Date: Sun, 23 May 1999 23:19:45 -0700
Reply-To: A & C Grobey <alien1@JPS.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: A & C Grobey <alien1@JPS.NET>
Subject: Re: SOS: Waterpump Questions: Help!
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
I recently had the water pump go out in my van while my wife was on her way
home from the coast (1.5 hour drive). The bad part of the story is that
five miles from home the van overheated from coolant loss and she continued
to drive it home (ouch). I first blamed the head gasket and thought it was
time for a new engine. A little closer look showed the water pump was the
source of the leak. My question is this:
Is this a good opportunity to look at conversions or is my engine
salvageable?
If the engine is salvageable, then based on Dennis' comments, it sounds like
I will need to do a little more work that just replace the water pump.
When I thought it was the head gasket, I began researching engine
conversions. I was ready to go with an inline four or five when I found out
it was the water pump. Now I am unsure how to proceed. Should I fix the
water pump and keep on driving? Or is this futile? The engine will start
and run now but it of course overheats quickly due to the bad water pump. I
am just afraid the heads are already toast since it was driven with low
coolant and overheating.
HELP! I would appreciate any info or advice you could give me.
Thanks,
Alan
'91 Carat
Sherwood, OR
-----Original Message-----
From: Dennis Haynes <dhaynes57@EMAIL.MSN.COM>
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Date: Sunday, May 23, 1999 7:54 PM
Subject: Re: SOS: Waterpump Questions: Help!
>A noisy water pump should always be replaced. When the bearings fail, the
>impeller will damage the engine case. This area will either have to be
>epoxied or welded to restore proper pump efficiency. having groves in the
>case causes loss of pump pressure. This can cause problems such as poor
heat
>at idle, insufficient flow at low speeds or the radiator fan responding
fast
>enough due to the poor radiator flow.
>
>Dennis
>
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Mark B. Magee <condor2@FLASH.NET>
>To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
>Date: Saturday, May 22, 1999 10:43 PM
>Subject: SOS: Waterpump Questions: Help!
>
>
>>Volks,
>>The waterpump on my 91 Westy has the rather mild rattle beginning that
>>has me concerned. We are loaded for a 1200 mile trip to take off in the
>>morning. The water pump I have noticed to be noisy; when it's off you
>>can barely get any play a out of the pulley, yet there is a tiny amount.
>>No water is leaking. This Westy has 143K on it and records show a
>>waterpump at 55K.
>>Question, do I have 1500 miles on this waterpump! (Can I leave for
>>vacation!!!). As we are leaving on Sunday, we can't even get a pump on
>>our way out of Houston.
>>How long from the first tremblings of trouble until real trouble, eg.
>>excessive water leakage or bearing failure.
>>I can wait until Monday and do a pump then....... But I lose 2 days
>>camping with the family.....
>>I once nursed a 3/4 Suburban w/a leaking waterpump from El Paso to Kemah
>>(nearly 800 miles), pump leaked but I just kept topping off and replaced
>>when I got home. Mines not leaking and no excessive bearing freeplay,
>>presently.
>>I appreciate any thoughts or experience in this matter. Thanks
>>
>>--
>>><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><>
>>Shalom 87 GL
>>Mark Magee 91 Westy
>>Kemah TX USA 96 Suzuki 4WD Sport
>>John 14:6
>
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