MG-Cars.info

Welcome to our Site for MG, Triumph and Austin-Healey Car Information.

Parts

MG parts spares and accessories are available for MG T Series (TA, MG TB, MG TC, MG TD, MG TF), Magnette, MGA, Twin cam, MGB, MGBGT, MGC, MGC GT, MG Midget, Sprite and other MG models from British car spares company LBCarCo.

MG MGB Technical - Water Pump - How long should one last?

I installed a new water pump into my 72B on 20 Oct 07 (2100 miles on odometer), near the end of the 2007 driving season.

Yesterday, 24 May 10 and now around 4700 miles on odometer, I discovered a drip coming out below the right side (left side when looking from front to rear of vehicle) of water pump.

I held on to the fan to see if there were any wobble in fan-water pump shaft, and there was a very small movement. There is no noise from water pump.

I'm assuming the seep is the telltale sign that the seal has started to go, the slight wobble a telltale sign that the bearing is just starting to go.

So, 2500 miles & 2 1/2 years and I need another water pump. This is very disappointing.

I've never experienced this before, and wonder if this is par for the quality of parts we get from catalogs. I'd hate to think, parts are starting to fail before I get through the car for the once over.

Has anyone else had a pump go this quickly?

In all my years, I cannot even think of something that may cause a pump to go.

Yes it was 95 degrees yesterday, yes my temp gauge read a needle with off of the H, or touched it for part of the highway drive home (20 miles). Vehicle has not overheated, coolant is replaced each year, as is the theromstat.

I did have a radiator leak a few weeks ago,with spray coming directly out of front of radiator just off center. Stop leak powder has stopped the radiator leak.

Your thoughts.


R.W Anderson

I've changed three, on three different cars, but done high mileages on others without a problem. The first started making a noise first, it was wobbling really badly, but only weeping slightly. Changed the one on the roadster probably 20 years ago now (can't remember why) and apart from being an alloy one which had to be bodged to fit (although the gasket was correct) it soon started losing a few drips during warm-up. I bought a steel one, with new gasket, but decided to hang on until it got worse. Nearly 20 years and 40k on, I'm still hanging on, the new pump still in the boot in its wrapping and box. I changed the V8 pump during a top-end rebuild in an attempt to find why coolant was being pushed out of the overflow (air, not combustion gases), but I found nothing wrong. Although the old pump wasn't leaking, wobbling or noisy I changed it as a matter of course as I happened to have a new one to hand, and the problems went away. I can only think that the old pump was sucking in air.

So as far as your pump goes I'd be inclined to keep an eye on it, and only replace it if it shows signs of getting worse.
Paul Hunt 2010

My thoughts - the clue is in the 2500 miles in 2.5 years!

With such little usage I guess that the seal is failing through lack of use - either corrosion on the sealing surface or binding of the seal.

Once the seal goes then water will enter the bearings and the wobble starts which makes the leak worse.

I see this sort of degradation on little used cars, while "out in all weathers, 365 days a year" used cars soldier on without problem.
Chris at Octarine Services

The catalog outfit I bought pump from used the generic response that pump failure may be due to belt tightness. They get their parts from Moss, and Moss offers a 2 year warranty - catalog I bought from didn't imply there was a warranty. So I missed warranty by a few months.

I typically keep the 1/4" to 1/2" flex in center of belt, and don't bother to tighten unless it gets well beyond the 1/2" flex. Vehicle has a new belt, and following initial 500 mile use and double check for break in stretch, I've not needed to adjust belt.

But I'm going to double check belt tightness tomorrow, as I didn't drive B today.

So if company A gets their parts from company B, and so on and so on, how does one determine where to buy a pump that is potentially better than another. It appears they all come from one place. ?????

It is a slow drip for now, and I have to use many years of experience to determine there is a small wobble developing. Most would grab fan and say its tight, I can detect a wobble starting. Of course I dont' have a new one to compare to at the moment.

So now I have a radiator and water pump that may be on borrowed time. Sounds like I'm not going far from home.
R.W Anderson

I have to agree with Chris. Cars that see little use tend to get a buildup of rust and sediment on the seals which leads to a slight leak that ruins the bearing. The cast iron pumps, on the market today, seem to tolerate a bit more neglect and last a lot longer. RAY
rjm RAY

Given, that I know how to properly adjust a fan belt, I rather doubt belt tightness contributed to problem, that and I flush and back flush system every year (I used to work in a radiator shop too), I rather doubt it is crude inside getting to seals.

So I'll have to open myself up to the likihood of either too little driving, or.... I need to find a way to increase my annual parts/repairs budget to enable me to drive the car more. I know too little use ruins more things than prolongs them.

I'm surprised too looking back at my annual (seasonal) driving totals. Even with speedo up and down for repairs over the years, I cannot add more than another 1000 miles to car over 2-3 years.

Club members give me grief for not going on the long trips to other states - rallys, etc., but I'm still in the "too apprehensive state of mind" to comfortably travel more than 50-75 miles away.

It's only been a week since hood stop popping open on me.

Next the exhaust is going to fall off.

Oh, well !
R.W Anderson

That is true..IF YOU DON'T USE IT YOU LOSE IT.. Drive it more often and the little niggling problems will dissapear or fail to appear. It needs the exercise.
Sandy

Here is my MOTTO.
USE-ENJOY -BUT PRESERVE.
Do not change the sequence.It won't work.
SANDY SANDERS

I put about 8000 miles on my B in 14 years and it still had the same pump fitted that was on it when I bought it, so who knows how old it is/was.
Dave O'Neill 2

Shame on you...I once had the pleasure of driving an E type Jaguar from Almelund down to Taylor's Falls and also to Stillwater to visit a well known Potter ...what a fantastic road for an MGB .carry a bottle of water...don't worry about the drip...take a trip to Rod's Store in Almelund...the B will love the exercise...and I will be very envious. Renton
R F Murray

"USE-ENJOY -BUT PRESERVE.
Do not change the sequence.It won't work."

I like that!

My motto:

"Drive 'em and enjoy 'em, it's what they were built for."
Mike

RF Murray,

My appoligies for not enjoying the roads less traveled at my door step, or at my garage door. Yes, the roads in this region along the St. Croix river valley are amazing and little used, unless its a Sunday.

I was hoping no one would realize what the roads are like here, so I wouldn't be chastised for not being out there, constantly. And having mapped much of the region for a former job, I know ALL the roads, the geology, and the little places of untouched beauty.

I watched a John Twist video on a very bad water pump, and how he was able to wobble/twist the fan. Mine is not that bad, and makes no noise. So I'm going to limp along for awhile, as I do other repairs, until drips get too numerous.

I best order a pump now though.

Some have mentioned cast iron as holding up better, what are the options out there, and who makes and sells which? The on-line sketches all look the same.

Now where is that big water jug!

R.W Anderson

Send it out to World Wide Auto Parts,they re furbished my cast iron one
rich osterhout

The way water pump seals work is unlike an oil seal found on a wheel or crankshaft. It works by a carbon face rubbing on either an iron face, or a ceramic seat. The two surfaces must be clean and rust free. A car sitting for a while will often develop either pitting or rust particles at the mating surfaces, and water will drip out of the hole intended for that purpose. Once there's a little motion for a time (1/2 hour of driving, say) the surfaces generally clean themselves up, and the pump is sealed again. It happens more often with the original pumps and their carbon-iron interfaces. Newer seals use carbon-ceramic. Lesson.... drive more.

Peter C
Peter Caldwell

This thread was discussed between 25/05/2010 and 26/05/2010

MG MGB Technical index

This thread is from the archives. Join the live MG MGB Technical BBS now