I'm getting ready to change the thermostat and tower to a metal one. The car is a 2000 XK8 with 45,000 miles on it. Do I have one of the bad water pumps and should I change it also?

Thanks guys

EZDriver 2000 XK8

 

The breaking impeller issue is generally found on early vehicles but there's no magic formula to tell if your vehicle will or won't be affected. It's not straighforward like Nikasil where the issue stopped at at specific engine number. Water Pumps can fail on any engine.

As you're removing the Thermostat Tower and fitting a new thermostat, it's very little extra work to take the pump off and check the impellar. Better to know what condition it's in than to speculate.

Note the locations of the bolts as you remove them. They aren't all the same length.

Graham

 

I second that emotion. Hey your already there. Check the coolant pipe also. Its plastic. At minimum replace that short stumpy hose from the tower to the coolant pipe.

 

+1

Check the difference between the swollen original hose on my 2001 XK8 here:



And the new replacement:



No chance of doing a temporary 'get you home' fix if this stumpty hose bursts.

Graham

 

Good info and I'll do it. One more thing. How do you disengage those small hose clamps from the tower to the expansion tank?


EZdriver

 

Using yet another special tool but that's not the answer you want!

There's three 'shoulders' on the clamps. Gently squeeze the outer two together using a pair of pliers and the clamp will open.



In the photo the one on the left is open, the one on the right is closed.

To close the clamp, squeeze the centre and top 'shoulders' together.