How and where do I seal my water pumping/how to pack?

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Model T Ford Forum: Forum 2014: How and where do I seal my water pumping/how to pack?
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Matthew Atchinson on Thursday, October 30, 2014 - 11:44 am:

I know, I know many of you don't like water pumps (Royce in articular) but I have to ask. I want to try out a pump on my engine for a bit. If it doesn't work out i'll simply remove it. My question is this, I have the white cord material for packing from Lang's. Where does it go? Does the pump have to be taken apart? What does it wrap around? I have no idea where to "pack." The slight leak from my pump is coming from underneath the large nut in the front by the shaft and fan belt retainer.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Tom Miller, Mostly in Dearborn on Thursday, October 30, 2014 - 11:53 am:

First, have you tried tightening the large nut in the front by the shaft and fan belt retainer a little bit? On most pumps, this is an adjustable packing nut.

If it still leaks, loosen the the large nut in the front by the shaft and fan belt retainer.

Wrap the rope packing around the shaft in the same direction as rotation and snug up the nut.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By George_Cherry Hill NJ on Thursday, October 30, 2014 - 12:02 pm:

There are a zillion different designs Matthew but they all have something in common...

Somewhere near the 'body' proper there is a nut that is concentric with the shaft. The packing goes under that nut/bonnet nut.

For the 'how to', go to you tube or any handyman site...it is the same technique/science as repacking a water supply valve.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Les Schubert on Thursday, October 30, 2014 - 12:14 pm:

The problem with most old water pumps is that the shaft in the packing area is rough and often pitted. If this is the case then no type of packing material will be successful.

If you are having problems with overheating then I have found ordinary household vinegar to be a good cleaning agent. Remove the radiator and lay it carefully on it's front. seal the cap with RTV or similar. Pour in enough vinegar to just nicely fill all the tubes. Leave it overnight. Recover the vinegar as it can usually be used again for this purpose. Give the rad a good reverse flow flushing with good garden hose pressure. You will be amazed at the crap that flushes out!!. The nice thing about vinegar is it is environmentally friendly and is not too hard on the radiator.

Best of luck!!


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Kenneth W DeLong on Thursday, October 30, 2014 - 12:20 pm:

When i ran a pump every now and then i would see a drop by the pack nut.It's proably your pump telling you it need's a little grease! Try it first.Bud.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Hal Davis-SE Georgia on Thursday, October 30, 2014 - 12:22 pm:

Years ago on a Model A site, I read that you should allow a little leakage on a new pump or new packing job until the packing becomes seated, then you can tighten that last little bit to seal it off. The theory was that if you tried to completely stop the leak on new packing, it would be too tight and would damage the packing and/or shaft to the point it would never seal properly. I read this AFTER I had rebuilt my water pump and had tried unsuccessfully to get the leak stopped by tightening the crap out of it. I had since gone the "Modern seal" route. I have often wondered if I had "broken in" the packing gradually like they said, if I would have had a leakless water pump. Those of you who know much about me know that I love to make things work they way they were supposed to back in the day rather than taking the easy modern way out. I might, one day, try to use a packing type seal on my Model A, but it is sure a pain to remove the water pump on an A if it doesn't work. I also read on the same forum that back in the day, a minor leak was expected and acceptable. Not sure I believe that one, though.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Justin Heim on Thursday, October 30, 2014 - 03:17 pm:

The best way to pack a water pump is to buy the correct size of teflon string packing based on the gland size (area where the packing goes). McMaster-Carr and others sell this square profile packing in many sizes. Measure the distance from the shaft to the edge of the gland wall to get the size. Then it is best to cut individual rings of the packing to stack on top of each other in the gland. If possible, cut the joining seam on the ends of the ring at an angle so that the seal is better as opposed to a square cut end. Install one ring at a time but stagger the joints of the rings 180 degrees from each other. When the gland is almost full, re-install the gland pusher/adjusting nut. Start the car and slowly tighten the nut. When I say slow I mean about 1/4 turn every 15 minutes of running. Continue to do this until you have a small drop that forms and falls away every couple of minutes. If you try to eliminate all of the leakage you will burn the packing out. The slight leakage cools and lubricates the packing and prevents it from glazing and hardening where the packing contacts the shaft. Over time as the leakage increases, adjust in the same manner as before until the leakage is slowed to an acceptable rate. If the adjusting nut bottoms out, you can usually add another ring of packing but eventually it will just need to be changed out again.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Matthew Atchinson on Thursday, October 30, 2014 - 04:12 pm:

