Water Pump: packed or leakless
- Thread starter 1930Ford
- Start date
rotorwrench
Well-known member
The leakless pumps have been around for a long time in various different configurations. Many of the older ones have the standard type front bearing set up but added a lip seal in the rear bushing to hold back most of the coolant. When the seal lip goes then the packing is the only thing that hold the coolant back much like the original design. The packings are different than original but will still seal up a good bit when the packing nut it tightened.
You may have an original that has only the packing or you may have one that had a seal. Many of the more modern ones are equipped with a modern sealed ball bearing on the front end instead of the old roller set up with felt washers as dust seals. These type have a different design shaft to fit the sealed bearing and a modification to the cast iron housing as well.
You may have an original that has only the packing or you may have one that had a seal. Many of the more modern ones are equipped with a modern sealed ball bearing on the front end instead of the old roller set up with felt washers as dust seals. These type have a different design shaft to fit the sealed bearing and a modification to the cast iron housing as well.
Will N
Well-known member
A leakless water pump is only leakless until it develops a leak. The seal in it does not last forever. When the leakless pump leaks there's no fixing it on the side of the road. You have to rebuild the pump. If an original style pumps starts to leak, you can add a ring of packing on the side of the road and more often than not, you're back in business.
katy
Well-known member
Modern cars w/leakless pumps go a long, long way before needing replacement. Why shouldn't a leakless pump on a Model A last a long time?
Last edited:
rotorwrench
Well-known member
The "leakless" description does not always pass the smell test. The little seal used on the rear bushing will last quite a while but not forever. When it gives up the goat a person has to tighten the packing nut until the bushing can be replaced. If the shaft has a groove from the seal then it has to go too.
The modern sealed bearing types save the need for bearing service but they wear out too eventually. Most of the grease I've seen that is touted as waterpump grease has too high a melt point and can clog the radiator tubes if a person gets overzealous about greasing the rear bushing.
A pump that is converted to a strong double row bearing and uses a carbon or ceramic face seal like a normal modern water pump, would be as close to "leakless" as a person can get. The little V8-60 water pumps lasted pretty well.
The modern sealed bearing types save the need for bearing service but they wear out too eventually. Most of the grease I've seen that is touted as waterpump grease has too high a melt point and can clog the radiator tubes if a person gets overzealous about greasing the rear bushing.
A pump that is converted to a strong double row bearing and uses a carbon or ceramic face seal like a normal modern water pump, would be as close to "leakless" as a person can get. The little V8-60 water pumps lasted pretty well.
Synchro909
Well-known member
You are comparing apples with oranges here. Water pumps on modern cars are a completely different design from what Henry used 90+ years ago. A modern pump uses a ceramic seal. An original Model A pump converted to "leakless" uses a small neoprene seal which seals on the rotating shaft. The ceramic seal does not seal on the shaft but against a special ceramic seat.
I have had cast some new water pump housings that are indistinguishable from the original from outside but the shaft runs on sealed ball bearings and there is a ceramic seal. So far about 40,000 miles and we just did a 1,000+ miles rally and I didn't touch the water.
The Master Cylinder
Well-known member
I agree. That is why I run an original type of water pump. Easier to carry packing than a spare water pump.
modela@aol.com
Well-known member
Over the years of my experiences driving Model As, I have tried several leafless water pumps and they have all developed leaks in a few years. One had a lip seal setup in the packing nut that totally pushed out causing a major leak that was almost a call for a flat bed. I greased up a sponge and put it into the water pump housing and then wrapped the whole thing with duct tape. It got me home..
For years now I have been using the original Henry water pumps with the graphite wafers sold by the vendors. Every Spring though I back off the packing nut and put in some axle grease. I tighten it back up just enough to stop any leaking. Over the touring season I retighten if I see any leakage. Works just fine for me……
For years now I have been using the original Henry water pumps with the graphite wafers sold by the vendors. Every Spring though I back off the packing nut and put in some axle grease. I tighten it back up just enough to stop any leaking. Over the touring season I retighten if I see any leakage. Works just fine for me……
7_Zero
Senior Member
After purchasing our car, we fought with the original style pump for quite a while and could not get it to stop leaking. Changed to a leakless pump and have not regretted it...well, not yet at least. I suppose inexperience and a worn out pump were probably the biggest culprit for our lack of success, but the leakless has served us well and it has been nice to not have to keep repacking it every couple of months. When selecting a pump we opted for Snyder’s A-8502 as you can supposedly pack it like the original in the event the seal fails.
If the pump in question is for the car in your avatar, it is my understanding that you are running a B engine. If that is the case, I do not think you have a leakless option, so packing might be the only way to go.
Congrats on your new car, and welcome to the world of Model A's!
If the pump in question is for the car in your avatar, it is my understanding that you are running a B engine. If that is the case, I do not think you have a leakless option, so packing might be the only way to go.
Congrats on your new car, and welcome to the world of Model A's!
The Master Cylinder
Well-known member
If you had to repack it every couple of months I would say you have a very rough shaft or you are doing something wrong. I repack mine every couple of years, not months.
If you have a B engine with the three bolt water pump, Renner's Corner has a "leakless" rebuild kit. https://rennerscorner.com/cooling-system.html
Last edited: