I've got a small leak of coolant coming out from around the water pump shaft and I've tightened the packing nut as far as I'm willing to go. It feels like the nut has bottomed out. ;-( According to the paperwork I received with this truck, the water pump was rebuilt by a shop in 1970, but the engine was not run until I got it going in 2012.
Is there enough room to loosen the nut enough to shove some more packing under it while the pump is still on the engine, or do I have to pull the pump out and press it apart to inspect and put new packing in there?
My eyes tell me that there is not enough room to back the nut out before it encounters the front of the pump housing.
Your thoughts?
Thanks, Dean
Dean 'Rustoholic' Meltz old and ugly is beautiful!
I have added the graphite rope type packing on several occasions to pumps still mounted on an engine. The split ring type is too thick to add that way.
. A fellow in the Dodge club used modern water pump cores in pre Chrysler Dodge water pumps. Unfortunately he passed a week after I gave him a 4 cyl Chevy water pump to rebuild. (Picture of modern water pump core. Core has two bearings and two seals with shaft out either end.) Since there isn't room in the Chevy water pump for the modern core, has anyone tried to use a neoprene seal to replace the packing? . . .
Noted in your picture that fan mount is nearly off the shaft I have fitted a modern bearing and seal in a 1928 Chev water pump. You have to machine a sleeve for the bearing and seal and weld into the pump. Has been on my car for a year now.
