coolant problem

[Jamie N]

Hi Guys – I’ve been away for a while but I thought, just for completion, I should finish this thread off. So in the end, when I finally got the car over to Gerald at GTS he immediately checked the water pump and it had indeed failed big time. All the impeller blades had come off. Considering it was a new pump it’s just crazy that it failed so quickly. Anyway, it cost me a HGF. Gerald was very good and replaced it free of charge. Hope I don’t have to go through that again! M

That pump looks like it has been on the bed of the Forth Estuary for the last 2 years, a new pump which has been fitted for only 2 months, regardless of whether it has failed or not will still look virtually brand new ( unless you are using a saline solution for coolant ) . Going by that picture I would be very sceptical that it had ever been changed at all. I have done countless water pump changes on many different cars and the only ones I ever saw looking like that were ancient.

[Rambo]

I think you've probably hit the nail on the head Jamie. That water pump is rustier than some of the U boat wrecks in Scapa flow That water pump just can't have been in only 2 months

[roy666]

Well Guys, no argument from me. I must say I've been going to GTS for years, from way back in the 90s when G operated out of the back of his garden in his gargae, and have had nothing but excellent service and advice. I don't know of a better Lotus specialist at a cheaper price. M

[CalElan]

I have to agree with Jamie. I've never seen a pump that bad even when pulling pieces off engines that have sat around salvage yards for years.

[HJ2]

I still think that these blades have come off due to interference with the housing. Perhaps there was axial play in the shaft?! That would partially explain the whole circlip story

Strange this!

[CalElan]

Probably only takes one to come off, jam and strip the rest.
Possibly lucky that the belt didn't jump a tooth or 2