Subject: [Healeys] Coolent leak-------new twist

From: Tom Felts <[email-masked]>
Date: Fri, 23 Nov 2012 10:03:05 -0500

the mystery deepens----first---the leak is NOT from the pump---I used a long handle mirror this AM and no leaks from the pump (which definitely has an opening on the top and one on the bottom)------second-----I could not see where the leak was coming from-----third---after running the car for about 10 minutes the leak stopped and has not returned--------------??

My theory is that the gasket had not seated fully and finally did????

Don't know whether to be happy or alarmed:)

We will see.
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From: john spaur <[email-masked]>
Date: Fri, 23 Nov 2012 12:36:53 -0800

Tom,

BJ8 style water pumps are not hard to rebuild. However, finding parts 
can be difficult especially the water seal which is the part you 
need. Depending on the pump bearing shaft type, the bearings may be 
hard to find. If they are the sealed type, the ones you have may be fine.

I rebuilt my BT7 water pump which had a fat bearing shaft; which is 
not the style shown in the Moss catalog. My water pump has a fat 
shaft which requires one to remove the impeller to install a new 
water seal. This is how I did it:

I had the pump disassembled at a machine shop but you may be able to 
do it yourself. I realized how once I talked to the mechanist. Make a 
plate that bolts to all four of the fan blade holes with a welded nut 
in the center and a bolt to press off the pulley. Pull out the wire 
that is used to position the bearing shaft (fat shaft type) if the 
wire is even there. The wire is accessed through the hole where the 
water is leaking out. Use a paper clip, steel wire or stainless steel 
wire to make a new one. You should be able to push the bearing shaft 
out at this point. If not you may need to have it pressed out. I 
could push out the fat shaft.

The difficult part is removing and replacing the impeller on the end 
of the bearing shaft. Press it off and on very carefully with a tool 
that does not pull on the impeller and that seats fully on the 
impeller water seal face. You need to fully support the impeller face 
while the shaft is pushed out and in. The shaft and impeller may 
appear welded together but that is because of all the crud. You may 
want to have a machine shop separate the impeller and shaft. Once 
disassembled you can have the bearing surface on the impeller 
machined ever so slightly to flatten it and take out pits. It is a 
poorly cast part so you will never remove all of the pits. Install a 
new seal on the shaft and press the impeller back into place. 
Reinstall the assembly into the pump body with a little silicon to 
better seal where the seal pushes into the cleaned and painted pump 
body. Install the retaining clip and then press the pulley back onto 
the bearing shaft.

Be sure to note where the pulley is in relation to the crankshaft 
pulley so the fan belt is aligned properly. Note how far the shaft 
protrudes through the pulley before disassembly. It be checked by 
positioning the pump, with gasket, in the engine and using a straight 
edge to note how the two pulleys align. Adjust by removing the pump 
from the engine and setting it on a firm surface (such as a concrete 
floor) with a small socket supporting the bearing shaft. Be certain 
it is not pressing against the impeller. Use a large mallet and a 
block of wood to force the pulley further onto the shaft if you need to.

Cheers,
John Spaur
'62 BT7

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