The Ford Barn

shew01 · 07-28-2022, 04:41 PM

I’d like to try my hand at rebuilding a water pump body. I’m a fair shade tree mechanic, but I do not have access to professional tools or a media blaster. However, I’d like to do a respectable rebuild.

What is an effective way to clean the grime off an old water pump body and prepare it for Ford green paint??

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Stingray70 · 07-28-2022, 05:02 PM

I did one recently and it turned out very well. Remove the grease fittings. Degrease thoroughly using parts washer or carb cleaner. After it is free of grease, soak in evaporust or rust 911 for a day or two. When all trace of rust is gone, go over everything with steel wool. Then make sure it is dry and paint it. Very easy and no blasting required (it just takes a little longer)

Brentwood Bob · 07-28-2022, 10:02 PM

I see the judging standards specify ford engine green.

Ivan in southeast va. · 07-29-2022, 04:09 PM

Clean with paint. Just kidding!

1crosscut · 07-31-2022, 05:46 PM

After you get it stripped down to just the cast metal clean it up with Simple Green or similar. Then take a propane torch and get it hot enough to burn the oils out of the grease and grime. Let it cool, then wire brush it clean.

Degrease it with acetone or brake cleaner.

Take the propane torch to it again and warm it up until it is almost too uncomfortable to handle and paint it while warm with Ford engine green out of an aerosol can. Two or three light coats a few minutes apart and your good to go.

Kevin in NJ · 08-01-2022, 07:14 AM

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Nice looking pump.

There is no subsitute for right.

You need to remove fittings and fully degrease the body. I have access to safety clean myself. You can look up ideas for stuff to mix up. Acetone seems to be a common ingrediant along with some other solvents. Or get a can of 2+2. Manually get as much grease out of the holes first then wash it down.

Here is the science end of things. Using a solvent such as acetone will get excess oils off the surface, but they don't let you get all of them off. Solvents will dissolve the oils and spread them around and evaporate. So they just move the oils around good for you. Proper Wax and Grease removers will float the contaminants to the surface so you can wipe them off. But you have to realize the rag needs to be frequently moved to a new surface and know the surface has to be damp to work.

So if you are planing on doing painting here and there it is smart to get some wax and grease remover.

That being said.....

A good dripping flush with 2+2 will get most of the oil off the surface and some of the paint. Let it dry good and put paint on and it should be fine.

Dont forget to lightly run a file on the gasket surface to find any high spots and make sure the ears are flat. You are only trying to remove any high spots, not any material per se.

07-28-2022, 04:41 PM	#1
shew01 Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2016 Location: Roanoke, VA USA Posts: 1,908	How to Clean/Prepare a Water Pump Body for Paint? I’d like to try my hand at rebuilding a water pump body. I’m a fair shade tree mechanic, but I do not have access to professional tools or a media blaster. However, I’d like to do a respectable rebuild. What is an effective way to clean the grime off an old water pump body and prepare it for Ford green paint?? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

07-28-2022, 05:02 PM	#2
Stingray70 Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2021 Location: Western NC Posts: 213	Re: How to Clean/Prepare a Water Pump Body for Paint? I did one recently and it turned out very well. Remove the grease fittings. Degrease thoroughly using parts washer or carb cleaner. After it is free of grease, soak in evaporust or rust 911 for a day or two. When all trace of rust is gone, go over everything with steel wool. Then make sure it is dry and paint it. Very easy and no blasting required (it just takes a little longer) __________________ 1930 Standard Coupe

07-28-2022, 10:02 PM	#3
Brentwood Bob Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: brentwood, ca Posts: 4,246	Re: How to Clean/Prepare a Water Pump Body for Paint? I see the judging standards specify ford engine green. Last edited by Brentwood Bob; 07-28-2022 at 10:08 PM.

07-29-2022, 04:09 PM	#4
Ivan in southeast va. Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Portsmouth, Virginia Posts: 303	Re: How to Clean/Prepare a Water Pump Body for Paint? Clean with paint. Just kidding!

07-31-2022, 05:46 PM	#5
1crosscut Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Lincoln, Nebraska Posts: 1,909	Re: How to Clean/Prepare a Water Pump Body for Paint? After you get it stripped down to just the cast metal clean it up with Simple Green or similar. Then take a propane torch and get it hot enough to burn the oils out of the grease and grime. Let it cool, then wire brush it clean. Degrease it with acetone or brake cleaner. Take the propane torch to it again and warm it up until it is almost too uncomfortable to handle and paint it while warm with Ford engine green out of an aerosol can. Two or three light coats a few minutes apart and your good to go. __________________ Dave / Lincoln Nebraska

08-01-2022, 07:14 AM	#6
Kevin in NJ Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: South East NJ Posts: 3,398	Re: How to Clean/Prepare a Water Pump Body for Paint? Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) Nice looking pump. There is no subsitute for right. You need to remove fittings and fully degrease the body. I have access to safety clean myself. You can look up ideas for stuff to mix up. Acetone seems to be a common ingrediant along with some other solvents. Or get a can of 2+2. Manually get as much grease out of the holes first then wash it down. Here is the science end of things. Using a solvent such as acetone will get excess oils off the surface, but they don't let you get all of them off. Solvents will dissolve the oils and spread them around and evaporate. So they just move the oils around good for you. Proper Wax and Grease removers will float the contaminants to the surface so you can wipe them off. But you have to realize the rag needs to be frequently moved to a new surface and know the surface has to be damp to work. So if you are planing on doing painting here and there it is smart to get some wax and grease remover. That being said..... A good dripping flush with 2+2 will get most of the oil off the surface and some of the paint. Let it dry good and put paint on and it should be fine. Dont forget to lightly run a file on the gasket surface to find any high spots and make sure the ears are flat. You are only trying to remove any high spots, not any material per se.