water pump bolts.

Anonymous · Post by **Anonymous** » Wed Mar 09, 05 10:20 am

just went to put my new water pump on, put the bolt in to line it all up and there too short!! is this normal on aftermarket pumps? it also sit extremely close to the crankshaft pully dont know if it should or not??? need to gat it sorted asap coz im only insured till the end of the month, its been off the road for the last 5!!

cheers joe

Dave-R · Post by **Dave-R** » Wed Mar 09, 05 10:23 am

If it is the correct replacement pump it should be the same physical size. i have replaced small block pumps a couple of times and the stock bolt lengths were fine.

Anonymous · Post by **Anonymous** » Wed Mar 09, 05 10:57 am

the stock pump is cast and quite thin. the new one is ally and alot thicker. it lines up ok, just the bolts are to short

Dave-R · Post by **Dave-R** » Wed Mar 09, 05 11:49 am

I have only ever done 318 water pumps on small blocks and they were always ally pumps. Your baby V8 must have a different pump to the 318 and bigger La engines. Or maybe it is an age thing. Either way it looks like you need a trip to the local trade hardwear supplier for new bolts. Should cost you less than a tenner.

Anonymous · Post by **Anonymous** » Wed Mar 09, 05 3:24 pm

i will have to give it a try. if all fails should the 318 bolts be ok?

Dave-R · Post by **Dave-R** » Wed Mar 09, 05 4:22 pm

I would suspect that any 318 with an ally pump would have the right bolts. Getting them out of an old engine can be a nightmare though as the ally reacts and corrodes into the steel bolts. I have snapped a water pump bolt trying to get it out.

Blue · Post by **Blue** » Wed Mar 09, 05 5:30 pm

From memory, 273 engines had cast iron pumps with the rad hose connection on the drivers side (I'm talking left hand drive), later small blocks had the thicker cast ally pumps with the hose connection on the passenger side, whilst this pump will physically fit, your bottom rad hose won't if I'm correct, you can cobble up a longer hose to get around it but I thought I'd better mention it. I might have the correct bolts in my bolt box but I'd need to know what length they are to be able to check.

TrevD · Post by **TrevD** » Wed Mar 09, 05 5:41 pm

Blue is correct , the 273 had a cast iron pump , bolts are longer on the ali pump . im sure i must have some if blue hasnt .

Anonymous · Post by **Anonymous** » Thu Mar 10, 05 5:53 pm

the original pump on mine had the bottom hose on driver side (right hand drive) the same as i now have, so it will definatley fit. i will need to make another alternator bracket i think. think i have found a short term solution just using some studding. it only has to last a couple of weeks. hopefully if this works there is a big max power cruise near me, then i can show all those little plastic things how its done (with no exhausts!)