Water pump differences

[mrltd]

Since mine blew I have been looking at pumps. Aluminum vs. Cast Iron. Most of my panthers came stock with the aluminum one. The 87 LX had an iron one. The 87 was a tow package car. Looking at advances website, the aluminum ones have a 3 3/16" impeller, while the cast iron one uses a 3 7/8" impeller and was used on the HD/tow package cars, and I'm sure the PI's. So, looks like I'm getting a cast iron pump!

I did notice a HD/Severe option for the pump. Kinda wierd. Big price difference. Wonder what the actual difference is. Of course the HD/Severe service one is a new part, but only has the 1 year warranty, and the standard iron one has a lifetime warranty and is less expensive.

[DuceAnAHalf]

im running a cast iron pump on mine, only problem is the weight, id say it is about 10#s

[mrltd]

Yeah, I know. I've had the one off of the old car. Beastly compared to the dinky aluminum one.

[88grandmarq]

Iron pump has 2 extra bolt holes that the alluminum doesnt have, so essentialy its a different bolt pattern. it really depends on the timing cover you have. if you have an iron pump with the 2 extra bolts, then you need to replace it with the iron pump.

[mrltd]

My spare motor has the iron pump...This one has the al one.

Aluminum one:


Cast Iron:

[mrltd]

Are the timing covers different? If not I can swipe the bolts and use the iron pump easily. Heck, I could swap the cover if needed. I do have one.

[86VickyLX]

Timing covers are the same. At least the 302's one is. I used a T-Bird's timing cover. It's water pump was different, because of the pulley line up. but the bolt pattern was the same.

[Lincolnmania]

timing covers are all the same......i prefer cast iron

[mrltd]

Yeah, I'm gonna go cast iron. Bigger impeller. Listed as HD/Severe option, so perfect for my application. The 2 extra bolts will make a big difference.

[gabegt90]

is'nt the water pumps different from a 95 mustang 302 vs lopo vs gt-40

[mrltd]

Define GT40. Mustang pumps are different than lopo. They spin different directions. If you mean explorer, I have no clue. Scott would know...

[gabegt90]

yeah that's what I ment well I know for sure that the explore one for sure has the stupid reverse tread for the fan clutch to go on. I also know the explore pump does not have a backing plate covering the impeller like the ho and lopo pumps

[Lincolnmania]

the exploder wp is prob reverse roataion too

[gadget73]

Isn't the Exploder pump also way smaller than the pump on most other things?

I actually never knew an aluminum pump existed till not too long ago. I've had a total of 4 pumps on my car, the one it came with, plus the 3 I've put on. All have been iron. I was never asked whether the original was aluminum or not. Might be an 86 thing, no aluminum pump?

[1987cp]

My Explorer motor came with a seriously funny-looking front cover. My buddy I worked for in '05 verified my suspicions that no Mustang ever got a pump that looked like that. Maybe when I go home to visit I can dig it out and post a picture.

My '87 came with an iron standard-rotation pump, but my '79 came with a nifty D9AE aluminum standard-rotation pump like the one pictured above. I expect they stopped using the aluminum pump round about '85. I found a good D9AE on eBay when I built up the Explorer motor just because it was cool, but it has a huge port where the heater-core hose connects that requires an adapter where the iron pump doesn't.

All that aside, I expect that any standard-rotation aftermarket pump would probably fit our stock front covers, not require adapters, and offer the option of aluminum housing or high volume as needed. I just didn't look into it very seriously because I'm cheap and didn't feel like paying $160 for a water pump.