Waterpump pulley clearance...

[DirtyComanche]

So, I changed the water pump in the cherry. Mostly. I'm missing a lower rad hose as it turned out to be pooched. Anyways, while installing the old pulley onto the new pump, I gave it a quick test spin (by hand). Wouldn't move. Hmm. Pulley was rubbing on the pump housing rather seriously. Looked at the old pump housing - had a big groove cut in it from the pulley. However, that pump had so much play it might be simply from the pulley wobbling around. Anyways, looked at the MJ and I couldn't tell with the belt still on it...

 

So is it normal for there to be a -.010 clearance between the pulley and pump?

 

I epoxied some washers to the back of the pulley to space it out, but making sure that it still engaged the hub - keeping it centred.

 

:nuts:

[BLHTAZ]

Sounds like the wrong pulley or pump. The rpoblem with spacing the pulley out is the belt is not going to line up correctly and will either come off or at least make a lot of noise.

 

I would try to find a pulley that you know is correct for your vehicle and compare it to what you have to be sure you have the right one to start with.

[DirtyComanche]

I have the correct pulley. The MJ is right next to it, and it's really easy to read the part number without a rad/grille in the way.

 

Now, as to if it's the correct pump... Well. I'll tell you a story. I entered the parts store, full of dread, as it was a sunday, nobody intelligent would be working. And boy was I right. The parts 'girl' was actually kinda cute. But obviously dumb. I request a waterpump for a 90 cherokee. To which she replied "What's that?". I wasn't sure if she didn't know what a waterpump was, or what a cherokee was. Luckily she clarified before I tried to explain how a waterpump pumps water... So, after we established that a cherokee is in fact a jeep, and that they made millions of them over a 17ish year production run, she then had to find somebody to help her look up the part.

 

The pain didn't end there.

 

However, it looks identical to the one that came off, the impeller is the right way (I checked that, because it did not have reverse stamped on it obviously). It bolted on fine. Other than this.

 

I haven't put the belt on yet, I was going to wait for a lower rad hose.

[LEAD_NOT_FOLLOW]

You'd think I'd remember as I just did the WP on the wife's XJ about a month ago...

 

But I seem to remember that the pully itself can be put on "backwards" and it will sit very close as you have described. Any chance you put the pully on the wrong way, thus spacing it further in?

 

Maybe I'm thinking of one of my cars though... but just a thought...

[DirtyComanche]

You'd think I'd remember as I just did the WP on the wife's XJ about a month ago...

 

But I seem to remember that the pully itself can be put on "backwards" and it will sit very close as you have described. Any chance you put the pully on the wrong way, thus spacing it further in?

 

Maybe I'm thinking of one of my cars though... but just a thought...

 

 

Can't be.

[Eagle]

However, it looks identical to the one that came off, the impeller is the right way (I checked that, because it did not have reverse stamped on it obviously). It bolted on fine. Other than this.

Ummm ... isn't the one we need the one that DOES have the 'R'? The "old" (forward revolving) version is the one that fits AMC I-6 engines with conventional vee belts, all the way back to 1964 when AMC first introduced the 199/232/158 c.i.d. family of engines.

 

It's the serpentine belt pumps that rotate "reversed." (I think). And the "wrong" ones will bolt in .. the block is the same.

[jwilson25]

A common problem is that the XJ water pump is differnt from TJ/ZJ/etc. 4.0 engines. If you got the wrong pump, the pulley will exhibit clearance issues. My best guess would be if it was a reman pump, then may have mispackaged or had a wrong core returned to rebuild it from. When I work at the dealership we used to keep both in stock, as the XJ defintely had a different part number from all other 4.0 applications.

[BLHTAZ]

A common problem is that the XJ water pump is differnt from TJ/ZJ/etc. 4.0 engines. If you got the wrong pump, the pulley will exhibit clearance issues. My best guess would be if it was a reman pump, then may have mispackaged or had a wrong core returned to rebuild it from. When I work at the dealership we used to keep both in stock, as the XJ defintely had a different part number from all other 4.0 applications.

Exactly...it is a lower profile than the ones in the Wranglers etc...

[JeepcoMJ]

i just ran through this issue with a 95 xj...put a 95 ZJ motor in and the pumps are definitely different...

 

they LOOK identical, but are mere centimeters different.

[DirtyComanche]

This is not centimeters different... This looks like about .010. Like I said still haven't got the belt on... Went drinking, I mean camping, instead. But visually it looked fine other than the .010~ or so.

 

Might be the wrong one.

 

And I know it's supposed to be reverse. It has no 'R' as it is some BS new (non-reman) pump from china or some BS. But the impeller direction matches the old one, so it's right in that aspect at least.

 

Hmm. So I guess I'll put the belt on and see if it's FUBAR. I don't have my calipers here to compare measurements to my other pumps.

[pineymike]

Water pumps are pressed together and can sometimes be slightly off[monday?] take it back and compair it to another or if you have access to a press just move the pulley mount flange.Good luck!