My truck has 120K miles. I just flushed/changed the coolant and am concerned that I didn't get all the air out and that the pump may have been run dry for a couple of miles.

 

You probably did have a air pocket in the engine that had to work its way out. But I have never seen this hurt a water pump.

 

I have over 160,000 miles on mine and no issue so far

 

I had to replace mine at 110K.

 

Most of them last several hundred thousand miles, but every once in a while, one will die prematurely. When they die, generally it will be pretty obvious. I've never seen one simply stop pumping without any symptoms. They usually start leaking externally, or if the bearing fails they get loose and noisy.

 

I'm on my 2nd replacement (OEM) waterpump. There's no rhyme or reason to them. It will give you a decent warning that it's going out and they are a very quick fix. Although Dodge wants over 200.00 for them, I believe Genos Garage is CONSIDERABLY cheaper!

 

I just replaced my original water pump at 283,555 miles. Not because I had a problem, but because I didn't want to have a problem later. I wouldn't worry.

 

My 01 is still using the original stocker at 240k.

 

My '03 let go right at 107,000, went to blowing out external, made a nice brown mess under the hood. I was in the process of moving the F'ver for an incoming Hurricane Gustav last year.

 

replaced mine at around 90,000...started leaking

 

I ran a WP with an air pocket for probably 10mins .. came back outside and she was squealing like a pig... killed the bearing...

 

85k mine started weeping... 45k on the 2nd one and still going..