WATER LEAK @ WATER PUMP

[David SelfridgeParticipant]

Hi, Expert/Water Pump,

Traction Legere

I have developed a leak, I can’t find if it’s coming from the gasket, or is it possible to leak where the shaft comes through the housing, rather than the gasket between housing and engine. It never leaks when engine is running and may not leak for some time after stopping engine. It’s difficult to see if the leak is from gasket or shaft, as I never actually see the leak just a puddle on top of clutch housing when the car is standing for a period of time and then other periods of non use no leaks are apparent. If anyone can advise me if the shaft can leak (possible seal on shaft) then I’ll know for certain that its a gasket problem.

Davy

 

 

 

 

[ChrisParticipant]

Hi Davy,

The shaft seal can leak. So it could be either the gasket or the shaft seal. My bet would be the shaft seal as it is the thing that is subject to wear. Also if the gasket was leaking (assuming you use antifreeze) you would see the mark where it was leaking – but you won’t if it is the shaft seal. If your pump has a greaser at the pump end of the shaft, try pumping grease into it and see it that makes a difference.

Water pump leak dripping onto the clutch causes the clutch release bearing to rust and become noisy. Having said that, mine went noisy anyway.

Chris

 

[David FaulknerParticipant]

Just to add to what Chris posted, at the impeller end of the shaft the face of the housing gets pitted over time and fitting a new seal alone may not stop the leak.

Rebuilt pumps from the club will/should (so phone Chris to double check) have had the pitted face machined and a spacer fitted as well as a new seal.

Not the cheapest option but unless you have the facilities to machine the water pump it may be better to get an exchange pump from TOC Spares rather than trying to fix a leak with a new seal that may not work.

[David SelfridgeParticipant]

Chris & David

Thanks For the helpful posts regarding my Legere’s leaking water pump, further investigation has proved that the diagnosis by Chris was spot on, and the recent noisy release  bearing. The water leak is coming from the shaft seal, the shaft only has a brass Grease cup with a screw lid rather than a Grease nipple, so unable to pump Grease into shaft seal. The leak may be cured if  I could pump the seal with Grease,  as the leak is quite small.

Davy

[David SelfridgeParticipant]

Chris & David

After My last post I went out to the garage and unscrewed the brass cup and screwed in a Grease nipple (they looked different thread) pumped a lot of Grease into seal, out came water and very old Grease then clean Grease (15 pumps) leak has now completely stopped.

The little brass oil cup to oil the release bearing has now been filled with motor oil and has considerable cut the noise from same.

Question

This little cup seems to keep takeing oil, can it be given to much oil? Or do you keep filling till oil seepage stops, frightened that oil may get onto Clutch.

Davy

[David FaulknerParticipant]

This little cup seems to keep takeing oil, can it be given to much oil? Or do you keep filling till oil seepage stops, frightened that oil may get onto Clutch.

Re reading the post from Chris there may be a difference between older and newer water pumps (mine is the later type. The front bearing has a grease nipple but at the impeller end mine has an oil cup, sames as the clutch release bearing but with a slight difference in that whilst the release bearing cup is threaded, the water pump one is a push fit

I’m sure I read that the water pump brass bearing is slightly ‘porous’ so the oil does goes through onto the shaft but the bearing retains some oil to keep the shaft  lubricated.

Service chart indicates the cups should be filled every 250 miles? so don’t overfill/keep filling or yes it could get to the clutch via the release bearing one.

[David SelfridgeParticipant]

David

I filled the the little cup on top of the gearbox to the release bearing a couple of times, and it seems less noisy.

Thanks again for your help

Davy

[Author]

Posts