Small block Ford water pump

I got the short v-belt version pump on my 351W.

I stopped saturday, and my engine was in excess of 230 degrees. What was left of the coolant was leaking out somewhere. When everything cooled, I put some water in it, and discovered the leak was coming from behind the pump. So, I took the pump off and discovered a good amount of rust trapped in that void between the pump plate and the timing chain cover. Then, I noticed that the steel plate was warped, and you could tell it had been hot.

I took the plate off the pump, and there is this dime-sized nipple welded to the plate and it had been wearing against the end of the impeller shaft causing a lot of friction and heat...and thereby causing a leak.

I can't believe I didn't notice this when I assmebled the engine. Are the two designed to contact with each other? What's the deal with that? That seems like the poorest design ever.

That's what I would guess, but the pump seems fine. There is no movement back and forth.

Why is that piece even on the plate?

If you used a rebuilt water pump you can expect almost anything to happen. The guy that rebuilt that pump might not speak English, can't read instructions, works cheap and rebuilds all make pumps from American to ricers. Quality is suspect.

If it's new, it might have been made in China, and all of the above still applies, except he builds all brands.

Am I a pessimist about replacement parts - wasn't but am now!!!!