Rover K series question

[Kayos]

Im busy doing my least favourite thing, paying for parts

I have however come across a choice with the water pump, water chamber or not?

I've been into the factors and the VIN doesn't tell them, it has the front mounted thermostat and auto tensioner timing belt but I don't know which pump is correct

Knowing the pump is possibly a cause of the head gasket going I'd like to get this right, I'm guessing the chamber or lack of is related to the stat, but so far no luck googling

 

[awemawson]

No, the cause of a head gasket blowing, is BECAUSE it's a K series engine - you'd think it was specifically designed to blow as they all do

 

[cliff366]

 

[hotrodder]

No idea about the waterpump differences other than agreeing it's possibly(?) to do with the 'stat locations for different applications but AIUI the deal with K series and headgaskets is mostly, or at least partly, related to accountants or someone else having a eureka moment that was a bit daft? Something about them using plastic dowels as they didn't dink the gasket as badly when an assembly line worker didn't take any care while fitting it? The plastic dowels fixed that but allowed the head to move a tiny bit and kill the gasket?

Does the internet recognise any of the numbers (assuming it has any) cast into your old pump?

 

[Kayos]

Bit more digging and it's also known as an "evaporation chamber" basically as Rovers were often stood the pump seal would dry out and cause a small leak that would reseal when used, but they were spending a fortune fixing these small leaks, so the chamber allows it to evaporate and not be seen, however a significant leak would still show.

The non chambered pump is cheaper so that's the one I will be going with and the headset comes with metal dowels

If the car behaves over Christmas I will be looking at additional cooling, such as an auxiliary pump or oil cooler