1940 56S Update and Water Pump Qiestion

[Daves1940Buick56S]

Folks:

Well when I last posted about my car I was trying to get the radiator out before winter set in. The carport/deck was late being completed so that didn't happen, so it sat all winter. Didn't get much of anything done other than starting it a few times.

In December I was offered a buyout at work - I was thinking of retiring this year so it worked out extremely well. So as of 1 March I was done. More time to work on the car!!! But right after that I broke my foot :eek: then got pneumonia :eek::eek: so March and early April were basically a bust for working on the car. I am better now and getting back on things.

So I started back in last week and got the water pump removed and got the radiator out yesterday and took it up to Looper's (I live about a mile away) for rework/rebuild. So I am looking at the water pump (pic attached). The bypass section I will clean up and derust and replace that execrable piece of hose. The pump itself looks pretty rough but seems to turn easily and no observable play in the pump shaft. I assume these are not user-rebuildable. Should I go ahead and spend the money on a rebuild while I have the opportunity? And who is a good vendor that can match the pump to what I have?

Cheers, Dave

[jenz38]

I would disassemble the Metallcover from the Pump for look inside ,very often they are from innerside short befor rusted thru and beginnig to leak thru this needlepin small Rust hole . When the Bearings makes no Noise and have no Play and was absolutly watertight before you remove it , I would reinstall it.

[Guest gossir00]

I removed the water pump on my '40. While on the car and running I noticed the typical grinding sound from the pump. Once off the car the pump would turn fairly freely however their was a slight grinding sound. I determined the bearings were worn.

i purchased a re-manufactured unit from Bob's Automobilia at what I felt was a reasonable price. There is a core charge and I received a credit even though the bearings were shot. The reman unit fit perfectly and is running fine.

Good luck with your water pump.

Rick G.

BCA 45471

[trp3141592]

Hi,

It's a lot of work to remove that pump. You've already invested that work. Wanna do it again next year?

I say, "Replace the pump now."

--Tom

[Daves1940Buick56S]

OK, rebuilt waterpump from Bob's in on the way. I pick up the recored radiator tomorrow.

[Daves1940Buick56S]

Update:

Radiator looks real good, it was rebuilt with a modern core since this is a driver. Reinstalled yesterday morning, went back in real smooth. Got the new waterpump and will likely reinstall on Wed afternoon. I got the thermo housing and bypass cleaned up real good with CLR followed by electrolysis. Will take pix tomorrow and post.

Cheers, Dave

[Daves1940Buick56S]

Further update:

Reinstalled the water pump yesterday. Since I knew about the fan/pulley bolt start issue, I thought it might be possible to install the pump with the fan and pulley in place. Well, it worked fine. I can write a procedure for this if anyone wants - I think it would deinstall this way as well. I still coat my gaskets with Permatex #2 just like I did 40 years ago. (Stains the hands, though) Then I installed the bypass/thermostat housings. The new bypass hose was about 1/4" too long so I had to trim on the fly. I had put the radiator in with the lower hose already attached so just had to attach it to the pump end. Then put the belt back on, install the upper hose and a loop of heater hose and I was ready for fill. Fill went fine and then I primed and went to start.

Note to self: next time don't forget to remove the cardboard protecting the rad core before trying to start. It makes a scary crunching sound as the fan shreds it. :eek:

Then let it run, after about 10 mins it was like Old Faithful! :eek::eek: I shut it down and was afraid I made a big mistake with a gasket or something, but then found out I got caught by the old forget-to-fill-again-after-thermostat-opening trick. Refilled and ran for about an hour at a fast idle. Temp hit about 190 degrees at max (I have a 160 thermo). So I am cautiously optimistic at this point. I will try it out on the street after I repair some wiring. Waiting on a roll of F4 tape that I ordered.

Cheers, Dave

[Daves1940Buick56S]

So I test drove it yesterday. Took it all over the neighborhood (hood still off so I did not want to take into town). No more overheating! I am declaring this one solved. Now onto the remaining wiring issues, will start a new thread.

Thanks to all for your advice, it is most welcomed!

Cheers, Dave

[critterpainter]

Put the hood on and drive it again before you claim a victory Insufficient air flow is one of the reasons Buicks like to run warm.

[Daves1940Buick56S]

I hear you! But it was overheating with the hood off before so at least something has changed for the better. I have some more work to do while the hood is still off. Some more wiring repairs and I want to get the valves adjusted and retorque the head (engine was overhauled last year). BTW, whoever did that (somewhere in northern CA) likes to use some sort of gray goop gasket substitute that makes it very difficult to pry the parts off! I was starting to bend the valve cover when I was trying to get it off last Fall! :eek:

BTW, forgot to mention in my last update that my accel pump is sticking on the downstroke (I overhauled the carb last summer) so it was kind of like not having any accel pump at all. It was pulling back and stretching the small spring. So I put in a piece of 20 ga brass spring wire from my clock repair stock in parallel with the spring and now it works great! No more stumbling.

Cheers, Dave

[FLYER15015]

Dave,

I just noticed that you have a 4 bladed fan on your H2O pump, and they look like they are straight across. Is that standard ?

My '40 LTD (320cid) had that funky looking 4 blader with 3 close together and a double thick blade hanging out by it's self.

I installed a Hayden 6 blade flex fan as part of my program to cool her down, and so far we've had good luck up here at 8500 ft.

Just curious.

Mike in Colorado

[danhar1960]

I think those funny staggered blades may have only been on the bigger series engines or was an optional extra.

My Century came with one but none of the Specials have ever had one. I have though put a bigger OD and 5 bladed fan on the '39. It certainly sucks the air in.

Danny

[FLYER15015]

Danny,

I seem to remember a discussion a while ago about a mid fifties Buick 5 bladed fan for air conditioned (?) cars being retrofitted to pre war Buicks.

I found the HAYDEN 6 blade flex fan works well, but you have to snip about 1/2" off the back of the blades so they don't hit the generator pully. But for $39.00 I can do the trimming.

Mike in Colorado, where we just got 3" of new snow. Is this May, or what ? So much for "global warming".........

[Ben Bruce aka First Born]

I heard, I believe from Dave Corbin, The offset blades were to reduce noise.

Ben

[danhar1960]

Yep, I read that somewhere too Ben. To stop the "whooshing" sound.

Danny

[Guest Grant Magrath]

Yep!

Stops harmonics. (I think that's the term?)

Cheers

Grant