[The Art Doctor]

Job done. I painted up the replacement water pump with some very old Bob Drake engine enamel I got from a deceased V8 members garage a few years ago. It is darker than what was on there but better matches the correct color. Eventually I should refresh the whole engine but that would mean cleaning it first. I'll add that to the very bottom of the list.


Looking into Terry's note I have new grease fittings in my wish list at 3rd Gen, I will replace when I get enough needs to make an order. I think the original pump's housing may be cracked, possibly from too much grease with a high pressure gun? The bad pump had been rebuilt with a different style impeller too. As its stamped with a 40- part number I will clean it up and see what the problem actually was, eventually. Possibly it could be saved. I filled the new one with proper water pump grease through the screw on sheet metal opening using a Popsicle stick and put the cover back on.


While I had the coolant drained I went ahead and put in the missing thermostats. I went with 180's. These are 1 3/4" diameter with an integral o-ring seal at the perimeter and a cage to keep them from twisting if it were just the disc. The original application is for Pontiac Fiero and they come in 160, 180 and 190 (stock Fiero is 190). I always test them before hand in a pot of water to make sure they are opening, and later closing, at the same temperature. I did a test drive afterwords on a 60* day and the heads measured 175* just the same as they did on the 82* day with no stats but the radiator itself was a cool 120* meaning the thermostats are doing their job keeping the engine at a stable operating temp. I added the extra hose clamp to make it look more authentic but their is some slight chance it could slip up the hose with enough pump pressure and this will keep it from doing so.


Next stop is the Georgia Tech Auto Show this upcoming Saturday morning.


Pics: All done newly installed pump, new pump showing off its pollen dusting, new pump bottom, new thermostats, testing thermostats, old pump with possible housing crack.