Skip to main content

Reply to "Water Pump Replacement"

ND, there are two different basic pumps available, assuming  you have a 351-Cleveland in your car. Some later GT-5's had a factory installed 351-W, which takes a different pump and does not have a bypass system like the Cleveland. Not seeing a photo of your engine compartment, we can't tell.

Once that question is answered, there are both iron pumps (stock) and aluminum (aftermarket & a couple of Ford performance models for both 351-C & 351-W). Aluminum pumps are generally about 7- 8 lbs while iron pumps are maybe 14 lbs so the aluminum pumps are easier to work with. Both pump water nicely for street cars and should not leak. Stay with brand names- chinese copies abound, with questionable reliability.

Your old add-ons (small spigots for heater hoses, and the pulley) will not be included but will interchange onto the new pump, so don't give them away with your core. If you choose an aluminum pump, use a few turns of teflon plumbers tape on the small spigot threads and do NOT tighten them super-tight, as the cast aluminum can split if pipe threads are over-tightened. Internal pressures are far less than in your home plumbing. Try-fit the pump gasket to the pump at the store to verify they included the right gasket in the box; sometimes, there are two for various models, or none at all.

Bleeding all the air out of the convoluted Pantera cooling system is slow, repetitive and may take a day or so. Drive it around the block, bleed, add more water and go around again. There's a description in your red Owners Manual that may help. 

×
×
×
×