Water Pump Greese

johnr9q@yahoo.com

johnr9q@yahoo.com

Senior Member
I am rebuilding my water pump because it leaks. From "Mikes" I bought the Mike's Money Saver - Stainless/Leakless Pump Kit - Zinc - Model A Ford (Part Number M859155Z). I see where it is suggested that a special water pump greese is required on the motor end. Do I still need that greese with the new rebuild kit I am using?
 
Depends on which "Stainless/Leakless Pump Kit" you have. Seems there are differennt ones. On some, the rear grease fitting is just for show and you can not pump grease in them. Same with the front if you have sealed bearings.
 
My leakless still has a front bearing like OEM and a rear bushing with a rubber seal. I grease it with low melt point Lubriplate 130A or AA if you prefer a less viscous grease for easy application. It's resistant to water washout and has a calcium based soap. Other greases are available as water pump grease but I don't know their melting point. Lubriplate melts at 170 degrees F. Lubriplate 130-A was a replacement for RG-62A which was used as rifle grease for the M1 rifle in the WW2 era.

Ford specified a low melting point to prevent the grease from clogging the radiator tubes when it gets past the bushing. In the modern era, some leakless types have modern sealed bearings on one or both ends. Some still have a packing as a back up to seal leakage. A sealed pump normally won't allow grease past the water seal so it may not even take a half of a pump to stop grease flow. Any more pressure may blow the seal out,

If looking for pressure gun grease that can be used in early Fords, I found the information on page 58 of the 1932 Ford Service Bulletins. It specifies pressure gun grease with a lower melting point that of the normal cooling system temperature. Generally that is around 180 degrees when fully warmed up. With no thermostat, I really don't know the average temperature of the model A or B engines.
 
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This slide may help you decide on a water pump grease for the rear pump bearing.
 

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The statement in that slide about calcium soap greases is not really a good reason to not use a grease that is made for the situation of grease in a radiator. While the shelf life is listed at 2-years, I've never noticed a lack of lubricity at the same 5-year shelf life as a lithium based grease. Folks will only gave a problem if they purchase a lot more grease than they will ever need at any given time. I've had synthetic grease go rancid before a traditional calcium soaped grease. No grease really has an unlimited shelf life.
 
If the "leakless" pump is used with both bearings sealed and a good carbon face coolant seal like a modern pump, there will not be a reason to grease the pump at all. If it has a sealed rear bearing with a rubber water seal then it will only have a problem when the rubber coolant seal gives out. Hot coolant will get into a sealed bearing pretty quick so it would fail after that. A pump with just the addition of the rubber water seal but still has the roller bearing and rear bushing then it needs full grease service. It always depends on what type of "leakless" pump a person decides to run.
 
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FWIW, water pump grease is not a grease. It is a wax that melts at low temperature and then provides lubrication. That said, I use only a soluble oil for lubrication but I make sure it will not affect the hoses.
 
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