How to install a water pump on your Lincoln Electric SA200 Pipeliner

Later pump replacement is to be expected on the Lincoln SA200 Continental F-series engines. I have personally seen them run for forty years without failure.

How to Replace the Water Pump on a Lincoln® SA-200® Pipeliner ®(F-162 or F-163) Engine-AND NOT LOSE YOUR MIND

1. Your replacement pump should have the pulley already installed. If you need to remove and reinstall your pulley, refer to this link for instructions.

2. The new pump should come with the back plate and the bypass hose nipple loose, not installed. We recommend installing the water pump back plate first. Paint both sides of the paper gasket with Permatex®, hang it up, and let it get “tacky”. We recommend applying a light coat of sealer to the water pump and the backing plate. Make sure there is no dirt, debris, or anything that would interfere with gasket sealing. The blue area is where the sealer should be applied.

1. Lay the gasket on the pump and then install the backing plate. Snug the mounting bolts (10-15 pounds of torque is all you need).

Hack! You need a water pump gasket, and you don't have one? You can make one out of a solid paper box. I've found that oatmeal boxes work great. Lay the cardboard out flat, trace and cut the outside. Paint the housing with Permatex (or anything that will transfer an image. Cut out the inside, lay it over the exposed pump and trim. Coat both sides of the new gasket, let it set for 30 minutes, and install.

TIP: Torque spec: 3/8-16 & 3/8-24 --- 40-50 ft-lbs & 7/16-14 --- 55-65 ft-lbs & 7/16-20 --- 70-80 ft-lbs

TIP: BEFORE YOU INSTALL THE WATER PUMP MOUNTING BOLTS-COAT THEM WITH A VERY LIGHT COAT OF PERMATEX-IT ACTS AS A LUBRICANT AND WILL PRECENT THE BOLT FROM RUSTING!

REMOVING THE WATER PUMP FROM THE WELDER

(You do not have to remove the radiator or fan to change the pump, you just have to careful)

1. Drain the engine and radiator. There is no clean way to accomplish this with the SA-200. We recommend that the unit be raised and a large bucket (5 gallons) be placed under the right side (facing the radiator). Loosen the lower hose clamp and let the coolant drain. You may or may not be able to open the radiator pet-cock valve. If the fluid is clean, no oil or debris, it can be reused.

2. After the fluid is completely drained, remove the upper, lower, and bypass

   hoses. You do this for two reasons: first, to inspect the hoses, and second, to get them out of the way. You will be working in tight quarters-don’t make it any more complicated than you have to.

3. Remove the alternator adjusting arm and fan belt. Replace any item if you question its condition.

   
   
   
   

4. Three mounting bolts hold the pump onto the engine block-they require a 9/16” wrench to remove. They should be torqued down to xx ft-lbs. They will be tight. We recommend using a long-handled box-end wrench and tapping it with a hammer to break them loose.

2. With the pump removed, it is now time to clean off the original pump from the block gasket. The original gasket must be removed entirely! We use a scraper with a “sharp” edge; a one-sided razor blade works well. The block is cast iron-you won’t hurt it. You should be able to run your fingers over the area and feel nothing but a smooth, clean surface. The oatmeal box gasket hack will work for this, the gasket between the water pump and the block, and as a replacement gasket for the thermostat housing. You don't know what you can accomplish till you try!

TIP: If you are careful, you can remove the pump without removing the fan blade-a very awkward, painful procedure. Be careful of your knuckles. When we do this in our shop we always have two people available-one on each side of the machine to guide the assembly out without damaging the radiator.

If you are replacing your water pump, you should also check your thermostat housing; modern thermostats are designed so that if they fail, they remain open. The purpose of the thermostat is to make your engine "warm up" fast. This increases engine life and helps remove sludge in the oil system. The manual says to use a 170°F temperature thermostat. I recommend setting the thermostat to 180°F to 190°F, especially for cold-weather operations. Remember, the engine will operate around 200°F. You want it to warm up and stay warm in cold conditions. A block heater is a wise investment.

Block heater

Reinstall all three of your hoses; if you have any doubt, replace them.

TIP: COAT THE INSIDE OF THE HOSES BEFORE YOU INSTALL THEM. THIS WILL HELP THEM SLID ON, PROVIDE ADDITIONAL SEALING PROPERTIES, AND MAKE THEM EAST TO REMOVE FOR REPLACEMENT OR SERVICE.

One last word of advice: the fan belt does not have to be

tight. If it is too tight, it will prematurely cause bearing failure in the water pump and alternator. You should be able to push the belt down about an inch. A little loose is better than too tight. Remember, a new belt will stretch; keep an eye on it.