R. Button

You know how when your “tinkering” on your car and before you realized it you have the car apart making changes to stuff. And at the same time the cash is flowing out of your account in large quantities? Well it happens to all of us!

I was driving home from work and suddenly the temp gauge maxed out. Pull over to check, belt on, and tight, electric fan on, lots of pressure in in the cooling system… hum… Waited a bit for the car to cool down fired it back up, running really well, smooth lots of power so head on down the road only have about 5 miles to the house. Gauge is pegged to the right, not a good sign! Pull over let it all cool down, listen to an old time radio show on my iphone. Fire it backup to repeat this sequence about 5 times as I gradually work my way home. At no time did the engine fail, loose power, or otherwise act like there was a problem.
Finally arrive home, park the car in the shop, and the next evening – after it had all cooled down – started to work. I opened the upper radiator hose T and watched as I start up the car. The water did not seem to be moving much just bubbling up after the engine got warmer. Odd! Figure look at the simple stuff first as I pull out the thermostat. It looking good so slipped in the house and got one of the wife’s cooking pans filled it with some water, dropped in the thermostat as I monitored the temperature with my infrared tire temp gauge. The water got to 180 and the thermostat opened! Dumped the water but the wife came in as I was picking the hot thermostat out of the pan with her tongs. BUSTED! Run for the shop with the thermostat wrapped in a cloth. With the words of “that is one of my good pans, you are going to get me a new one aren’t you… dear?” following me as I leave the house!

I have a new thermostat so put that in just in case, but thermostat does not appear to be the problem. I take off the fan belt to look it over it looks ok but I have been wanting to replace it with a Gaterback belt as I really like them thus over on the shop computer I order a couple of new belts. (The money flow is just starting) I spin the water pump, nice and solid , no movement in the bearing. It spun a little too easily it just did not feel right so off comes the water pump and parts fall to the shop floor as I remove the water pump casting. Seem the impeller on the fan had broken loose from the shaft result, spin the water pump and no water moves!
Like most I have a few spares on the shelves, well maybe a few more spares than most! I had this new Edelbrock reverse rotation water pump on the shelf that was just screaming for me to put it on the engine. Some time ago I ordered some new hoses, not just any hose but the blue corrugated metal hose. As I had already drained the radiator I took it out and ordered a new aluminum radiator, (I not sure why just wanted an aluminum radiator ... the money faucet is wide open now) which resulted in the need to redesign the radiator upper and lower mounts, oh and ya we need a new fan shroud for the aluminum radiator. Computer in the shop is now well connected to Breeze Automotive and on the way in short order was his upper radiator mount, his lower radiator mount kit and a new fan shroud. Then I needed to order the new passenger F panel as the upper water hose position is changed, with the new radiator. I also ordered Breeze’s upper radiator aluminum panel. So now I’m refitting an aluminum radiator, new aluminum panels, cutting, drilling, and oh ya got a set of bumpers so might as well put them on too as long as I have the car in the shop, so the gas tank was lowered cleaned up in order to install the rear bumper.

By the time I’m done, the repair that should have cost me ZERO as I had the basic parts on the shelf, ended up costing…. $$ (never good to disclose the actual amounts! ) And yes wife is getting a new set of cooking pans out of the deal too!