Before I Buy This Water Pump...

[Guest ZombyWoof]

Seller claims that this water pump (made for a car WITH a/c) will be ok for my '63 with a 401 and NO a/c...the difference being that the pump he's selling comes with a heavy-duty bearing, that apparently won't make a difference to me.

Is the seller correct?

Here's the link...

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=200165200827

Thanks in advance...

[jimtash]

I think I read that the impellers are different with the A/C being slightly bigger but that's all. It should work.

[The Old Guy]

Check the distance from the fan hub to the back. If they are the same , it will work. Some of the hubs were pressed on to a different dimension to compensate for a double pulley.

[RivNut]

Jim is correct, the difference is in the impellers. The a/c pump has more impellers than the non a/c pump.

[Guest ZombyWoof]

Thanks, everyone.

Would the general concensus be that this AC pump will work just fine in a non-AC car?

Would YOU use this pump?

ZW

[RivNut]

Do you have a two core or three core radiator? If you try to pump more water into the radiator that it can flow, the pump will just cavitate and no water will move; now you're worse off than you were.

Is this a new or rebuilt pump? On rebuilt pumps the rebuilders will sometimes grind away corroded parts of the impellers to make them 'appear' new, but in reality, they're whittling away the surface area of the vanes that is needed to push the water. There are new pumps available through most major parts houses. Take the time to find the correct one that is NEW and made for your car.

Ed

[Guest ZombyWoof]

It's a new pump, but by the sounds of things, I

d best forget about this one and wait for the right one.

Good insight about the 2 core / 3 core, and about the pressure to get the water through.

I'm assuming a non-AC car would be a 2-core? (Radiator and heater core?)

Curious...where would a 3rd core go?

ZW

[Jim Cannon]

"2 core" and "3 core" are slang for having 2 or 3 rows of tubes in your radiator core. It has nothing to do with heater core, and there is no third core. The more rows of tubes you have, the more heat your radiator can get rid of when you need it to do so. If you don't need it then the extra rows of tubes are kind of a waste. But boy, when you need it, it is sure nice to have.

There is plenty of room along the tanks for 2 or 3 rows of tubes. The tank is the same size. In fact, I have 4 rows of tubes on my '63. I can run with the A/C on in 100+ deg. summer weather and not overheat. On your non-A/C car I would still recommend you get 3 rows. If you do, the 5-blade A/C waterpump is a good match. (If you ever think you will add A/C, get the 4 row core.)

The thermostat is going to restrict the flow of hot water out of the engine to keep the engine at the desired temperature. If you have the larger radiator and the 5 blade impeller on the waterpump, that pump will be able to really get the water moving through the radiator when the engine is hot (which is a good thing).

You might want to check out your local Napa auto parts store, see what they have in the way of new waterpumps. Online they list two different part numbers, both for cars with A/C. I'd trust them before a guy I never heard of before on eBay.