Just bought a new water pump for my 2003 xj8. As I'm about to pull the pump off I notice my pump has 7 bolts to remove compared to the 5 on the pump I ordered.

All the other places I look at for an 03 water pump has 5 bolts. And the original bolts aren't even long enough to go through the pump and grip the threads in the block.

So my question is what the hell happened?

My vin turns up an 03 xj8 so I'm very lost and angry at the moment.

 

Check your engine vin number. I have a 2003 engine block and a 1999 complete engine sitting in my storage. I will go check and see the difference. I hope the block hasn't been replaced in the past with a older model? I can't think of any other reason why it would be a 7 bolt vs 5 bolt because the water pump bolts onto the block. I'm not sure if the water pumps are the same or different from a XJ8/XJR.

 

I looked at both the 1999 and 2003 and they appear to be a 7 bolt, but only 5 bolt onto the block where the other 2 hold the water pump assembly together? I hope these pictures help and I may be wrong with my information. These pictures are based off a 99/03 XJR engine.

1999 water pump


2003 water pump

 

Your pump is the same as mine.
Here's a side by side of my new and old one.

I believe the new one will work because the outer two bolts aren't really necessary but I would definitely need at least 1/2inch longer bolts to mount it.

 

It may just be the way the after market pump was designed. Curious to know if the pump impeller is plastic like oem or metal? I can't tell from the pictures.

 

The extra two bolts hold the two part water pump together. They do not bolt to the engine block. Just changed a one year old two-part that has always leaked for a new one piece AC Delco, no leaks -- wa hoo!!

 

The new one is a metal impeller by ac delco I made sure to get one that was metal instead of plastic.

I guess I'll get some longer bolts and go back at it.

 

Why do you need longer bolts? The two short bolts are not needed with the AC Delco, just the five 8mm (5/16 actually works better) bolts.

 

They don't go far enough through to grab any threads with the gasket.

 

They're probably 1/8 away from grabbing the threads and trust me I've tried hard as hell to get them to grab.

 

Truly confusing: let me review with you: you have seven bolts from the old water pump, two which are shorter and should be thrown away; you have removed the old gasket from the block (?); you have gone on Ebay, found the correct part number for the AC Delco water pump for your car and confirmed they sent you the right one; you have put the old water pump and gasket back on the block to check the 5 bolts (?) you have came from the old water pump. All that checks, has to fit (I just did this job seven days ago, with the same parameters and it was a piece of cake). And I am not meaning to be condescending; just, like you confused.

 

It looks like the new water pump is half an inch thicker than the old one (bolt bosses anyway). Does the snout stick out further ? Looks a little iffy to me.

 

I think you have the wrong water pump. Look at the bolt pattern between your old one and the new one. You want the AC Delco 252-800.

 

Is it possible that you left the back plate of the water pump on the whine when you pulled off the pump? The pump on my 99 is two pieces and the replacements look to be one piece....

 

I just did my water pump on my XJR. I initially bought the AC Delco unit from RockAuto. First, AC Delco still uses the old design(ie o ring installation) and the one I got from them, one of the ports was blocked.

I ended up sending it back and bought the Airtex version which is updated and has the updated plastic impeller.

https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...gs-etc-110273/


Chris

 

I also went with Airtex.

 

Maybe we will hear what happened . . . . ?