Water pump replacement

imported_brackie · 10-12-2005, 04:31 PM

OK. Finally got round to this job I hadn't been looking forward to it as I had read off-putting reports on this and other forums about needing "bendy" spanners and lots of patience. Well, I needed neither. Very straightforward and everything very accessible.
But of course there were problems. The major of which is that 4 out of the 7 bolts holding the actual pump/impeller assembly to the housing sheared off at the heads. Luckily I could get the broken part of the bolts in the vice and rock them back and forth until they came loose. Alloy is in excellent condition with virtually no corrosion.

The pump had been losing water out of the weep hole since I got the car and it meant topping it up with rain water (geez the rain's pure here in Tassie!) every time the car did a run and adding coolant concentrate at regular intervals. It'll be a luxury not having to worry about it!

syncro · 10-12-2005, 04:52 PM

Originally Posted by brackie

(geez the rain's pure here in Tassie!)

So are the genes!

imported_brackie · 11-12-2005, 04:15 PM

Apart from the sheared bolts, absolutely no dramas.

imported_brackie · 23-12-2005, 05:53 AM

The dramas came later! The water pump kit that I got included a pump to housing gasket but no "O" ring. I used some silicoNe on reassembly but after a few days got a leak at the "O" ring. I pulled the pump out again yesterday and fitted a new "O" ring. Everything went smoothly again until I came to put the long bolt back into the alternator bracket and alternator. Thers no room between it and the chassis rail and it's a bu**er to fit. Just wouldn't line up. I ended up taking the alternator out again and slackening the two bolts that hold the alternator bracket to the block, inserting the long bolt to line it up, and then retightening the bolts. It was easy after that. The tip is, LINE UP THE BOLT BEFORE YOU TIGHTEN UP THE ALTERNATOR BRACKET!!

**Golf Loon** · 23-12-2005, 09:12 AM

Sounds like you`ve been having fun. Well done for the goood result.
Has the car still got a dented roof?

imported_brackie · 23-12-2005, 09:25 AM

Yeah.. Always fun working on Golfs! Love 'em.

The roof is still dented. I haven't had time to get it to a paintless dent repairer (if there is one in NW Tassie!). One of the problems of living in the country, I guess. Just in for a dunny stop and a coffee. Baling hay today and will probably still be working 'til after dark getting them in the barn....before the rain....