After my SRT6 came down with the symptoms of a dead HE circulation pump I took it in for warranty service on that and a few other issues:

Headlight housings UV degraded (known issue)> Both sides replaced

Foglights coming apart inside housing (known issue)> Both sides replaced

Rattle coming from window/door lock area> This turned out to be the door latch loosening...it was fixed.

And the pump problem? After I explained the symptoms and likely cause; supplied copious amounts of documentation from the forums including the fact that it is nearly always misdiagnosed as IAT sensor failure...What do you suppose was the outcome? CORRECT! THEY REPLACED THE IAT SENSOR!

Naturally, that did not fix the problem. Not wanting to go through the warranty dance again only to get a pump destined for another early failure I ordered a Johnson pump from LET Motorsports. They got it to me very quickly (3 days; I'm in Texas and so are they). I did the install this morning and thought I would leave a few comments that might help those doing the same in the future.

The plastic caps that come on the pump inlet and outlet to keep out debris work just great as plugs for the inlet and outlet hoses after they are disconnected from the factory pump. Handy!

In my case at least, the position of the factory clamps made it very difficult to get the clamp pliers at the proper angle to loosen them. Removing the pump from the frame mount allowed me to twist the assembly around until I could (just) get at the clamps to loosen them. If I were doing it again I might go ahead and drop the plastic underpan for more access. It is held on by just a few easy to get at screws.

It has been mentioned before but is worth repeating that the diameter of the Johnson pump motor is considerably smaller than the original. Be sure to have some old radiator hose, sheet rubber or similar to wrap around the Johnson pump so that it will fit the isolator mount. Being in the acoustics business, I used some 1/4" thick visco-elastic sheet material similar to the stuff used to keep submarine hulls quiet. If I drive the SRT6 into the water, they will never find me with passive sonar!

The connector from the original pump can be salvaged and reused. Cut the rivets holding it to the pump body with a Dremel and cutoff wheel or similar...or use a razor saw or hacksaw blade to cut between the connector and the rivet. It is then necessary to work a small flat blade screwdriver or similar between the connector and pump and pry it loose until there is enough to grab with pliers and really YANK. The connector itself is very robust and should come out undamaged with some wire and maybe a small capacitor (electrical noise suppression?) attached. Desolder the wires from it and solder on and shrinkwrap the new pump wires to it. The connector even has convenient +/- markings on it. (I wish I had thought to take photos).

At least in my car the pump does not come on just because you start the engine and warm it up. I got a bit panicky when it did not start pumping. I checked the fuse (#13 in the underhood fuse block) and found it was good. I checked for voltage at fuse block position 13...nothing. Zero Volts. Now I'm really getting nervous... BUt a test drive showed my worry to be unnecessary. A long drive in 85+ degree heat and not even a hint of hesitation or power loss. Problem resolved and I'm happy to know that I will not likely be doing this again in the near future.

 

Thanks for the tips.If everything goes right i will be installing my 178 pulley kit and my johnson pump tomorrow.Might as well do them both at the same time

 

More importantly, Why do you know the, (and I am sure I can't say it as quick as you) 1/4" visco-elastic sheet material is simular to the stuff they use on submerines hulls? You have to admit that isn't a term one hears around the pickle barrel just everday.
I just swapped my OEM pump to the Johnson this morning as well and thought about doing the same but I rigged the new mount on for mine. See, If i had some 1/4" ...
Enjoy the ride,
Mike

 

Just a reminder to future pump installers, You will find it nowhere but the wiring on the new pump goes as...
Black to OEM Brown
Red to OEM Red. Just thought this might same someone a headache and melted pump or worse.
Mike

 

haha i wasnt the only one that was confused by how he knew that

 

In the noise and vibration control world it is no secret that his type of material is used for quieting subs (surface craft too). What is secret is the exact compound and where and how much of it is used.

Rubber and other elastomers store energy and release it later in time (think of a rubber ball bouncing). The visco-elastic materials feel like and deform like rubber but have enough internal damping that most of the energy is changed to heat. Make a ball out of it and drop it and it just stops dead on the floor. I actually have a demo set of a standard golf ball and a golf ball made of Isodamp that you drop side by side to show the effect.

I used EAR Isodamp C1002 (why not?...I have it lying around. ) Here is a link to put you to sleep if you have insomnia:

http://www.earsc.com/HOME/products/D...ex.asp?SID=151

They are also one of the companies supplying the Defense Department with stuff that isn't in the catalog.

Pickle barrel talk among physicists can be unbeleivably boring. Some of them can play a mean game of pool, though!

 

Thanks KJ and Montana for your input!