At 08:49 AM 8/16/04 +0000, Phil Bates (jello@ida.net) wrote:
>.... My lower alternator bolt (that does the adjustment) had come out,
>and, my water pump housing broke at the alternator mount point. ....
Common problem. The aluminum water pumps are quite thin and weak in the
area of the generator/alternator mounting ear, and they do break with the
slightest "excuse". There are LOTS of similar reports. I don't mind that
replacement pumps are aluminum, only that they are badly engineered to be
weak and therefore not suitable for the application.
I bought one as a spare in 1989, not used until 1997. When it did go into
service in 1997 it lasted only a few weeks (maybe 5000 miles for me) until
it broke when the generator adjustment bracket worked loose. I replaced it
with another aluminum pump, and that one also broke just about 2 months
later (another 15,000 miles in this case). That time the generator
adjuster bracket was still tight, as far as I could tell, but perhaps it
had slipped just a smidge with lots of vibration.
My expedient solution was to install the original iron water pump from my
previous engine, apparently the original water pump installed by the MG
factory in late 1957, having served through 150,000 miles, then installed
on the rebuilt engine to run another 100,00 miles, now installed on the
next rebuilt engine. I believe this original iron water pump has now
accumulated about 310,000 miles (without a rebuild).
For a couple other engines, and for an additional spare, I have been
picking up used iron water pumps and repainting them. So far I have never
have never personally known an original iron water pump fail (although I
certainly know some have had failed seals or bearings).
>.... if I could get a cast iron water pump (like my MGA has) I'd take it
>over the pot metal one any day.
I second the motion. Please petition the powers that be to either
strengthen the aluminum die castings or go back to using iron castings for
the water pumps
Barney Gaylord
1958 MGA with an attitude
http://MGUguru.com
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