Water pump sources

[steveg]

I'm thinking of getting a spare water pump. Is the 'County' brand the only one available, or is there something better?

 

[Keoke]

Years ago anything with County on the box gave me problems.

For my water pumps I always ordered from Healey Surgeons.
British Parts North West may be a good source too.
However,Steve:
Which ever having a spare on hand is a good idea.
Rebuilding one is no fun.:highly_amused:

 

[Bob_Spidell]

I'm thinking of getting a spare water pump. Is the 'County' brand the only one available, or is there something better?

Last year, I got stranded in Green River, WY when a water pump failed. This pump had been rebuilt by a true craftsman, who I don't believe is on this forum. Anyway, the rubber bellows on the seal split and that was all she wrote. I don't blame the rebuilder, he is very conscientious but he got a bad component. We overnighted a pump from Moss--County brand--installed it in a motel parking lot and started the engine. Within seconds, the pump shaft broke and I had fan-in-radiator-itis. Overnighted a second pump and new radiator; asking the Moss people to kindly check the pump for side play, as I'd noticed some in their first pump whose shaft broke. Guess what? The second pump arrived in two pieces! Yep, the shaft was either broken on the shelf and no one checked it, or it broke during shipping. We ended up having to flat-bed the car home; first time in over 20 years we DNF'd our annual long road trip.

I returned the first, rebuilt pump to the rebuilder, who was mortified and rebuilt another and sent it to me at no charge (he sent the split seal to his supplier, who absolved themselves of any responsibility). Then, he located another, old-time rebuilder who had a BJ8 pump on the shelf, and I bought it, figuring I might never find another good one. Had a long discussion with Moss who, I will say, made me (mostly) whole. It seems County was once owned by a reasonably conscientious fellow who dropped dead from a heart attack a few years ago. Now, their 'quality' is nonexistent. I had had a County pump in the car for years--maybe 50K miles--but I noticed a piece of plastic in the housing and decided to replace it while I was installing a new timing cover seal. The rebuilder said the seal in the County pump was a joke.

Anyway, back to your question. DO NOT BUY A COUNTY PUMP, as there is no indication their quality has improved. I wouldn't be surprised if Healey Surgeons sell County, I'm not aware of any other new pump supplier (if you find one kindly let us know). You could contact Moss and see if they've found a new supplier, or try Michael Salter, who rebuilt my pump: https://www.netbug.net/blogmichael/ Tell him I recommended him, as he knows the whole sordid story.

 

[steveg]

If the Country brand pumps are the only ones available other than Mike Salter's rebuilds for which I'd have to have a core, has anyone used an inline electric pump?