No matter how fastidious one is with the gear, there will be breakage, wear, a need to replace. But there are some things that piss me off no end. Let’s talk Chinese-made Gates waterpumps…
Cummins 5.9/6.7 Waterpump
As I mentioned in an earlier post, at the end of August Shelley and I decided to go to the Okanagan primarily to visit a friend.
On our way to Kelowna dodging fires, grinding 12,000lbs up a 4×4 trail, I smelled this familiar yet immediately indicative-of-problems smell. Hot coolant!
I knew instantly that our trip to Kelowna was done and we’d have to limp back to Tony’s.
40,000kms ago I replaced the Cummins waterpump Cardone 55-31412 that lasted 70,00kms with a Gates 42291. Good brand, right? Well that lasted a mere 40,000kms before it collapsed. Fortunately I had a spare with me and we proceeded to replace that at Tony’s place. Yes, another Gates, which will have implications a few weeks later. 45C, lots of new swearwords, lost some blood again. Note to self, buy a long handled slim-line fine ratchet to unload the serpentine tensioner that is almost impossible to reach without removing the entire fan shroud.
3000kms (!!!) later, back home, two weeks ago, I happen to be in front of the truck whilst it is runnning. Well, bugger me…chirp-chirp…that new pump Gates pos complained again. The next day it spat most the coolant onto the driveway…!@#$%^&*(
Fortunately by then I had done my homework and decided that buy-once-cry-once was probably long overdue where these crappy Chinese pumps were concerned. Shame on you Gates, Cardone etc
Enter the Bullet Proof Diesel Cummins 5.9/6.7 waterpump
An absolute impeccable bit of engineering. Aviation quality. Slightly smaller pulley = higher flow rate = needs good coolant to avoid cavitation. Metal impeller, HUGE bearing compared to Gates-crap. A challenge to get in the hole because of tight tolerances. Funny that…
Long story cut short – I will not ever use Gates North America components on my truck again. Below is a list of part numbers and links. And yes, being who I am I ordered a second Bullet Proof Diesel piece of art. I’ll gladly carry a $600 spare part given the critical nature of that component.
¡Viajes felices! – Oso
Be prepared! Great work Fred. The adage – ‘nothing can go wrong until it does, still holds true’. Do you remember when we lost the front wheel hub off my mom’s mini in President Street? Good prep for a future of adventure.