Water Pump Failures

[Daryl Gatenby <Daryl.Gatenby@domain.elided>]

Can an accurate hardness test, to determine what the hardness of the teeth
would have been when new, be carried out on W/P gear teeth that are severely
worn down to the point where maybe only 20-30% of the bulk of the teeth is
left? 

In the case of the Jackshaft gear teeth and W/P gear teeth is it as straight
forward as testing the hardness of the shaft next to the teeth in order that
an indicative gear tooth hardness can be obtained?