VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND EARLIER 1929-1932 '32 Water Pump

Just got my rebuilt water pump back from the Filling Station. New bushings, painted black, truly a thing of beauty. The instructions sternly warn to be sure to oil the front bushing every time you drive more than a few miles. Owner's manual and service manual say nothing about this. They only mention the grease cup. In fact, the oil hole for the front bushing was full of dirt and there was no (apparent) oil hole in the bushing to allow oil down to the shaft. This was just as true for the core, so I can't fault the rebuilt. Lubing the rear bushing via the grease cup is obvious, but what's the story with the front?

The front bushing should be an Oilite or permanently lubricated. They are made from bronze particles forced together and normally lubricated with 30W oil. They only require occasional drop or two of oil to replenish that lost. If a regular bronze bushing is used no amount of oiling will preserve performance. Ask me how I know.

The water pump should be painted dark blue-gray, not black. The Filling Station sells the correct engine paint so they need to enlighten their rebuilder on the correct color to paint the water pump.

I need to rebuild my pump also, is the bushing that they use the correct one? I don't want to have any problems with it.
Thanks Todd

I think that the Filling Station is now getting their kits from a supplier that uses oilite bushings. Make sure to ask to be sure.

All I can say about oiling the front bushing is that if you drive the car a few hundred miles a day for several days and you don't oil the front bushing it will start to emit a squeek, this audio warning means "I need some oil!" you can ask me how I know this if you need to. The one in my 28 is evidently not a permemantly lubed bushing, like in the more modern 32, but it isn't too hard to change, either.
......Been there done that....
Carry a good squirt can full of 30 wt. and if you have grease cups , a couple of turns a week will usually be enough. I refill mine every oil change

what grease do you use in the grease cup ?

Special water pump grease. It is available from the Filling Station.

The special water pump grease for the packing type water pump is Lubriplate #115. This is available from a number of sources. I checked and the Filling Station does have is for less than the Lubriplate website. Here is link to the lubriplate website http://www.lubriplate.com/webstore/detail.aspx?ID=11 if anyone is interested.

I also checked in the 1930 and 1934 Chevrolet owners manuals that are online at the Old Online Chevy Manuals website http://chevy.oldcarmanualproject.com/ and noticed that in the 1930 Chevy owners manuals concerning the water pump http://chevy.oldcarmanualproject.com/chevyowner/30om44.htm it does not say anything about adding engine oil to the front water pump bushing but does mention it in the 1934 Chevy owners manual http://chevy.oldcarmanualproject.com/chevyowner/34om39.htm & http://chevy.oldcarmanualproject.com/chevyowner/34om40.htm about adding a few drops every 1000 miles.

I'm still in the middle of this project. Got the new pump back in and this time I did lose some skin to the radiator. Haven't filled the radiator or run the engine yet. As far as the right grease goes, the owner's manual lube chart says to use cup grease, same stuff they say to use on the front wheel bearings. Water pump grease did exist in the thirties, I used to have an old can of it, lost it, darn. In my car the previous owner was using what I think must be Lubriplate #115. It was thick and white. It was so thick that when I turned the cup down, the grease squeezed out the threads rather than going into the pump. I will give the grease cup a thorough clean out and see whether things improve. Went to the Lubriplate website and notice that #115 is for applications up to 150 deg. Water pumps would run hotter than that. Does it matter?

The Lubriplate #115 is kinda sorta a tan color, not white.

lubriplate waterpump grease 115 is what you need to use, it is water soluable and won't gum up your radiaror and water jacket like chassis lube.

Just bebuilt my 31 pump.Bought the pump kit from filling station.Found out the metal spacer in the pump has two holes for the grease to pass through.Steve at the filling station said some of these pumps did not have a spacer.Seems without one it would be hard to get the grease into packing washers.Also I had to use two gaskets the new impeler would hit the baffle plate with just one.

I have never seen an original water pump without the metal spacer. As you suggested, it must be used and the metal spacer is also listed in the Chevrolet parts book as well.

On the impeller problem, I have heard from several other dudes that they also had to use two gaskets to keep the impeller from hitting the baffle plate.

To get to the bottom of my troubles getting grease from the grease cup into my water pump, I took the grease cup out and gave it a thorough cleaning. I found a small brass, spring loaded check valve way down in the throat which reduced the diameter of the opening by at least half. This plus the thicker Lubriplate made it basically impossible to force grease by the check-squirted out the cup threads instead. By going very slowly-1/8 turn at a time-grease would pass. Is this a common problem or is there something else going on?

The cup should have a rubber bonded seal at the end of the thread. Does your cup have one? Not sure if the check is supposed to be there, but please see your PM for other suggestions.