Hello All,
I picked up a 2010 SHO with 180k on it in September and got an Oil pressure warning this week. I put my oil pressure gauge on it and got 16 PSI at Hot idle (no oil pressure warning during the test, so it would seem the pressure was even lower the day before), so I think I need to replace the Oil Pump (unless anyone has any other suggestions of things to check first). It has also had a rattle for a second or so right at startup, so I plan to change the timing chains, tensioners, and guides, and I figure the water pump is on borrowed time, so I plan to change that while I'm in there. So I was going through making a parts list on the Ford Parts site and the water pump, (listed as PW-495 for both the SMPI and Ecoboost 3.5L), is $120 from Ford. I checked Rock Auto, which lists PW-538 for the SMPI 3.5L, but there is no Motorcraft pump listed for the Ecoboost. On the PW-538 info page, it lists PW-495 as an alternate\OEM part number. RA also has a Gates pump for the Ecoboost for $25 (the Gates pump for the SMPI 3.5L is a different part number and is $47).
Is there actually a difference between the water pumps on the SMPI and the Ecoboost? Is the Gates pump for the Ecoboost any good? I've heard good things about gates water pumps, but the $25 price makes me a little leery. Should I just pay the extra $100 for the listed Motorcraft part from Ford? Or will the PW-538 listed for the SMPI 3.5L (priced at $67) work on my SHO?
Thanks
-Brad