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water pump

Donny_L

Jedi Trainee
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when I flushed out all the old coolant from the radiator /block I left it dry while I waited for my new elbow joint to come in the mail. It didn't dawn on me that the seals would dry out. Apeearently they did because now it leaks. I think it's the mechanicle seal on the pump. I bought some leak seal that says it olso conditions seals but can't try it out untill I get new flex lines for the brakes so I can drive the car aroun right after adding the the leak seal. Do you think the leak seal will do the trick? Or should I bite the bullet and order a new water pump while I'm ordering the brake lines anyways? I'd rather not get the pump(because I can't really afford it right now) if there's a good chance of the sealant working but I'd really hate to find out it doesn't work and be off the road that much longer because I went the cheap rout by not ordering it.
 
Just realized they sell the seal for the pump seperatly for $22. I should just go ahead with that, What do you think?
 
:savewave:

Buy a new pump and install it you will be headaches ahead--Keoke
 
I am not aware of any seals sold with out installation. New pump is about $125.00. Made in India and will say County on it. Seems to work but the flange is a little thicker. No problem if the radiator is out, but a problem if you are trying to get your tools and hand between the radiator and the block. I'd take the pump off and soak the whole thing in a bucket of water until you are ready to run the car. It may swell again. You might also spin the pump by the pulley (using a polishing disk on a drill against the side of the pulley) for 20 seconds to remove any burs or uneven swelling of the seal. To rebuild your pulley, it would probably cost $90.00 ( best price I could find--no one wants to rebuild them any more). If you can get a seal for $22.00, you would still have to pay some one to rebuild it (press out old, press in the new one). If they supply it, they are responsible if it fails. Again, spin the pump before installing.
I have my original sitting on a shelf awaiting a good price to re-build so I can have a spare at hand. The last one lasted 47 years but who knows with the stuff being made in India.
If you do get a new pump, you the get the right size pulley for your car.
 
Leak Seal type products are notorious for plugging up tubes in radiators, and most Healeys have marginal coolant capacity anyways.

I would recommend against adding seam sealer to the coolant; you'll probably come out cheaper in the long run by buying the waterpump.
 
New pump is about $125.00. Made in India and will say County on it.

:savewave:

If it do don't buy it search other suppliers for a good one.---Keoke-- :hammer:
 
Thanks again guys. I'm going to take the advice and get the new pump. Also getting new top and bottom hoses while I'm at it. They offer both in kevlar for a little extra. I'm going to go with the regular ones unless you guys think it's worth spending the extra doe on the kevlar, Or if you tell me that the kevlar hoses look really cool. I'm a sucker for cool lookin'car stuff.
 
Reco-ing water pumps is actually a very straightforward operation. Mine is the early bolt-together type and I fitted a modern metric carbon-face seal with just a couple of simple lathe operations. the new seal is 40mm OD and the original housing is something like 39.7mm so just a little lick and its done. Also have to clean up the impeller face that contacts the seal and polish it till it shines. For the later pumps a press is required to get the pulley etc off. Any competent machinist should be able to do the work.

There is a guy here in NZ Muzzaz Automotive Water Pumps that I drive by every day who specialises in this sort of work. I asked him for a seal and he spent half an hour explaining exactly what I should do and what polish/finish to achieve and then only charged me NZ$10 for the seal.

My choice would definitely be to recondition the old one. If you do so and change to modern sealed bearings, make sure to get the high temp rated ones as seals on the generic ones are only good to 85degC or something.

Andy.
 
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