another water pump question

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cptndon

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Hello all. After letting my '73 coupe sit for too long I've decided to get off my ass and take care of the few problems it has and drive again.

When I've looked around for a water pump the vendors sometimes list several with what look like different brand names at different prices. What if any are the differences?

And while we're at it: is there a source for the ignition switch other than Mobile Tradition?

After over two years of lurking this is my first post here!
Thanks in advance for your help.
 
Water-pump quality will vary among vendors...Original equip is always best. On the Porsche boards, discussions about NLA water-pumps have been numerous with lots of failures for pumps that were made in China. The preferred vendor for new is Laso with the plastic (or brass depends on you)impellers; all stay away from rebuilt.

IMHO...On critical engine components quality vs. $ is best.
Jon
 
First things first

Perhaps determine which pump you have? Original type with the red fan and friction clutch or early thermostatic. If it's been converted over to the larger fan with black blades, then that's probably why the price is cheaper since that pump fits many cars.

If you have the original, then most likely you'll want to convert as the original pump is pricey and scarce. New fan, clutch, adapter, pump. Seveal vendors sell the conversion- Mesa, etc.

Switch- what happens sometimes is the back gets loose from the body and just needs restaked. Might push on the back while turning the key. Couldn't hurt to try.
 
Thanks everyone for your replies. I suspect that I'll have to pull the fan to confirm which pump is installed.
re the switch: The car died when my wife and I were returning to Maryland from North Carolina. We'd just pulled off I95 in Virginia for a food stop, when the engine went intermittent and then died. I managed to coast into a mall parking lot. Diagnosis: engine would crank and start as long as I held the key over and then die when in the run position. When I accessed the switch I was greeted with a cascade of itty bitty parts falling into the carpet. Luckily I'm old enough to to know how to hot wire a car(don't ask).

Of course it started raining heavily during this exercise.

Thanks again for your input. Its been really helpful.
 
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