I’m looking for the BEST water pump for my 2005 SXT… This morning I went to Autozone and their Duralast water pump was plastic and spinning it – it had high friction… So a good water pump would also have a good seal as well as low parasitic friction + a METAL impeller. The one at O’Reilly’s was a plastic impeller too.

So looking up an ebay search, here are the various brands of water pumps: http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=...ter+pump&rt=nc

This is my best candidate so far, a Dura Intl one that has a metal impeller. Plus the impeller looks good. Anyone have this and how does it perform. Does it have a somewhat frictionless spin?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/DURA-INTL-54...ht_1517wt_1163
http://www.duraintl.com/water.html

This is my next candidate, but I don’t know if the impeller is plastic or metal: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Chrysler-478...#ht_577wt_1163
http://www.usmotorworks.com/Prod_Wat...Automotive.php

Someone here says the Bosch has a metal impeller, but the ebay auction doesn’t have a good pic of it: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Bosch-97218-...#ht_1295wt_931

Here’s a Bortek but I don’t know much about it: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Bortek-20436...#ht_938wt_1139

Here’s the Mopar one, and it is so expensive and yet a PLASTIC impeller: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Mopar-478115...ht_1155wt_1067

How is the Gates water pump? Does it use a plastic or metal impeller?

Any other brands you know about and can tell us about?

 

I think the Bosch Waterpump are steel impeller. and I've installed many Bosch pump, I highly recommend either Mopar WP, or Bosch as aftermarket alternative.
I've used duralast WP few times, and some of them makes noise... like you said, resistance felt when u turn it.
Pepboy carries Bosch WP.
critical parts like water pump, STAY AWAY from ebay.