So....
It seems apparent that the plastic Ford used originally does not hold up well, as well as the cone deal in the housing being of poor design. But is it still possible that plastic is the better way to go, just w/the right type of plastic. (Perhaps no one knows for sure?)
So is it possible that the Ford replacement pump has a different (more durable) type of plastic? It *is* a different color (white vs. black). I'm assuming the the cone design is still the same - held precariously? Or does it look any better?
From what I've read, it's a bigger pain (not to mention more $$$) to replace the whole pump as opposed to just the guts, so I'd really rather not go the Ford route anyway. But, the cone is in the housing(?), so if you just replace w/an aftermarket guts pump, you still are using your old cone & housing, right? Only the Ford pump is the whole works?
And isn't it also possible that the aftermarket plastic impeller pumps use a different (more durable) plastic, so they may hold up a little better?
I started this thread because a run on Contour WP's at the store got me thinking that I have been putting this off for too long & had better get mine replaced!!! I had a customer come in the other day saying that she had to have Ford install 3(!) WP's in her '95 Contour within a few weeks - Ford's story according to her was that they were getting defective pumps - I'll bet you anything that the impeller was hitting the cone. The same day, another customer came in needing a WP for his Contour. (So now we don't have any at the store
- if I decide to go plastic, I'll have to wait for our next delivery.)
FWIW, yesterday I asked a Ford tech, who is one of our regular customers, if he had seen a lot of bad Contour WP's - he said that they have had to replace a lot of them at his dealership, but he knew nothing about the plastic impeller deal, or if the new pumps were supposed to be improved.
