Water Pump Problem??

[Klepper]

I am looking for some help! On my last drive of the year last fall, I heard a strange noise coming from under the hood. It sounded like the water pump was starting to fail (this has happened to me once before, so I recognized the sound). When I opened the hood, there was a fine mist of oil "spraying" off the fan belt. In fact, there was a nice, neat little oil spray mark (about an inch wide) under the hood, on the inner fenders, etc. directly in line with the fan belt. I of course intended to investigate further over the winter, but November turned into December...then Christmas....then the new baby came along in Feb....well I am going to start checking it out on Saturday.

I am still thinking it is the water pump (based on the noise), but the oil spary has me a bit confused. Anyone have any thoughts or suggestions? Any way to confirm it is the water pump?

Thanks!

 

[Michael Oritt]

<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><hr>
I am still thinking it is the water pump (based on the noise), but the oil spary has me a bit confused. Anyone have any thoughts or suggestions? Any way to confirm it is the water pump?

Thanks![/QB]<hr></blockquote>

Water pumps can make a "clunking" hollow noise when worn and if the seal is leaking you'll see a drip of water (not oil) out of the "Window" which will usually run down the front right side of the block. The pattern of the oil leak that you describe sounds like the timing chain cover.

 

[Scot]

Michael,

I just found this narrow oil pattern under the hood of my BJ8 after my last drive.
What is the fix to this? Can I just tighten the timing chain cover(mine is chrome)down somehow or reseal with some compound?

 

[Michael Oritt]

<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by Scot:
Michael,

I just found this narrow oil pattern under the hood of my BJ8 after my last drive.
What is the fix to this? Can I just tighten the timing chain cover(mine is chrome)down somehow or reseal with some compound?<hr></blockquote>

First verify that it is coming from there--you'll probably have to get under the car and clean all existing oil from around the cover and then see where the leak is coming from. Assuming it is leaking from around the timing gear cover gasket the bigger question might be whether the oil is just the normal stuff that lubes the chain or whether it is coming from around the front main seal, though I don't know much about 6-cylinder engines. I was lucky in that it was just the gasket leaking and was able to get rid of almost the entire spray but FWIW it is also easy to simply wipe the stripe off of your hood whenever you check your oil.... Good luck!

 

[tahoe healey]

Most likely if it's a big Healey it's just the front shaft seal. It wears away the shaft and allows oil to seep by. Very common and difficult to fix. It's part of Healeys. I found that keeping the oil level down 1/2 from the fill mark helps. It seems to occur more when I do alot of engine on/off driving (frequent stopping). The oil seeps more when the shaft is not rotating as apposed to being thrown back. Do you get drips on the floor? This is my theory. There is a company who makes a shim device that fits the shaft but you have to remove a lot of stuff to mount it. I'm not ready until I have other things to do in that area. The company is SC something or other. I can give you their web when I get home this evening if you have any interest in tackeling the job over a few drips. But DO get under the engine and see if you have oil on the pan. If so, it will probably be at the bottom of the timming cover on back.

 

[Jim D]

Could it be from the clear oil that’s inside the ignition coil? It sits on top of the generator, and if it cracks, would leak on to the generator pulley. It’s usually clear color oil though, and I’m not sure it would cause any mechanical part to start making noise. I have seen this happen twice, and it does give off a fine oil spray.

 

[tahoe healey]

Did you check the radiator for fluid (and if so was there oil in the coolant). Check the bottom hose and clamp for leaks. Do the easy stuff first. My oil splash is deffinitly the seal. The fan just sucks the oil up and throws it in a nice stripe. Good luck.

 

[Klepper]

My problem is much more than a few drips! When I first heard the noise, I pulled over and opened the hood and looked in by the water pump. When I looked away a few seconds later, I had to get a cloth to wipe off my sunglasses! They were covered with a "mist" of oil. When I got home, I parked on the driveway and within a few seconds I had a nice big stripe of oil on the driveway under the fan belt.

