V8 water pump on Model A

R

Rustyscrap

Junior Member
I am considering installing the V8 water pump conversion on my stock Model A. I know it will require running without a fan, which I'm willing to live with. My question is what is the total length of the adapter and V8 pump combination and will it allow enough clearance between the front end of the pump shaft and the radiator to permit removing the water pump with out having to disassemble the entire front of the vehicle as does the stock setup?
 
I don't have the at-hand the measurement you are asking for but you will be able to remove the V8 pump without any problems. I have used those pumps for many years and do recommend you carry a spare pump with you as not everyone will have one if you need it while traveling.
 
There may be a lot more to the story than you are telling us but if there isn't how about replacing the 4 studs and nuts that hold the pump on with 4 bolts (some vendors actually sell fake bolts that look like studs and nuts). Once you remove these and you are running a 2 blade fan you should be able to tilt the radiator forward a little and remove the pump. You shouldn't have to replace the pump very often unless something else is wrong.

Charlie Stephens
 
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Hey Rusty,
What Charlie said, is how I bolt my water pump onto B engine in '30 A. No problem removing pump then. May save you some $ and hassle. I've run same 'leakless' pump for 10 years now and going great still.
 
I was told at or above 30mph you don't need a fan, but why a v-8 pump? Most say a stock model A pump, flows to much water? The leakless A pumps are very dependable.
 
As Charlie surmised, there is more to the story. Actually my failures were fan related rather than water pump. My first was a shed blade on an old 4 blade fan (my bad) when I was running the stock water pump. The water pump did OK, but I didn't like the way it slobbered all over the engine compartment. I replaced the stock pump with a leakless and the fan with an after market 6 blade nylon. The latest failure was not as catastrophic. The castellated nut on the front of the fan apparently mushed into the front of the fan pulley enough to allow enough slop that the pulley and the water pump shaft started on a path of mutual destruction. All this occurred with very few miles driven, so you can see why I frustrated. I've been wrenching long enough to know that it's hard to trick Henry without causing other problems, but I'm trying to come up with a lasting solution. Do you have any overheating problems with the fanless V8 pump setup?
 
Rustyscrap said:
As Charlie surmised, there is more to the story. Actually my failures were fan related rather than water pump. My first was a shed blade on an old 4 blade fan (my bad) when I was running the stock water pump. The water pump did OK, but I didn't like the way it slobbered all over the engine compartment. I replaced the stock pump with a leakless and the fan with an after market 6 blade nylon. The latest failure was not as catastrophic. The castellated nut on the front of the fan apparently mushed into the front of the fan pulley enough to allow enough slop that the pulley and the water pump shaft started on a path of mutual destruction. All this occurred with very few miles driven, so you can see why I frustrated. I've been wrenching long enough to know that it's hard to trick Henry without causing other problems, but I'm trying to come up with a lasting solution. Do you have any overheating problems with the fanless V8 pump setup?
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Two other options. I have heard that the current aluminum 2 blade fans work quite well (earlier ones had quality problems so be careful if buying a used one). Second you might try the hub part only from one of the reproduction fans where the blades bolt onto a hub. Maybe someone has one of these laying around in their garage. I don't like the V8 pump because it just doesn't look like it belongs there.

Charlie Stephens
 
I'm running one of Harry Fryer's trick V-8 water pumps with an aluminum radiator and an electric fan. While I know this doesn't relate directly to your problem, the electric fan thermo-coupler is set at 160 degrees and only comes on when idling in traffic.
 

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When using an aluminum hub be sure to use a thin steel flat washer under the nut.

Years ago I tried removing the fan on my 1949 1 1/2 ton Chevy truck for winter driving. The engine quickly overheated and needed the fan for cooling, even in cold weather.

I use a stock water pump and original steel fan, and have had no problems with either. Due to cracks I would recommend that you buy the aluminum 2 blade fan and when you rebuild the original water pump be sure to use a new shaft and 2 lead packing rings with grease smeared on them.
 
I drove my widebed for many years without a fan. Worked fine as long as I was moving, even as slow as 10 mph. I now run a V8 pump with Cling's serpentine belt set-up and a 12" plastic fan. Ran it in a 4th of July parade a few years back, all went well.
 
My last jalopy used the 32 V8 pump with the SOSS adapter from Charlie Yapp (Snyders sells it too) with no fan and never had any problems, although I did not/do not do parades or city driving in traffic. My current Jalopy build is using one too.

The total length is 9" with out gaskets. Puts the pulley at the same distance as stock. I use RTV.

Just happen to have it sitting on my desk.
 
I had a V 8 pump on my A also it had a Dennis Cling fan. I drove the car the first 50 miles after I bought the car, the pump went out, the bushing failed. a V8 pump cant handle a fan. after that I bought a leakless pump , never had trouble
 
I used to use the V8 pumps with out any problems I never did fit a fan just kept moving or turn the engine off while stopped
That was back before good leakless pumps were easy to get
these days fitting a leakless is the easier and cheaper option
 
I'm going to resurrect this thread for a question. I have a 4 cyl A engine with a single V8 pump on it. I just noticed it squirts a bit of water out the grease nipple. Not the threads, straight out the nipple. It drove me crazy for a bit because I had a small puddle about 6 inches to the side of the motor and everything was dry. Is this common? I gave it a squirt of grease, but I'm guessing that's a short term fix at best. I imagine most nipples aren't designed for the detent ball to seal water, just grease. Other than that, it works great. Ideas?
 
Simonpie said:
I'm going to resurrect this thread for a question. I have a 4 cyl A engine with a single V8 pump on it. I just noticed it squirts a bit of water out the grease nipple. Not the threads, straight out the nipple. It drove me crazy for a bit because I had a small puddle about 6 inches to the side of the motor and everything was dry. Is this common? I gave it a squirt of grease, but I'm guessing that's a short term fix at best. I imagine most nipples aren't designed for the detent ball to seal water, just grease. Other than that, it works great. Ideas?
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The 'detent ball' is spring loaded or supposed to be, whereby nothing should come past it. Just install a new grease zerk.
 
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