Waterpump change

My water pumps not been changed, so im guessing im gonna have to do it.............but the belt has been done, so whens the best time to change this pump?................and what does happen when it packs up, i guess the engine blows.........and signs of when the water pump goes?

Is it also best to change the RAD while im on it?

no one?..............not even a price on the job?

I take it you have a V6. The best time is when the belts are done.

The water pump failure will not damage your engine if you notice the temp above normal and stop! If you run the car and overhead the engine you can do a great deal of damage.

The plastic impellor failure is a known issue but that does not mean that if you have a plastic impellor pump, it will fail, it could got on for the life of the car (doubtful but possible)

As you will have to do a belt change to renew the pump you yourself have to decide when to do it ie wait for the next belt change with the associated risks, or take it on the chin now to prevent getting caught out.

A new pump is about £70.

Originally Posted by a17esh

signs of when the water pump goes?
Is it also best to change the RAD while im on it?

When the plastic impeller pump goes (ie the impeller cracks and starts to slip on the shaft) then the symptoms are that the car maintains a normal temp at low speed, but will overheat at speed.

If you let the engine overheat, the risk is that you could warp a cylinder head, and therefore blow a head gasket.

Just to replace the pump (AFAIK) is the same labour as replacing the timing belt on a V6, which is about 6 to 7 hours.

Replacing the radiator is a completely unrelated job.

Just one thing, whatever you do, make sure that your replacement water pump has a metal impeller!

So, it all depends on whether you want to worry, or spend money.

When I had my 38,000 mile pump replaced, it had started to crack.

Damn Alfa and their (inexplicable) penny-pinching!

I thought the 3 litres were metal anyway & it's just the 2.5 that causes problems?

The (cracked) pump that came out of my 166 3.0 was plastic...

I think that what you need is the (metal) pump from the 3.0 GTV

I know, I'm confused too!

Originally Posted by stephendjb

I thought the 3 litres were metal anyway & it's just the 2.5 that causes problems?

There is no hard and fast rule to this. If you have a V6, check/change the pump at first belt change.

My 3.0 super had a plastic impeller too. It didn't fail but the impeller was cracked when replaced (with a metal impeller pump) at 120k.

Mike

My 3.0 had a cracked plastic impeller and was totally FUBAR'd. I got the water pump done when the belts got done. Same with my old 155.

Originally Posted by SimonR

When the plastic impeller pump goes (ie the impeller cracks and starts to slip on the shaft) then the symptoms are that the car maintains a normal temp at low speed, but will overheat at speed.

If you let the engine overheat, the risk is that you could warp a cylinder head, and therefore blow a head gasket.

Just to replace the pump (AFAIK) is the same labour as replacing the timing belt on a V6, which is about 6 to 7 hours.

Replacing the radiator is a completely unrelated job.

Just one thing, whatever you do, make sure that your replacement water pump has a metal impeller!

So, it all depends on whether you want to worry, or spend money.

When I had my 38,000 mile pump replaced, it had started to crack.

Damn Alfa and their (inexplicable) penny-pinching!

What he said 100%... metal impeller mod is essential... done it in my GTA, cos the plastic ones crack down the centre piece of the impeller, then the car's temp gauge goes funny.. you can get the one with a metal impeller from EB Spares..

Aghh nice one guys! No no need to worry untill my temp one day goes right up..................ill prob do it when it goes wrong or in the 72k service.

Why did Alfa only spec the 3.0 GTV with a metal impeller!?

Never understood that - As Stephen mentions above even the 3.2 GTA with a standard 250bhp has a plastic impeller as standard!

My 166 got a new waterpump last year along with belts etc, etc under warranty - Alfa did the job so I bet a plastic impeller went back in!

Originally Posted by a17esh

Aghh nice one guys! No no need to worry untill my temp one day goes right up..................ill prob do it when it goes wrong or in the 72k service.

oh esh man
y u no wisten?

At 60k the plugs are done....almost as much stripping down to do the belt SO when at 60k and doing plugs do the belt and the pumo with the metal impeller.

And if in the interim she overheats put the windows down and heater on full pelt until gauge returns to normal.

Downsidde is it wears out your blower motor but thats a different problem

and dont forget the pollen filter too.



Pomeo

Just checked my invoice list - Yes, original part 55198357 put in, from eper this is same as GTA. GTV 3.0 & 3.2 get 55198358.

Pomeo - No need to adjust heater if overheating, the 166 does this itself. I experienced this on the M25 last year in a long traffic jam, the Super started overheating as I sat too close to car in front! In my panic I did nothing, the 166 went into an override mode and put heating up to hot and fan upto full!

LOL, i had to do that with my mates golf years ago in the summer.................The problem i have is that the belts have been done, so ill change them when the belt is 4 years old. What milage does this imp crack?

Mine had started to crack at 74k, think you have started to crack already Anesh......

Originally Posted by a17esh

LOL, i had to do that with my mates golf years ago in the summer.................The problem i have is that the belts have been done, so ill change them when the belt is 4 years old. What milage does this imp crack?

My GTA had 71,000Km when i changed the water pump and it had a nice crack down the centre of the plastic impeller...

It is very odd, but only the 3.0GTV & 3.2GTV (and 3.0V6 24v & 3.2V6 Spider) got the metal pump.
All the other 24v V6 got a plastic pump.

So you must ask for the metal pump for a GTV V6.
Current p/n 55198358

Most good Alfa indys will be using the metal pump in any V6, but always ask to be sure.

Guess the cast metal ones last as only metal does?:

Even more wierdness.
The 2.0V6 Turbo GTV/Spider uses the same pump as the 2.5V6 155 & 3.0v6 12v Spider.
But
The 2.0V6 Turbo 166 uses the same plastic pump as the other V6 166/156/147/GT

Well on this pump subject as we are, when I first got my 2.0 16v T Lannie, I was convinced the water pump was clapped, and rattling away! No such thing, it was the pressed steel lower belt guard, so I wasted money replacing it, and I still have the old one, which was fine. Made an extra bracket for the belt guard which cured the rattle.

I hate wasting things, anyone want a metal waterpump for a 16v.
Integrale type motor? It rotates freely, but can't guarantee the seals are still effective!: