Should I fit a new water pump?

[lagonda 41]

Need to take the head off to replace a couple of exhaust valves. I Last had the head off 70,000 miles ago, and replaced the water pump then, which I see was "First Line" manufacture. The belt tensioner was also renewed. I might as well fit a new cambelt, so would I be wise to fit a new pump and/or tensioner at the same time? No problems with either component (now!).

 

If so, any preferred manufacture? Choices are SKF, Gates, Dayco, Valeo, SNR, INA, and Hutchison. It seems, if it wasn't out of stock, that I could buy a water pump made by Bugatti! The other choices I list are all kits of belt, pump and tensioner.

 

What should be in these kits is some sort of hand slenderiser, to make this arse of a job slightly less unnecessarily difficult than it is.

 

Useful tip: use a 1/4" socket with an allen key in the end you'd normally fit over a nut/bolt, on the square headed tension release toggle for the cambelt tensioner. Reaching and actually finding the toggle is so difficult, this at least means once you've got the tool in place, it stays there, and no risk of rounding off the edges due to spanner slip.

[DamirGTI 323]

That's a lot of mileage covered since the last service , thus i'd do the lot : timing belt , tensioner , water pump .

 

Can buy timing belt kit (full/complete kit) or separate pick what you want brand specific .

 

All the listed brand are good and well known quality wise .

In addition , "Hepu" makes the best and long lasting water pumps .

 

D

[lagonda 41]

Hi Damir,

 Buying the kit seems to be a good move price wise. I've spotted "Hepu" on other sites, but ignored it because it sounds like Chines rubbish! Interesting!

[DamirGTI 323]

3 hours ago, lagonda said:

 

 Buying the kit seems to be a good move price wise.

Not always the case ! , also inside the kit you'll get various different parts as no brand makes all the parts .

Say you opt for Dayco full kit , it'll include : Dayco timing belt , INA tensioner , DOLZ water pump .

 

Try "basket adding" separately and you'll see if there's price difference . More then often you can save some $$ by buying separately , and , you can pick the individual parts per brand/quality specific which you want and not what you'll get in the kit without knowing what it'll be inside .

 

D

 

 

[lagonda 41]

Aaaargh! Thanks for the warning, I'll check separate prices ... unfortunately I don't know which of those makes is best quality ... higher price doesn't mean it's better! Here I was thinking I was nearly ready to order!

[DamirGTI 323]

Timing belt : Dayco , Gates , Contitech ... all good , though myself i prefer Dayco .

 

Tensioner : SKF , INA .. both kinda equally good , SKF bearings/tensioners especially robust tend to last for ages .

 

Water pump : Hepu , SKF , Valeo , Dolz ... Hepu the best ones , also as an "budget" Dolz water pumps are pretty good (Made in Spain , no China crap in the box) fitted few of them lately and - no complains .

 

Tell you what i would pick : Dayco timing belt , SKF tensioner , Hepu water pump .

 

D