I got 65K out the German pump I installed in 1997, replaced with a Graf in
2000.  Put a new one on when I reman'd the engine over 2 years ago as a
precautionary procedure.  Frankly, I think the quality of a German HEPU and
Italian GRAF are about the same, regardless of the coolant used.  As I have
conversed with Vanagon owners over the past 15 years, the average life
reported is around 60K.  Pretty dismal compared to other makes.  The 89
H*nda Accord I traded in 2 years ago had over 260K on the engine with the
original water pump (verified by the original owner and his great records he
kept on it when I bought the car).  Owner had replaced the hoses,
thermostat, radiator and other related stuff over the years, but the water
pump was just fine.
--
Jim Thompson
84 Westfalia 2.1 "Ole Putt"
73 K Ghia Coupe "Denise"
72 411 Station Wagon "Pug"
oldvolkshome@gmail.com
http://www.oldvolkshome.com
**********************************
On 11/2/06, gary hradek <hradek@yahoo.com> wrote:
>
> Dennis,
>          30k in five years in California.   I try to use it mostly for
> camping and short weekend trips at least once every two weeks.
> Perhaps just sitting like you said.   I have the old pump so perhaps I
> will dig a bit deeper.   I am
> Just wondering if it could be the dexcool(orange stuff) that is detergent
> based?   thanks gary
>
> ----- Original Message ----
> From: Dennis Haynes <dhaynes@optonline.net>
> To: gary hradek <hradek@YAHOO.COM>; vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> Sent: Thursday, November 2, 2006 5:21:18 PM
> Subject: RE: yet another water pump
>
>
> Why would you think the re-packaged, (Bosch is now a re-seller of many
> parts), maybe Graf pump will outlast a German pump? How long should a pump
> last? How was it used?
>
> I am among the few on the list that has owned the FUN BUS since new. The
> first water pump failed at three years and 49,000 miles. A leaker! It was
> replaced by a dealer in Florida under warranty. The next one got a squeaky
> bearing on the way to Alaska at 96,000 miles. I changed that one in a
> campground in Michigan.
>
> Anyway, I have seen water pumps go from the low 50K's to well over 100K.
> No
> obvious consistency by brand. Usage, speeds, seem to have an impact. The
> higher speed and long distance drivers tend to eat up seals and bearings.
> Also, engines that sit frequently loose pumps also. A loose belt can be as
> bad for the bearings as an overly tight one due to all that bouncing and
> whipping.
>
> So how many miles were on it in 5 years. 60K, got your use. No mileage,
> shaft probably corroded from sitting and seal assembly could no longer
> slide
> to compensate for wear or thermal expansion and died that way.
>
> Dennis
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of
> gary hradek
> Sent: Tuesday, October 31, 2006 11:53 AM
> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> Subject: yet another waterpump
>
> After five years the waterpump(german made) from
> busdepot began to leak out of the weep hole.
> I had taken care not to over tighten the belt as I
> could just barely hear a belt squeal when I first
> started the van.   I had changed the coolant using
> dexcol.   The up side was I had replaced the hoses
> when I replaced the waterpump so this time around I
> only needed to change the pump.   I bought a bosch
> made in Italy from my flaps for about 20 dollars more
> than the from busdepot.   I had removed the pushrod
> cover and the other sheetmetal on the left side.
> This time I remove one clamp on the oil cooler and
> detached the oil cooler from the waterpump and engine
> sliding the oil cooler off with the metal pipe to the
> waterpump still attached.   When you get the oil
> cooler gasket make sure you get the one that attached
> to the cooler and not just the oil ring that busdepot
> sells.
> Thepartsbin has a good picture of this difference.
> Having the oil cooler out gives a bit more space and
> seems to make the job go easier.
> It will be interesting to see how long this pump
> lasts.   I am happy to pay more for a pump that would
> last a bit longer.  Gary