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Tom Francis (Tfrancis)
New member
Username: Tfrancis

Post Number: 34
Registered: 5-2002
Posted on Sunday, August 03, 2003 - 11:09 pm:   

Well thanks for all the great input. I talked with T. Rutlands and they can send me a rebuilt one for $240. I went ahead and ordered it but I'm not sure what style impeller. Gary I wish I'd seen your message beforehand. I probably would have opted that route. I'll let you guys know how it works.
Verell Boaen (Verell)
Intermediate Member
Username: Verell

Post Number: 1029
Registered: 5-2001
Posted on Sunday, August 03, 2003 - 8:04 pm:   

Gary,
Pls post a web link, or at least a phone # & address for East Coast Jaguar.

If you're not handy with tools, their price sounds pretty reasonable for a thorough job.

BTW, if you over-tighten the belt, you'll overheat the bearings & be back with a weeping water pump in a couple of years.
Gary van Hartogh (Garyvh)
Junior Member
Username: Garyvh

Post Number: 59
Registered: 3-2001
Posted on Saturday, August 02, 2003 - 7:50 am:   

Tom, I just had my water pump rebuilt by East Coast Jaguar. They are very familiar with Ferrari water pumps and did a superb job. The cost was $219 + shipping. When I got it back it looked brand new. It beats paying $600 for a new one.
Hope this helps .... Gary
Hans E. Hansen (4re_gt4)
Intermediate Member
Username: 4re_gt4

Post Number: 1594
Registered: 4-2002
Posted on Tuesday, July 29, 2003 - 5:31 pm:   

Peter: Also, is it known if you can swap the plastic and metal ones on the newest pump style? I asked my mechanic to do it when he replaced my pump, but for some reason he didn't do it. Not sure why.
'75 308 GT4 (Peter)
Advanced Member
Username: Peter

Post Number: 2964
Registered: 12-2000
Posted on Tuesday, July 29, 2003 - 4:23 pm:   

Mitch: "Granted, it is NOT the same waterpump from BMW to Ferrari. But, that is imperical enough for me not to trust a plastic impeller."

Verell: "I'll still unhesetatingly bet on a brass impeller being around for the next 20 or 30 years tho."

And I'll add, that considering there's nothing different with the shape of the impeller that Jeff's holding and the brass one in my old-timer GT4 (yes Verell, I remember seeing a plastic impeller with a funky swirl-shape to it). I'll keep the brass regardless.

Now, the real question, why did Ferrari change the material in the first place?
Mitchell Le (Yelcab1)
Member
Username: Yelcab1

Post Number: 609
Registered: 11-2001
Posted on Tuesday, July 29, 2003 - 11:07 am:   

The E36 BMW series from 94-96 has a plastic impeller that is a guarranty to fail at 50,000 miles causing immediate and expensive overheating of the engine. For this reason, all new water pumps for the 97-99 E36 were changed to metal impeller, as well as the earlier replacement parts.

Granted, it is NOT the same waterpump from BMW to Ferrari. But, that is imperical enough for me not to trust a plastic impeller.
Verell Boaen (Verell)
Intermediate Member
Username: Verell

Post Number: 1010
Registered: 5-2001
Posted on Monday, July 28, 2003 - 8:17 pm:   

re:"With less rotional intertia, your car will accelerate faster with a plastic impeller."

Lawrence, Hans,
Pardon me, but my town is in desperate need of cash to meet this month's bond committments. I'm authorized to sell the Rte 119 bridge over the Nashua river. Nice money making opportunity, just put up toll gates at each end....(Heheheh)

I thought the plastic impeller had a scroll shape that moved water better with less cavitation. Sure looks just like the brass impellers I've seen! Maybe the small holes in the middle of each section add something?

Peter, I have to agree with you, I've never heard any empirical evidence that the plastic impellers are unreliable. I'll still unhesetatingly bet on a brass impeller being around for the next 20 or 30 years tho.
Hans E. Hansen (4re_gt4)
Intermediate Member
Username: 4re_gt4

Post Number: 1587
Registered: 4-2002
Posted on Monday, July 28, 2003 - 7:21 pm:   

BTW, I recently had my water pump replaced. New plastic one replaced an old "small bearing" pump. I asked my mechanic to switch the impellors, but for some reason the RO was marked "Impellors not switched". I forgot to ask why. Maybe they won't fit??
Hans E. Hansen (4re_gt4)
Intermediate Member
Username: 4re_gt4

Post Number: 1586
Registered: 4-2002
Posted on Monday, July 28, 2003 - 7:19 pm:   

Yeah, I noticed that immediately on mine.
Lawrence Coppari (Lawrence)
Member
Username: Lawrence

Post Number: 723
Registered: 4-2002
Posted on Monday, July 28, 2003 - 11:07 am:   

With less rotional intertia, your car will accelerate faster with a plastic impeller. ;=)
Jeff Howe (Ferrari_uk)
Member
Username: Ferrari_uk

Post Number: 444
Registered: 12-2002
Posted on Monday, July 28, 2003 - 10:53 am:   

Hi all.

Our 328 pumps, #121255 are $419 and are the plastic impellor type. No problems so far...

pump1.JPG
pump2.JPG
'75 308 GT4 (Peter)
Advanced Member
Username: Peter

Post Number: 2959
Registered: 12-2000
Posted on Monday, July 28, 2003 - 1:03 am:   

Verell: "There are differing opinions as to the plastic impeller's reliability."

I doubt the plastic's ability to withstand the conditions of the cooling system too, but, for the number of years that I've been on this board and the F'List and reading dozens of Ferrari maintenance notes in various magazines/books, I've yet to hear of a failure of a plastic impeller.

Should we trust Ferrari's choice of material? I know that if I ever had a 328 (or its Italian variant, the GTB Turbo) and I needed to rebuild the pump, I'd have second thoughts about installing a plastic pulley, but maybe that's for naught. Maybe it is the right choice...

Hmmm, I hope I'm not starting a flame-war with this one...
Verell Boaen (Verell)
Intermediate Member
Username: Verell

Post Number: 1006
Registered: 5-2001
Posted on Sunday, July 27, 2003 - 8:53 pm:   

Weeping is a sure sign that the seal is beginning to fail & has let coolant into & thru the inner bearing. If the stain is an oily brown, then it's bearing grease & you've got a bearing trying to self-destruct.

Search recent water pump posts & the Tech Q&A archives. There's a wealth of info. on both rebuilding & sources for new & rebuilt pumps.
If they don't answer all your questions, the post the specific ones to this thread.

BTW, There was no 'brass bearing' upgrade. However, the 328s had a plastic impeller that supposedly is more efficient than the older brass impeller.
There are differing opinions as to the plastic impeller's reliability.
Tom Francis (Tfrancis)
New member
Username: Tfrancis

Post Number: 33
Registered: 5-2002
Posted on Sunday, July 27, 2003 - 7:14 pm:   

Hey Guys,

I'm doing my major maintanence and notice my Water Pump has a weeping stain. I probably need to replace it now. Can anyone suggest where to buy one for a good price? I seem to recall the orginals were later upgrade by Ferrari with a brass bearing. How can I insure I get the right one?

Tom

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