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Water leak

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carrottop

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Have a water/antifreeze leak of a round a cup or more on the garage floor after a short run. Water pump weep hole is dry as are hoses. Engine is dry. Oddly though the passenger front tire tread was wet. No other signs were noticeable from looking at the engine. Up on a lift we noticed the drip seems to be coming from just in front of the oil pan where there looks like a seal. What's the next step?

Eric
 
If the water pump gasket is leaking, or the pipe, the water CAN follow the front cover, along the gasket, and you won't see it until gravity takes over.
Cut a sheet of typewriter paper into 1" strips.
Probe the edges of the pump gasket, and along the front cover, inspecting the paper for "wicking" of green stuff.
I don't think, and it's been decades so it does fall to "think", there is any coolant against the backside of the front cover.

Are you certain this isn't a bad radiator cap, and coolant is pumping out the overflow when you shut it down and get a "heat soak"?

Might explain coolant on the backside of the tyre.
 
Overflow working properly and have new radiator cap. Probed around pump gasket and see no signs of wicking. Also found that the leak stops when the engine cools down.
 
I'd bet on a leaky WP seal or maybe the gasket--the coolant is probably being blown by the fan onto the inside of the tire.
 
Be careful not to over fill the rad. It seeks its own level and will stop leaking when it is reached. It looks low under the cap but it is suppose to be an inch or so below the bottom of the filler tube.
 
Come to think of it, I did fill the radiator with extra antifreeze as it looked low. Saw fluid from the overflow tube after a good run. That stopped after a while but then this new leak. Will be a while before I run it next as I'm on a business trip for a week. Will watch it closely but suspect water pump seals at this point but can't tell as yet. Maybe overfilling caused too much pressure for the seals. Really didn't overfill by that much either, maybe a 1/2 inch from the top.

Thanks,

Eric
 
OK. Water pump is the culprit. Tracked the leak to the bottom of the pump. Is Moss the best place to get the replacement? Besides the gasket, might as well replace the hoses. What spray paint color should be used to match the standard silver/grey of the engine?

Thanks,

Eric
 
Yes, or the British parts Dealer in Antioch (?), CA. The name escapes me, but it's Norman Nock's place.

I bought a waterpump from them for a local Healey I was working on, and they seemed to be the only place that could supply the correct sized pulley (BJ8) included with the waterpump I needed. Some of the other sources either didn't have the w/p, or you bought the pulley in addition.
 
Thanks Randy. My BT7 takes a 3/8" pulley. May be a dumb question but can't I re-use the old pulley or is that not recommended?

Regards,

Eric
 
That's a big maybe. The water pump I got from Moss had a pressed on pulley, which would be a pain to remove and the bolt-on will probably be incompatible with it.
 
Yeah, see it on the Moss site that it comes with a pulley. Any ideas on the spray paint question? Is there a standard color of do I just install as is?

Thanks,

Eric
 
The pulley gets the green engine color. Moss sells a spray that gets mixed reviews. Some like it, some think it's off a little. Hirsch (sp?) makes a brush-on paint that is supposed to be closer (sold at Eastwood). If your trying to match to old paint on the rest of the engine, you probably won't get an exact match no matter what you do. In any event, my engine is painted red and black, so what do I know? :laugh:
 
FWIW, the pressed-on pulley is not difficult to remove if you have a hydraulic press. You have to make sure the pulley is installed in the same position, however, so the belt isn't misaligned.
 
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