Like I said - at first, everything was fine, then the noise started, quite loud as I could hear it over the engine noise, then the oil spray when I looked. What could be making that "water pump starting to fail" noise?

 

[Klepper]

An update on the noise/oil spray from the front end of my BN6:

I started it up this morning and the same noise as last fall was there but no oil spray (go figure??). I shut her off, removed the fan belt, and started it up again. Noise was gone. I shut it off again, and give the water pump a little wiggle - sure enough, it felt wobbly. I removed the fluid and rad (no oil floating on top of the fluid in the rad or when I drained the rad) and removed the water pump.

I took another real good look at the "stripe" of oil on the hood and inner fenders, and it is very dry now. I am wondering if the water pump was leaking when the car was not running, sitting on top of the front frame cross member and mixing with the oil sitting there, and then getting sucked up by the fan when the car started? I will see when I get it all back together.

Anyone rebuild their own water pump, or do you take it in somewhere to let the pros do it?

 

[tahoe healey]

I have always felt it is wise to run the engine occasionally even when not driving (ie. winter)to keep the seals from drying out.

 

[Dave Russell]

If the "stripe" is dry now, it wasn't oil in the first place. Probably just dirty coolant from a leaky water pump. You "could" rebuild the pump, but I think I would let the pros do it.
D

[ 04-24-2004: Message edited by: Dave Russell ]</p>

 

[Keoke]

Why fiddle around rebuilding a water pump when new ones are under 100 bucks.-FWIW Keoke

 

[Dave Russell]

If there's one thing I have learned from this forum - To some, $100 is pocket change, to others it the difference between buying a car part or groceries for a week. You can never tell which category someone falls into. It's hard to make spending recommendations unless you know where the various folks are coming from.
D

 

[Keoke]

OH MY GOSH Yes! You are right. However please tell me what Qualified mechanic is going to spend his time fixing a worn out water pump for less than the price of a new one ???-Keoke

 

[Dave Russell]

Probably no professional mechanic would. But it is surprising what a dedicated, financially motivated "do it yourselfer" can accomplish. Especially with a little help from the right friends. I have learned this from a life long friend who is extremely "tight" but always successful in "making it work". I have seen him spend a week making a $20 part. Personally, I am a bit too lazy for this approach.
D

 

[Keoke]

Ah SO!-The Defense Rests-Keoke

 

[Geo Hahn]

<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by Keoke:
...= going to spend his time fixing a worn out water pump for less than the price of a new one ???<hr></blockquote>

I guess AH owners are more fortunate than TR owners in that the replacement pumps available to us are inferior to the original (smaller impellers and no grease nipple). Plus, for me, these cars are something of a statement against our 'throwaway' culture and rebuilding parts that were designed to be rebuilt is part of that attitude.

 

[Klepper]

For me, it has to do with availability as well. I live in Canada, so it is note quite so easy to get a "new" one here overnight. I can get one from Moss for $97.50 plus $25 shipping (those things are heavy), plus approx. $20 brokerage (to get it across the border) for a total of $143! And I get the honour of having to wait 3 weeks for it as well. OR I can drop by my local bearing shop for the two bearings and the seal and try it myself.

Any other Canadian's out there who have a good source for parts in Canada?

 

[Dave Russell]

It is the $20 to get it across the border part that bothers me. It seems like UPS really gets a lot in brokerage fees. I know they charged me a bunch to get some parts from the UK into the USA & the parts were "stuck" in US customs for a week extra. The UK vendor didn't tell me to expect this extra charge.

D

 

[Keoke]

Klepper, There is I beleive its caled English Engines in Shaw Ca. the Proprietor name is Mr Prior I think he can supply parts being a dealer.-FWIW---Keoke I was not aware of the US/CA border problem I buy Trim parts from MacGregor in CA all the time no similar Problem??

[ 04-26-2004: Message edited by: Keoke ]</p>