Reproduction water pumps
10-26-2011, 08:01 PM
#1
Tech Contributor
Thread Starter
Reproduction water pumps
I will apologize if this information is "old hat" for you mature C2 owners, but it certainly was a learning experience for me.
Within 6 months time, I have gone through 2 (what I learned to be) reproduction 326 water pumps. Not having an original casting for comparison, I removed the first leaking pump, and replaced it with a reproduction 326 from Zips. They both appeared to be the same, had the right part number, etc. So side by side, I had nothing to question.
After the bearing walked back on the second pump last weekend, I started researching, to find the reproduction I had was not even close to the original GM casting. After talking with a knowledgeable professional rebuilder, I learned that the reproduction pumps weigh about 1lb more than the original GM. So I'm thinking, where is the extra material, if the exterior dimensions are soo close? Well, it's on the inside. Poor casting, and restricted passages. I have side by side comparison of the original rebuilt GM casting 326, and the reproduction 326 from Zips. The bare metal is original, the orange is the repro.
Within 6 months time, I have gone through 2 (what I learned to be) reproduction 326 water pumps. Not having an original casting for comparison, I removed the first leaking pump, and replaced it with a reproduction 326 from Zips. They both appeared to be the same, had the right part number, etc. So side by side, I had nothing to question.
After the bearing walked back on the second pump last weekend, I started researching, to find the reproduction I had was not even close to the original GM casting. After talking with a knowledgeable professional rebuilder, I learned that the reproduction pumps weigh about 1lb more than the original GM. So I'm thinking, where is the extra material, if the exterior dimensions are soo close? Well, it's on the inside. Poor casting, and restricted passages. I have side by side comparison of the original rebuilt GM casting 326, and the reproduction 326 from Zips. The bare metal is original, the orange is the repro.
Last edited by lucky131969; 10-26-2011 at 08:08 PM.
10-27-2011, 03:10 PM
#2
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I will apologize if this information is "old hat" for you mature C2 owners, but it certainly was a learning experience for me.
Within 6 months time, I have gone through 2 (what I learned to be) reproduction 326 water pumps. Not having an original casting for comparison, I removed the first leaking pump, and replaced it with a reproduction 326 from Zips. They both appeared to be the same, had the right part number, etc. So side by side, I had nothing to question.
After the bearing walked back on the second pump last weekend, I started researching, to find the reproduction I had was not even close to the original GM casting. After talking with a knowledgeable professional rebuilder, I learned that the reproduction pumps weigh about 1lb more than the original GM. So I'm thinking, where is the extra material, if the exterior dimensions are soo close? Well, it's on the inside. Poor casting, and restricted passages. I have side by side comparison of the original rebuilt GM casting 326, and the reproduction 326 from Zips. The bare metal is original, the orange is the repro.
Within 6 months time, I have gone through 2 (what I learned to be) reproduction 326 water pumps. Not having an original casting for comparison, I removed the first leaking pump, and replaced it with a reproduction 326 from Zips. They both appeared to be the same, had the right part number, etc. So side by side, I had nothing to question.
After the bearing walked back on the second pump last weekend, I started researching, to find the reproduction I had was not even close to the original GM casting. After talking with a knowledgeable professional rebuilder, I learned that the reproduction pumps weigh about 1lb more than the original GM. So I'm thinking, where is the extra material, if the exterior dimensions are soo close? Well, it's on the inside. Poor casting, and restricted passages. I have side by side comparison of the original rebuilt GM casting 326, and the reproduction 326 from Zips. The bare metal is original, the orange is the repro.
10-27-2011, 05:25 PM
#3
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