upper let it sit for a day to penitrate.
I hoped it would work but did not think it would last. I don't remember how much longer I had the car but recall not having to change the pump.
Steve
I know silicone grease would be safe, dunno if it will fix the problem...
lrrs wrote:
Temp stop gap, maybe.
Squirt some heavy oil into the weep holes. The pump I had had 2 holes. I temporarily plugged the lower and oiled the upper let it sit for a day to penitrate.
I hoped it would work but did not think it would last. I don't remember how much longer I had the car but recall not having to change the pump.
Steve
maybe screw a grease fitting into the weep hole and pump it full of grease.
Or replace the pump.