'83 Quantum TD cont'd. with Vinration Damper Swap

Harry · Post by **Harry** » Mon Dec 07, 2009 12:00 am

For some reason couldn't add on to previous thread successfully.

Anyway having received a replacement vib-damper-pulley from a fellow dieseler, I removed the old pulley assembly today.
So, here's a 14 second video with nasal twang narrative by me( the monseignor and the Sister paid me not to sing in the Christmas program years ago ).

http://dodari.einshalom.com/video/pulley.html

Note how easy it is to turn and the lateral run-out.

Also discovered that all 4 v-belts were cracked and about to let go, soon.
Harry

libbybapa · Post by **libbybapa** » Mon Dec 07, 2009 9:45 am

No question what the problem was. Looks like you're well on your way to having it fixed.

Harry · Post by **Harry** » Fri Dec 11, 2009 6:06 pm

Well, rats!!! Put on good vibration damper after finally getting new water pump belt and everything fine, so it seemed. Ran for about 1 minute and stopped engine to check and see if any pressure build up in reservoir. None, so head gasket must still be ok, it would seem. Re-fired up engine and opened reservoir cap. No stream at all from the little line into the reservoir, no stream at all at any engine speed. So I guess the water pump is kaput? The vibration damper pulley is definitely driving the water pump pulley, I wouldn't reach down and grab the water pump pulley this time, no way. And the cooling system is full, down about an inch in the reservoir. Only thing I can think of is that the w-pump is fried. Does this seem to be the right guess? Also checked for blockage in the little line circuit again and can find none.
Thanks, Harry

Quantum-man · Post by **Quantum-man** » Fri Dec 11, 2009 7:20 pm

Very strange.

Either the water pump propeller has somehow come off, or could it be there is no hole in the thermostat?

Easiest check is to remove thermostat, refill coolant and start her up again. You should get the spout of water then.

Not sure if it is possible with thermostat removed, that you can poke a a finger in the recess and feel the propeller... If so then you would be able to turn pulley by hand, and fell for continuity

tawney · Post by **tawney** » Fri Dec 11, 2009 8:34 pm

Yep, strange for sure. I know that when you remove the thermostat, you can look up into the water pump and see the propeller; so while it's open turn the pump pulley and see if the propeller turns. The Bentley says that the propeller can get loose on the shaft; I'll bet that's your problem. It suggests jamming the propeller with a screwdriver and forcibly turning the pulley to check it.

Harry · Post by **Harry** » Fri Dec 11, 2009 10:01 pm

Yep, will be pulling t'mostat to check on it(for hole) and to heat up on stove in one of wife's pans to see if it opens. Also to check impeller. Am getting new pump assembly, t'mostat, etc. next Tuesday they should come in. Work is slow as it is colder than a mother-in-laws kiss here in the hills. 2 Pm today it finally got to 34F, makes the old bones ache. Oh well. Figger I may as well put new stuff on as I wouldn't want to do this twice. Ah, I see that the a/c belt goes over and under the front engine mount, so the mount has to come off to replace belt. The car needed all 4 belts, for how long they've been on I don't know.
Harry

libbybapa · Post by **libbybapa** » Fri Dec 11, 2009 10:03 pm

The thermostat is in the lower radiator hose. The upper radiator hose is unblocked. If memory serves (I don't have the Q manual at the moment) the small hose comes from the top of the radiator to the expansion tank. Is that correct? If so, then it would always flow regardless of thermostat position. If it is not flowing, then there are only two causes that I can see. As mentioned, the water pump impeller may be loose on the shaft and so not turning. The other possibility is a blockage. Some of the small hoses to the expansion tank have a restrictor in them. Basically a rubber plug with a small hole in the middle. It is very easy for the hole to plug with swarf, especially if someone has been prone to using RTV on parts of the cooling system. I owned a jetta that had that restrictor plug at one point, so I actually installed a clear fuel filter with metal filter element in that line before the restrictor and expansion tank.

82vdub · Post by **82vdub** » Sat Dec 12, 2009 9:59 am

I was also going to mention to check the line going to the overflow jug as well, but libbybapa beat me to it. You may also want to run the car for a few minutes and see if any of the heater hoses are getting warm, and if there's any heat coming out of the heater. A couple minutes of running isn't much to generate heat inside the cab, but you should be able to feel a temp difference. If you've got a infrared thermometer, you can aim that around and check for temps too. You may have water circulating and the hose to the overflow is blocked.

