Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums General Troubleshooting Metal Water Pump Impeller A Good Idea? Maybe Not?

What would it cost for labor to swap it? I don't have the facilities to do it.
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I just got an estimate by phone from an independent garage in Burr Ridge, of approx. $325.00, including new complete water pump & hoses, not just the impeller section. Admittedly, this place's prices are a bit high, but they do excellent work and really stand behind it. Don't know what a dealer would charge, but worth a call to find out!

I've been guessing based on its color that it is ABS. ABS is a pretty good choice for the application (heat and chemical resistance), is pretty easy to mold (wide process window), is relatively inexpensive (especially when using regrind), and is easily recycled making it a "greener" material. "Regrind" doesn't appreciably degrade the material properties of ABS compared to virgin ABS if done in the correct proportions. It's also that tell tale beige color.

One of the groups in my injection molding class did a project on it, so I had to sit through a 30 minute presentation on the properties of ABS. :rolleyes: I just about gave you their whole project (without all the slides and data graphs).

My understanding of the "black" impeller is that it is some sort of cardboard impregnated plastic mixture, but don't quote me on that.

I did mine on my driveway....

Ibub,
While replacing the V6 pump is not real difficult, it does take some mechanical skills. There are several steps (lower shield, drain coolant, remove battery, remove hose, scrape gasket surface, etc)that have to be done, most to make room. Even with that, the job would be a pain without the right tools. My guess is that a shop will figure on 2 hours, and probably pad it another hour to cover any snags. Parts include pump, gasket and coolant. Rates around here are $40-65/hr. Good luck.

Al

Thanks for the vote of confidence. Notice all that the WP design Ford engineers selected is of an open vane type for the impeller. Thus the need for the cone in the back or rather mating housing that the impeller end fits into to. The vanes fit up closely to the cone (without touching)so that slippage of 'fluid' (the correct term for liquids and gases)past the moving vanes is minimal. Since many have indicated that they have encountered a loose cone component it seems reasonable to surmise that the cones that loosen come into contact with the impeller vanes and voila pump destruction. It may therefore be a moot point to just replace the polymer impeller component with a metal one without rectifying the loose cone issue.
What is required is some statistic on destroyed WPs. How many have had WP failures with and without loose cones. If 100 percent of failures have had loose cones it is not the material of the impeller at issue. It is the design of the cone side of the pump. The cone should not be a separately attached piece in any event. It should be an integral part of the back housing (i.e part of the aluminum casting.

And voila!!!

http://www.contour.org/cgi-ubb/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=014082#000008

Regardless of whether the cone falls off or the impeller just blows to hell, the original Ford pump design sucks. Its insidious failure can toast your motor. Ford ignores the problem, ie, YOU pay the cost of failure (unless under warranty).

Whether you go with the NEW! IMPROVED! plastic design or a metal one, GET RID OF THE BLACK IMPELLER PUMP FROM HELL.

Thank you.

Jab

dellowm,
You KNOW why the cone is stainless and not ally as well as I do..!!!!!! Your a 'pump' guy!

I'm not a 'pump' guy, maybe with 2 change-outs I've become a 'pump replacement' guy. However I'll venture a guess that crud less likely to stick to, or grow on, stainless, thereby maintaining minimal clearance to impeller which crud could foul.

anyone know who designed the WP, Ford or Porsch? I suppose some lucky vendor with the
lowest bid.
I surmise the cone to be stainless being the farest from aluminium on the galvanic scale and easier to produce instead casting all in one piece? The thin casting probability to flex might cause problems? (temp & pressurer)
Paul

Had a fishing buddy a retired OJT (not college trained) R & D Engineer for Gorman Rupp Pumps, I'll have to look him up and show him my old one. He made a pump (all out unkwn plastics for my solar domestic hot water heater. Milled by hand not pressure injected.