[DeTomaso] water pump recommendations

[JDeRyke at aol.com]

In a message dated 11/15/07 7:25:56 AM, wkooiman at earthlink.net writes:

> There was a nipple for the heater.  I cut it off and installed a plug.  It 
> doesn't leak.  It didn't crack when I cut threads for the plug, but as light 
> as it was, the thought crossed my mind.
> 
I successfully TIG-welded the cracked boss on my Weiand, and successfully 
welded (rosebud-weld) a home-made ss backing plate onto the steel straight-blade 
impeller. If you have to weld on a pump, be very careful not to overheat the 
parts, as the seal is simply two carbon discs preloaded against each other with 
a spring. When springs get too hot, they lose tension and leak. A few years 
later, I cut away all the unused bosses and too-thick spots on the pump 
casting, lightening it another pound. Weiands are tough- the thing still doesn't 
leak! And there's a shop in the L.A area that rebuilds any water pump for about 
half the cost of a new one. Color me 'satisfied'. FWIW, the Milodon can also 
have the warm-up passage blocked off by tapping the passage from the inside for a 
3/8"(?) pipe plug. J DeRyke


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