K series water pump impeller test.

[paul jacobs]

Well it hasn't taken long for the dreaded overheating problems to make themselves known . I've changed the thermostat, filled up with the super expensive 5 year pink antifreeze on a 1-1 basis and bled the car with nose high in the air.

 

But... I still don't get a flow of water around the system, so I guess that it could be the water pump shaft letting go of its' grip on the impeller. Can anyone suggest an easy method of testing this, eg. should I just remove the thermostat housing and stat and put something into the hole and turn the engin over to see if the impeller turns, or is it a matter of taking off the front cover and watching the belt turn and holding the impeller with something that will "give"?

 

Paul J. - On the road at last. it's only been two and a half years!!

[Mike Bees]

Have you tried heat-cycling the thermostat a few times? Run the engine up 'till it's getting close to 100deg, switch off & let it cool & repeat. I had to do this to get the 'stat to start working when my engine was new.

 

Mike

[paul jacobs]

I'll give it a try before I drain the system down and start again, Mike. Thanks for the suggestion. BTW should the thermostat be seen to open if put into a jug of boiling water?

[thinfourth]

BMWs of a certain vintage the impellor explodes test on them is the tell tale going into header tank and if that ain't there then hose off with a cold engine and start engine and watch the hose it is pretty ovious if the pump works but don't run it for any more then 1 minute

 

Sod the heater wheres my shades

[paul jacobs]

OK, that's done it now. The cycling trick worked fine, the water started circulating on the second cycle. It's funny how you always think of the worst thing [no second worst thing in this case, the headgasket is the worst], before trying the simple ones.

Big thanks Mike