Water pump replacement - lesson learned

[Anonymous-0]

There came the tick-tick up front, and then clank and a spray of water, the usual symptoms of water pump failure. Got a new one from this site, which arrived in 3 days.

After looking over the message board for information, I figured I could change out the pump without taking off the hood. I got the old one off, and the new one back on, but couldn't get the fan back in. Not enough clearance. And, sure enough, the new pump is bigger in the front end than the old one. I lacked about 1/8 inch of getting it to go. So, off with the hood, and on with the fan. I put everything back together except the grill and bumper, and decided I should put some water in to see what was going on.

Sure enough, a leak in the radiator. Either it got pranged when the pump went out, or I pranged it trying to get the fan back on. No matter, it was leaky. So, I went to my "parts" tractor and swapped off what I knew to be a good radiator, and put it on. Now all works fine.

I don't know how many times I have put a hood on and off, but experience pays. I finally found one guy can wrestle the hood off by taking it off to the side - in this case the right side- if you are careful not to bust something in the process.

Moral: Go ahead and take the hood off and save yourself some trouble in the long run. It isn't that hard to do, it makes the whole job a lot easier, and you can save yourself from creating a lot of new vocabulary words by doing it right in the first place. Besides, once you get the hood off, you can see a bunch of other little things that need done which you couln't have seen before.

Pic of new pump, installed:

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Any questions or advice, drop me a line.

 

[Ramrod]

Is that thermostat in correctly? Looks wrong to me.

Ramrod

 

[Bob]

With that white thingy visible in the middle, it looks to me like he's stuffed a small areosol can in the upper hose, either as a plug for pressure testing, or to keep vermin out!

(Or do some thermostats now have a white plastic part?)

 

[Dave H]

lastcamp

That looks like the thermostat at the top of the hose. If so all the recommended ways to install it says to put it as close to the block as possibel with the pellet towards the block.

Just a thought from this end of the block.

 

[arthur ward]

i would change that belt also while you are at it. thermostat spring goes towards the engine, not the radiator.

 

[Indiana Jones]

To remove the hood by myself, I empty the gas tank, remove the necessary bolts, then stand in front of the N and lift up and pull back.

 

[K.LaRue-VA]

While its apart and easy to do I usually replace the hoses. Just personal preference but I dont like the universal flex hose when the correct pre-bent hoses are so easy to get. The flex always seems to want to rub against something and fail.


My 2-cents

kl

 

[DON TX]

Looks like the pointy end of the tstat shining in the sunlight. (%^)
DON TX

 

[Anonymous-0]

Thanks for your helpful observations. I confess, even after I said there were other things to be done when you get the hood off, I had to rush to get back in operation before the mowing became impossible. I intend to get back to 1. replace belt and hoses 2. put in new ignition coil 3. check out thermostat for function and placement - and probably some other stuff. I need to get my other tractor back on line so I have a backup while I am working on one or the other.

Or, as my friend says, have one to pull the other one out if it gets stuck.

The aerosol can was Right Guard. The tractor and I both needed it after this ordeal. :-}

 

[Anonymous-0]

I also replaced my water pump, along with the radiator & thermostat. When I put everything back together my fan is hitting on the shroud. Not sure what I did wrong. Any suggestions? Thanks.