MTFCA Forum

How many of you use a water pump? I have one that creates a belt problem (throws it off). I want to remove it altogether.
Bob Giles

I bought one in 1967. I couldn't see that it helped any. I have 5 T's running now without them. There are many here that wouldn't run a T without them. I just haven't been convinced.
This question has started several intense arguments over the years. Perhaps that is what we need to get through these troubled times.
Please be kind to each other.
Rich

Bob,

Conventional wisdom is that if your cooling system is in good shape a water pump is totally unnecessary and can actually interfere with the operation of the thermosiphon system, diminishing the cooling. Typically, the presence of a water pump would indicate that something is wrong with the original system and someone compensated for the problem with a pump instead of actually correcting the problem.

Are the radiator fins tight and not separated from the tubes? Are the tubes and tanks clear for easy flow? Are the block and head water jackets clear and allow free flow?

My advice is to remove it and see how things go. If there's a problem it will show itself soon enough.

A T with a properly functioning radiator does not need a water pump. IMHO
Years back, before good aftermarket radiator production, I think they would help a semi-plugged radiator flow enough to get by, especially in parades.

Bob,
As far as your problem go's it may not be the water pump, T's with out a pump will spit the belt off if either or both the crank and fan pully's are worn. The vendors sell a bolt on guide to help this from happening.

Thanks for the good information.
My water pump is not in proper alignment with the other two pulleys, causing the belt to run off. It doesn’t come off completely, just rides up on the flange.

Remove it and throw it away.

Remove it and throw it away.

WARNING!!! If you remove the water pump, which I recommend you do, don't forget to also remove the thermostat!

The original "thermo-barf" system didn't use a thermostat. When a water pump was installed, some folks also installed a thermostat. Without it, the engine would take quite long to warm up, and run badly until it did.

The normal place to find a thermostat is in the upper connector - the cast-iron piece that bolts to the head, and the upper radiator hose clamps on to. A normal thermostat, that will fit almost any car that uses them, will fit right nicely between the connector and the head. That means removing the hose and the bolts, and that means a new gasket where it bolts to the head.

You can usually check to see if there's one there, by removing the hose, and looking or feeling into the connector. If the passage between it and the head is an open hole, no thermostat. If there's any kind of impediment there, it's probably a thermostat.

As long as you're removing the thermostat, which means pretty much emptying the coolant, why not take the time to clean the system? Calcium from the water, and rust from the engine, build up and impede the water flow. It will make a lot of difference, and what the heck -- you can't go anywhere else for the next week or so, anyway!

You'll be replacing the lower hose. Go ahead and buy both lower and upper hoses, and clamps if you need them, and two gaskets, as well as a lower connector, which takes the place of the pump. All the vendors have them.

Most folks start with everything in place, and fill the system with some cleaning solution. Let it sit a while, then remove the lower hose from the radiator and watch the gunk spew out! (Don't do this on your nice clean concrete driveway!!) Then rinse and repeat. And rinse and repeat, and rinse thoroughly before final fill with 50/50 mix of antifreeze and (preferably distilled) water.

The best cleaning solution will get as many opinions as the best oil to use! Some are quite acidic and can be dangerous, and some go the other way. Ask your fellow at the auto parts store, and if he's over 50, heed his advice. Most folks on the Forum have had good luck with CLR, which is easily available at hardware stores, and relatively cheap.

Happy T'ing --- when we're allowed out again!!

I think a lot depends on your car and where you live. I know guys up here in near tundra that never run water pumps and don't use thermostats. Their cars run fine for them. My car runs cool and warms up too slowly without a thermostat (160 degree). On cooler days (70 degrees) without the thermostat, the red in the motometer would barely register in the sight glass. Required frequent mixture adjustments, and fouled plugs more. With the thermostat; plugs stay cleaner, requires fewer mixture adjustments once its warmed up, and the red in the motometer still hits only the bottom of the circle. On the rare day in the 90's it barely reaches the middle of the circle. So, the thermostat works for me. I do have a water pump too. I think its in a junk pile in the corner of my garage someplace.

here's what I did , I bought a temp guns , the ones you point it at a spot and it gives you a temp reading . Run your engine up to running temp with the water pump on ,take reading at different point , front head back head rad . Then take the water pump off , do the same thing . On my 1912 it run cooler with out the water pump so the water pump never went back on ,it run 40 degrees F cooler with out the water pump.