With over 85 years of automotive experience BG Automotive (BGA) is well used to meeting the ever changing demands of the aftermarket. This is something that is well reflected in the company’s expertise in the important water pump component sector where it has assembled a range to match market demand, placing a strong emphasis on product quality which often exceeds originals equipment standards.

The company says that each component that goes into a BGA Water Pump is carefully developed and tested to ensure it is the best option for product longevity. This means for example

• Pulleys – produced according to the OE profile, to eliminate noise and vibration.
• Bearings – with high load capacity for extra endurance.
• O-rings – made for the highest quality NBR rubber for a perfect seal.
• Seals – make use of OE quality silicon carbide mechanical seals, for higher resistance to contaminant damage.
• Impeller – made from corrosion resistant aluminum and steel that last longer and is less brittle

When all of the components have been tested individually and are ready for production they’re then assembled and put through further testing to ensure the lifespan is according to BGA’s required specification, which will often exceed the OE spec.

The company says that the reasoning behind this is that a Water Pump is commonly replaced in vehicles of a certain age, usually due to wear and tear or common faults such as; cooling system contamination, shaft breakage, casing breakage or seal damage. These common faults are based largely around conditions that were much less likely in a new or nearly new vehicle. The environment that a Water Pump has to work within is vastly different when the vehicle has done a high mileage.  

Because BGA’s quality engineers want to produce pumps that will work well even in the tough conditions of a well-used engine they have produced components with quality characteristic which exceed OE. In particular this increased spec combats small contaminants in the cooling or lubrication systems such as carbon deposits or traces of rust that can build up over time. This puts a strain on engine parts that is not present in the first few years of a car’s life. To combat the stress and strain that can naturally be put upon a new component fitted to a well-worn-in engine BGA developed many in house testing facilities with bespoke equipment that is purpose built for putting newly developed parts and concepts through their paces. This process finds wearable parts in a product, allowing engineers to examine and understand before re-testing and reengineering until a satisfactory product is produced.

A clear example of this would be the use of a Ceramic seal at OE level in a Water Pump, which is upgraded in many BGA Water Pumps with the use of Silica Carbide, which is of a much higher quality and better suited to the challenges of a well-used vehicle. Alongside this is the use of alternative bearing configurations such as replacing the OE ball-ball configuration for an upgraded Ball-Roller design which is better suited for heavier loads versus the moderate-load threshold of the ball-ball design.

BGA water pumps are available from factors nationwide and distributed in Ireland by National Autoparts. Please call 01-454-1700 for more information.