F15a water pump seal

[Dave Schindel]

Need a little help again guys... 1943 Flathead water pump seal is leaking. I installed new seals on original water pumps (the ones with bearings)and filled engine with water. One pump started leaking right away so I removed it and disassembled the pump. The seals I had installed were from Mac's and were cheaply made and poor design. I want to get the good ones with the porcelain seal. Does anybody know of a supplier fo these preferably in Canada? US would be my 2nd choice unless there is a big price difference.

[Tony Smith]

Can't help with a supplier of a ceramic seal, but just a point when rebuilding the pump (for the 2nd time) to avoid leaks. It's often overlooked as being "Good enough", but it is very good practice to give the seal surface on the cast pump body a light skim (on a milling machine, or with a stone in a drill press, etc) to ensure the best chance of the new seal seating properly.

The amount of material you remove is not critical to the function of the seal, as it is pressed onto the surface by a spring. Even removing deep gouges of up to 1mm wont be a problem, just make sure it's flat.

[David Herbert]

I agree with Tony but I think that the critical thing is that the seat surface is smooth so it doesn't chew the seal up. I made up a mandrel that was a gentle push fit in the bearing hole and without removing the mandrel from the lathe put each pump body onto it and with a boring bar skimmed the seal surface. I then polished the machined seat with fine abrasive paper on a piece of wood, took it off the mandrel and washed it in petrol to remove any swarf or abrasive. With NOS seals this was very successful.

David

[Mike Gurr]

Hi Dave,
There was a thread on the Carrier forum about this issue, search 'Ford V8 water pump rebuild kits'. I got my kits which include the ceramic seals from Gotham Auto Parts in New York. Since fitting they have been fine, just do skim the inside of the pump body where the seal sits.

[Dave Schindel]

After doing more searching it looks like all the suppliers I found are selling the same seal. Having the pump off for the 3rd time I am coming to the same conclusion as the above posters( thanks guys! ) that the pump body needs refinishing where the seal mates to the casting. I have a milling machine so this should not be a problem. If the casting is the problem, then the seal kit I am using is likely fine. Thanks for all the advise.

[Dave Schindel]

Mike, I looked up the post you made in the carrier forum, good one .

[Dave Schindel]

In the end I re-surfaced the casting where the seal contacts the pump and no more leaks from that area. The new pump gaskets were made of very poor quality paper and had to be replaced. all is well now. Thanks for all the help.