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    Ford Transit 100 T280 - Re-manufactured power steering pumps # Archived Message

    Posted by Paul Foster on February 24, 2010, 4:58 pm

    Hi Guys.

    Been out of the loop for a while due to bank problems - nice to be back!

    Just thought I share this horror story in case it benefits anyone else out there.

    Regular customer brings his old transit in for an obvious water pump fault - overheating; no heat in the cab; no water loss.

    I strip off the PAS pump after establishing that the water pump impellar was turning freely. I found the teeth on the water pump input shaft worn away. I fitted a QH water pump and a re-manufactured power steering pump from our local FORD DEALER. I figured that, despite the pump seeming to work ok, there may be damage to the 'female' drive for the water pump, so better safe than sorry!!!!!!!!

    I primed the pump before starting the engine (and never let it run dry) and fired up the engine. All seemed well for the first few minutes but then the power steering went 'notchy' and then failed altogether. I checked to make sure the pulley was turning and watched as the pulley boss fell off the pump! On closer inspection the pump had appeared to sieze up and the press-fitted boss had spun off the shaft.

    After removing the pump I called Evans Halshaw Ford (Local Dealers with whom I've traded for years) and was told that a replacement pump would not be forthcoming! I had to put the sick Transit on a truck to them to 'inspect' the faulty part and, subject to their being satified that the pump was indeed faulty, replace it at their expense. No prizes for guessing what came next!

    The service department wanted me to pay for a replacement pump AND THE LABOUR TO FIT IT as there was something 'un-toward' with the pump! The 'Service' Manager (an oxymoron if ever there was one!) wouldn't elaborate on what he meant by 'un-toward' but later discussions with the Parts Manager (the only person there who makes any sense and who was obviously acutely embarrassed by the whole situation) revealed that the 'Master' Technician who'd 'inspected' the pump decided that I'd 'tampered' with it for some inexplicable reason! I took a truck and demanded the return of the vehicle, along with the faulty pump. I told them I'd leave the truck blocking the entrance to the car park until they gave me the keys!!

    I ordered another pump from a different dealer and re-built the transit - Five minutes after starting it EXACTLY THE SAME THING HAPPENED!!

    Now I'm thinking there must be another reason for TWO pumps to fail (and I'm feeling pretty guilty for shouting at the Ford service department staff for 45 minutes!). I strip the water pump back off and measure every aspect against the original - all exactly the same (amazing for QH!). I removed the tensioner and checked that the PAS belt was the correct one - no problems there. By now I'm now totally baffled!

    In desperation I located a used PAS pump on a Mondeo TDCI (same unit) and fitted it with the QH water pump. The vehicle has been running for over a week with no problems whatsoever!

    So... The moral of the story is beware of replacing a component that's still working ok, even if you suspect that it'll fail soon, 'cos it'll probably come back to bite you in the Ar5e!! Oh and be-doubley-ware of fitting Ford 're-manufactured' units 'cos they're crap!

    All in the hands of solicitors now - Happy days!

    Sorry for long post! (Not really!)

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