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Tried to install a new meziere heavy duty water pump and the bolt spacing is not correct. I can start the top three bolts but the others don't line up. One hole is off about .030 to .040. The bolt circle looks correct, but the spacing is bad. I called meziere this morning and they have not had any problems like this reported to them. Has anyone else had this problem? Thanks.
I have never heard of it, just a suggestion, did you try rotating the pump 120 degrees to see if that made a difference? Also, is it the pump body that is drilled off or is the the new pump?
I've personally been involved in the installation of 4 of these pumps on vette's and f-bodies, and have never heard of that. Perhaps the two parts of the electric water pump housing were assembled out of correct orientation? The pump would still function and it would still bolt up but the housing, BUT the wires wouldn't necessarily come out of the bottom of the electric pump when you're finished, they could be the side or top. If that's the case you can remove the 4 bolts from the electric pump and rotate the housing until the clocking is correct and put the bolts back.
Got any pictures? I can't believe they would send you the wrong pump, nor can I believe that you'd have a "non-standard" LT1 housing.
One other possibility... Did you perhaps get a meziere water pump for an regular SBC that has the housing and the motor attached. Traditional small blocks have a different water pump housing intentionally to keep you from putting one of their pumps on an LT1 because of the reverse flow cooling.
Just to make sure we're working with the same things, are you using an OEM water pump housing? Some after market pump housings may not be spaced correctly. Take the cover that you took off and measure from the center of each hole to it's neighbor hole. All measurements should be equal. This is a first!
Just to make sure we're working with the same things, are you using an OEM water pump housing? Some after market pump housings may not be spaced correctly. Take the cover that you took off and measure from the center of each hole to it's neighbor hole. All measurements should be equal. This is a first!
Yeah that's a good point. I would have thought that aftermarket pumps were just OE reman's, but it's possible that it's a complete new casting from a company with sloppy tolerances. It doesn't really matter to them because their cover still bolts to their pump.
If that is the problem it shouldn't be too hard to find somebody else who has a bad water pump and would be more than happy to send you the old housing. I've actually done that, I put out a request for a bad LT1 water pump. A forum member sent me one and I powder coated it black. After that I swapped them out and gave my old one to a friend. He promptly had his powder coated black as well, but hasn't installed the electric pump because he's waiting to do that with all his other mods.
The pump can only be mounted one way because the holes in the original pump housing are not evenly spaced. The distance from center of pump to center of mounting holes, bolt circle, looks fine. It's the clocking, or orientation of the holes that is not good. We aren't talking a lot here, maybe .010 on some holes and a bit more on the hole at about the 8 oclock location. I could open the holes with a round file to fit, but I shouldn't have to do that. The pump housing looks like a stock original. It is hard to believe that the spacing on the pump housing could be off, because the original impeller cover fits perfectly and doesn't appear modified. I have a engine gasket kit at home, and I'll look tonight to see if it includes the impeller cover gasket. if it does, I'll match it to the new pump and the housing and go from there. Thanks again.