Water Pump Survey

[j.fro]

I'm just finishing getting a 3.4 back together after a cracked head that I know came from a water pump failure/ clog due to impeller pieces. I did engine removal, disassemble. Hoffman machine repaired the heads and ported them. Some PCA friends have helped to get it back together and into the car. It's still cost me at least $4K. It's pretty stunning how much the "while you are in there" costs add up... Clutch, AOS, coils, plugs, chain ramps, variocam pads, different $hit that breaks along the way....

[Frodo]

Originally Posted by j.fro

I'm just finishing getting a 3.4 back together after a cracked head that I know came from a water pump failure/ clog due to impeller pieces. I did engine removal, disassemble. Hoffman machine repaired the heads and ported them. Some PCA friends have helped to get it back together and into the car. It's still cost me at least $4K. It's pretty stunning how much the "while you are in there" costs add up... Clutch, AOS, coils, plugs, chain ramps, variocam pads, different $hit that breaks along the way....

Like I said, apparently it happens. (JRaby certainly drilled that bit of reality into us!) It just didn't happen to me!

[Pdwight]

We have a room downstairs I started "Putting a floor in". This room has been used for general storage ( you know....put in room and close door quickly....run away), it is a large room by modern home standards at just over 18 feet long. I thought I will move both my shops (electronics and reloading ) into this room after I get the floating floor in. That was 4 months ago and over 2 grand later I am still adding outlets and extra ground fault outlets (18 so far), the floor was the easiest part... re walled and reinforced walk in closet...6 gallons paint.....100 feet of trim.......the thought process " well while I am at I might as well....." can cost you dearly.

[Brian in Tucson]

I'm in the process of finishing up switching out an 02 engine (base) into my 01 (base) and the "while I have it out" costs DO add up. Just normal stuff like coolant hoses, plugs & tubes, water pump, serpentine belt, engine mount, spin on oil filter fitting, & UDP. And oil, coolant/distilled water, hose clamps, filters, and auto trans oil, gasket, and filter. Then, of course, I had to switch one of the v-cam solenoids from the old engine to the replacement--sheared wires. Once it's back on the road, I'm thinking that a water pump and an engine mount will become part of the 60,000 service. Doesn't pay to wait for things to break.

As much hardwater calcium carbonate as I found in the old engine, I've already started to save for a set of radiators.

On both of the engines, the water pumps showed no sign of failure.

Still, it seems strange to recycle a "perfectly good" water pump. They are inexpensive enough to replace and throw away, tho.

Oh, and I just bought $600+ in floor paint and have to rent a grinder for the concrete floor in my carport. Brake cleaner works great for getting up oil drips.