Thanks guys. I packed the nut and it seems good. I'll have to test it tomorrow after I let some JB weld I have hardening at a weepy freeze plug finishes. I'll fill up the radiator and see what happens.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Kenneth W DeLong on Thursday, October 30, 2014 - 05:23 pm:

What ever happned to using graphite rope?? Bud.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Norman T. Kling on Thursday, October 30, 2014 - 05:53 pm:

A Model A water pump is packed in a similar way to a Model T pump, however, the A has a V belt. Unfortunately, the flat belt on a Model T will slip if the packing on the water pump is too tight, and if too loose, the water will drip. Then if you tighten the belt, it tends to run off the pulley, so you need some device to keep it in place. The shaft when worn, which is usually the reason the water pump needs to be packed and tightened up. I have seen T's on which all 3 pulleys had been changed for a v belt. Maybe a water pump would work better is such a change is made.

I had one on the first T I bought and it leaked. The shaft was very worn. I took it to a machinist who said he didn't have a stainless or steel shaft, but he could make one out of brass. Well the brass shaft worked very well, but the nut that holds the pulley on was too loose and it became a lathe which turned a groove in the end of the shaft. I took it off and put a regular inlet fitting and it was the best thing I did to that car. The pump really does not cool the car when it is running hot, but it will keep the engine too cold on a cold day by circulating the coolant. If you use a water pump, you also need a thermostat to keep the coolant from circulating until the engine warms up.

A water pump is a very poor substitute for a good radiator.
Norm


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Dennis Seth - Ohio on Thursday, October 30, 2014 - 05:55 pm:

The center for the protection of the graphite gofer has filed suite with the U.S. government to cease all use of graphite in automobiles and machinery. The issue is that the very small graphite gofer is vary rare and they are trying to save the few that are remaining.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Chris Barker, Somerset, England on Saturday, November 01, 2014 - 01:21 pm:

Wow!
A thread about water pumps without anyone suggesting that the only packing required is to pack the pump in your trash can. Are we getting tolerant and liberal or something?


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Mark Strange on Saturday, November 01, 2014 - 01:22 pm:

Royce must be out for a drive, don't worry, he'll be back.... :-)


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Royce in Georgetown TX on Saturday, November 01, 2014 - 05:19 pm:

Indeed, the best thing to do is get it off the car. That way you will never have another water pump problem!

How or where you pack it after that is up to you.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Ted Dumas on Saturday, November 01, 2014 - 05:57 pm:

Use some modern wheel bearing or chassis grease to coat the packing material before you install it. Modern grease is waterproof, old style fibre grease will turn to soap in the presence of water. The grease will fill in between the packing fibers And keep it from leaking .


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Jerry Davis on Saturday, November 01, 2014 - 10:02 pm:

I use a graphite Teflon coated faucet packing that can be found at most ACE hardware stores. The main thing in packing a water pump is not to over tighten the packing nut. First, remove all of the older packing. I use a pick with a crook on the end. After the old packing is out, coil the facet packing around the shaft until you feel that the gland nut will just barely engage the threads.
Engage the packing nut to a point where you can just feel some compacting of the stuffing is just starting to take place. Now start up the engine. You'll most probably see some water seepage around the gland nut. This is to be expected. While the engine is running slowly tighten up some on the packing nut. Slowly. When you reach a point where the leaking has stopped, take about another half turn on the nut and then leave it be. The next time you have the engine running and you see some seepage, take another half turn on the packing nut....but don't over heighten. Doing so ruins the packing and all is for naught. I don't need to fiddle with the packing I use but once a year or so and...no leaks... I've used pumps for years and will only speak for myself....down here in HOT Texas, I use em....J.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Matthew Atchinson on Saturday, November 01, 2014 - 10:05 pm:

lol, I knew Royce would show up eventually. My grandfather has given me about 9 different Model T belts NOS. If I can't find one that fits with the water pump I may just use it like a straight pipe and circumvent it: just putting a standard sized belt on instead.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Norman T. Kling on Sunday, November 02, 2014 - 05:50 pm:

Matthew,
That might not work. Depending on what type impeller you have, if you don't have a belt on it, it might block the flow of coolant.
Norm


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Chuck Hoffman - Gold Country of Calif. on Monday, November 03, 2014 - 10:56 pm:

""How or where you pack it after that is up to you."

Hmmm......Do I detect alittle inference?


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