BC

I have never really seen this issue up close. The blocks I have disassembled have always been "okay".

But I was hoping to slap this puppy back together for a daily driver within weeks, but this is a fork in the road.

I wonder if I can get away with this if I smooth out the edges and make sure the pump is farther in, such as without a paper seal, and use 574 instead or something similar that removes the need for a material seal. The car was running at a pretty normal temp for the driving I did before I took it apart.

perrys4

As a newbie trying to learn, what caused this? The impeller?

ZEUS+

This was a two week old rebuild on my '84 that came apart back in '97. I just polished the surface with roloc discs and it is fine and still running cool.

Simon Jester

I'd hesitate to do more than clean up the rough edges to this. Before you assemble her without a gasket, I'd try a test assembly with dab of modeling clay to check the clearance of the impeller.

If you still have the old water pump you might check to see it it was just excessive endplay, the wrong part or something like that.

It's a centrifugal pump, so it'll work with lots of clearance.

BC

The pump has been replaced SINCE this has happened. The pump is obviously new by its condition, and the impeller shows no signs of a scuffle. I was almost thinking of reusing the pump since it IS so new.

BC

Thanks Zeus. That was my inkling, but I was concerned about HOW much clearance the assembly would allow before cooling trouble.

Simon Jester

Well, if the pump that just came out of there looks new and doesn't show any scuffing, you should be good to go. Put back just like it came out.

ZEUS+

It is a well designed cooling system, small chance of cavitation. Mine actually ran cooler, with a pump that stayed together.

Bill Ball

Brendan:

Is that from the car you got from Heinrich? If so, this should not be a problem. It was like that when H'man bought the car. When we removed the WP, which was partially seized, the metal impeller was found to have backed off the shaft partially and honed the block. We put on a new WP and it cooled fine. The hone was not enough to make much difference. I think you can put it back on with a gasket.

perrys4

Finally, thanks for answering my question Bill. I know it wasn't aimed at me, but I was thinking my post was invisible to everyone but me. Guys, please don't blow off something you might find a dumb question. Asking them is the only way we newbies can learn.

ZEUS+

Sorry Perry, I thought my picture with the impeller laying there would have helped.

Bill Ball

Heh, I won't tell you what my first question was when I was a newbie. You've got a long way to go to get as dumb as me.

Just a little more on the impeller...it had not only backed off the shaft, but the bearing was so bad the shaft was unbelievably loose causing it to wobble and move in and out. When I first saw the hone job, I wondered like Brendan, but as we looked at the edge of the impression, we could see that not much metal had been removed. The PO noted that for the past month or so the car was making funny noises and smoke was coming from the front of the engine. Fortunately he didn't drive it much.

BC

I am also going to take Zeus's suggestion then and smooth off where the aluminum has overheated and chunked at the edge.

Anyone else have a BAD story about using a block like this? Other then the foreboding picture that used to be in the Devek Cataloug?

John Veninger

Clean it up, it will be fine.

Are you having a party?? How long has it been?

cfc928gt

Perry, don't take offense to this, it happens all the time. A couple of people will be on a roll and a question or response will get lost in the conversation and soon your post will be long forgotten. I do know the feeling, it's happened to me many times too but it's no big deal. Don't stop asking, there are no dumb questions.