As far as the impeller, if it's spinning on the shaft of the pump, it may not get loose enough to spin by hand until the coolant is hot, or it may not ever be loose enough to spin by hand. The rate at which the shaft turns and the resistance of the water may cause it to slip on the shaft, but you may not be able to replicate that by hand.

rabbit_man · Post by **rabbit_man** » Sat Dec 12, 2009 1:01 pm

Bentley says remove t-stat and jam impeller with a screwdriver and turn pulley with other hand, I'd think if it's at all loose that test would tell you.

I'd take that little return hose off and check for blockage first though.

Harry · Post by **Harry** » Sat Dec 12, 2009 9:11 pm

Funny day, sorta. Worked on wife's '89 Fox cooling system. After putting in new radiator a week or 2 ago, the thing would go from cold to just under the max mark and then slowly come down to just above normal(+/-) as long as you were going down the road, but if you idled any time it would get pretty hot. So, from stone cold this AM I opened reservoir cap and fired it up, and the little hose was not putting out a stream into the tank. So I removed the rubber little line from the radiator spigot, fired it up again and nothing came out of the radiator spigot. So I probed the spigot with a piece of baling wire and out comes a kind of gelatinout wad that was plugging the spigot, also the same going into the spigot on the tank. In the past there had been one heck of a lot of stop-leak run through this thing. Having cleared the goobers, it now runs OK, temp back to normal, fan comes on normal. With all the stop-leak poured through it in the past one wonders if there are still goobers. Stop-leak probably isn't the best of fixes.

So, having done that I turned to the '83 Quantum, removed the little pipeline, which goes from the top of the radiator spigot to the small spigot on the reservoir tank and probed the holes with my trusty baling wire. Found no restrictions or blockages. Left line off radiator and tank(front end of car is about 2 feet higher than rear)made sure the sistem still had coolant, pretty full and fired up the diesel. Nothing coming out of anywhere. Removed top radiator hose, made sure system was as full of coolant as could be(with the top hose off the radiator) and ran engine again, no flow at all.

Tomorrow, weather permitting, I'll drain system, pull t'mostat and probe impeller with screwdriver or whatever and see what happens.
Harry

Quantum-man · Post by **Quantum-man** » Sat Dec 12, 2009 10:00 pm

Harry ensure that the thermostat has the disc on the rear, so it opens itself and another port.
Heat the 'stat up with hot water too whilst you have it out to check it's operation.

surfcam · Post by **surfcam** » Sun Dec 13, 2009 12:13 am

If you have the time and weather permitting. I would run some kind of rad flush. Most of this stuff is just lye. After your done you can flush it with some baking soda to neutralize it. Then do the antifreeze. Just a little preventative medicine for your heater core and rad.

Harry · Post by **Harry** » Sun Dec 13, 2009 3:14 pm

Great help all and yes radiator flush is good idea I think.

I've drained the cooling system today, quite a bit of cold wind today, slow going. Looking at the waterpump area from underneath it looks rather daunting as the powersteering bracketry is all over the water pump, or so it seems to me. Looks like the bolts in the upper P/S bracket may go through the water pump mounting holes???? From the Bentley for Quantae I can't really tell. Anyone know? Or maybe there's a way to slide in the new water pump and not mess with the P/S, but I don't see a way yet.
Going slow, thanks, Harry

libbybapa · Post by **libbybapa** » Sun Dec 13, 2009 8:06 pm

Pull the thermostat cover from the water pump housing. Two 10mm (head) bolts and it will be off. Then you will be able to look up into the housing and see mess with the impeller. If you decide the pump actually needs changing, I' pull the power steering pump bracket and then pull the whole housing and pump off as a unit.

Harry · Post by **Harry** » Wed Dec 16, 2009 1:05 am

Well pulled numerous hoses and brackets todayand got off water pump. The plastic(or whatever the stuff is) impeller is loose as a goose. In fact with only a thumb and a finger the impeller comes right off the pump shaft, almost no effort required. Get new pump tomorrow, along with German t'mostat and new belts(4).
Harry