The Ford Barn

triple mike · 07-02-2015, 01:35 PM

29 roadster pick up. I cannot believe i'm posting this, but for some reason my water pump does not seem to be pumping? No blockage in the radiator, good flow through the engine. If you turn the pump shaft the pump rotates. No leaks on it anywhere. I'm just getting the car ready for the road after a lot of work. I know at one time the pump was pumping. Today I was finishing a few last minute issues and was letting the engine run in the driveway before i took it on the road and found the outside of the engine was getting very hot, i put my radiator thermometer in to check the temp and it would not register (it starts at 90 deg.), put my finger in and the water was cold. I do not have a thermostat installed. I do not have any history with the engine, this would have been the first time i have taken it beyond my block.

Tom Wesenberg · 07-02-2015, 02:39 PM

How much coolant is in the radiator?

BRENT in 10-uh-C · 07-02-2015, 02:49 PM

Mike, a pump in the truest sense means that you are pulling/pushing a liquid under some sort of pressure. A Model-A water pump really is not designed to push the water under pressure. Ironically, a water pump is not really necessary on a Model-A engine as long as the water can circulate enough to work off of a thermo-syphon principle. The biggest factor in the Thermo-syphon process is the temperature of the liquid needs to be changed enough (radiator dissipating heat.) to make it effective. By you telling me the water in the upper tank is still cold, either the engine temps was not has hot as you initially thought, --or it is possible the pin in the impeller has sheared however the impeller would likely still spin at least some.

Brentwood Bob · 07-02-2015, 03:39 PM

Pull the pump and look it over. Back flush the block, back flush the radiator separated from the block and visa versa. I have seen rust bridging on the metal return tube so I would also pull that off.
Don't go on a test drive until you rectify the lack of circulation. You will compound your problems by ignoring the symptoms you are now aware of.
Bob

triple mike · 07-02-2015, 03:47 PM

All fixed, sorry to bother anyone, took off the upper radiator hose to fine the radiator shop left there plug inside the inlet.

Brentwood Bob · 07-02-2015, 03:49 PM

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

oops.

Rex_A_Lott · 07-02-2015, 04:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by triple mike

All fixed, sorry to bother anyone, took off the upper radiator hose to fine the radiator shop left there plug inside the inlet.

Did the radiator shop put the radiator on?

triple mike · 07-02-2015, 05:25 PM

i put the radiator in, the plug was in the recess of the inlet, you could not see it from the outside of the neck.

BILL WILLIAMSON · 07-02-2015, 06:41 PM

That's a GOOD one to REMEMBER!!! I've NEVER seen that happen before.
Bill W.

Mitch//pa · 07-02-2015, 06:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BILL WILLIAMSON

That's a GOOD one to REMEMBER!!! I've NEVER seen that happen before.
Bill W.

me either

bobpo1 · 07-02-2015, 07:01 PM

Keen observation at it's Best. !

BILL WILLIAMSON · 07-02-2015, 08:15 PM

Once saw a tech miss pulling out 1 rubber plug, while installing a new A/C.
POOR Bastard almost disassembled the WHOLE thing to find it! AFTER THAT, we always blew SMOKE through all hoses & components!
Bill W.

Hoogah · 07-03-2015, 09:31 AM

I picked up my (modern) car from a service years back and had to pull up after just a few miles because it was handling horribly. The mechanic had done up the wheel nuts on all four wheels only finger tight while it was on the hoist, and then forgot to tension them before replacing the wheel covers. He was pretty embarrassed when I called to inform him!

Mitch//pa · 07-03-2015, 09:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hoogah

I picked up my (modern) car from a service years back and had to pull up after just a few miles because it was handling horribly. The mechanic had done up the wheel nuts on all four wheels only finger tight while it was on the hoist, and then forgot to tension them before replacing the wheel covers. He was pretty embarrassed when I called to inform him!

that happens more than u know along with oil drain plug issues...

07-02-2015, 01:35 PM	#1
triple mike Junior Member Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: Asheville, NC Posts: 28	Water pump not pumping? 29 roadster pick up. I cannot believe i'm posting this, but for some reason my water pump does not seem to be pumping? No blockage in the radiator, good flow through the engine. If you turn the pump shaft the pump rotates. No leaks on it anywhere. I'm just getting the car ready for the road after a lot of work. I know at one time the pump was pumping. Today I was finishing a few last minute issues and was letting the engine run in the driveway before i took it on the road and found the outside of the engine was getting very hot, i put my radiator thermometer in to check the temp and it would not register (it starts at 90 deg.), put my finger in and the water was cold. I do not have a thermostat installed. I do not have any history with the engine, this would have been the first time i have taken it beyond my block.

07-02-2015, 02:39 PM	#2
Tom Wesenberg Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Mpls, MN Posts: 27,582	Re: Water pump not pumping? How much coolant is in the radiator?

07-02-2015, 02:49 PM	#3
BRENT in 10-uh-C Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Eastern Tennessee Posts: 11,508	Re: Water pump not pumping? Mike, a pump in the truest sense means that you are pulling/pushing a liquid under some sort of pressure. A Model-A water pump really is not designed to push the water under pressure. Ironically, a water pump is not really necessary on a Model-A engine as long as the water can circulate enough to work off of a thermo-syphon principle. The biggest factor in the Thermo-syphon process is the temperature of the liquid needs to be changed enough (radiator dissipating heat.) to make it effective. By you telling me the water in the upper tank is still cold, either the engine temps was not has hot as you initially thought, --or it is possible the pin in the impeller has sheared however the impeller would likely still spin at least some. __________________ . BRENT in 10-uh-C . www.model-a-ford.com ...(...Finally Updated!! ) .

07-02-2015, 03:39 PM	#4
Brentwood Bob Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: brentwood, ca Posts: 4,234	Re: Water pump not pumping? Pull the pump and look it over. Back flush the block, back flush the radiator separated from the block and visa versa. I have seen rust bridging on the metal return tube so I would also pull that off. Don't go on a test drive until you rectify the lack of circulation. You will compound your problems by ignoring the symptoms you are now aware of. Bob

07-02-2015, 03:47 PM	#5
triple mike Junior Member Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: Asheville, NC Posts: 28	Re: Water pump not pumping? All fixed, sorry to bother anyone, took off the upper radiator hose to fine the radiator shop left there plug inside the inlet.

07-02-2015, 03:49 PM	#6
Brentwood Bob Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: brentwood, ca Posts: 4,234	Re: Water pump not pumping? Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) oops.

07-02-2015, 05:25 PM	#8
triple mike Junior Member Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: Asheville, NC Posts: 28	Re: Water pump not pumping? i put the radiator in, the plug was in the recess of the inlet, you could not see it from the outside of the neck.

07-02-2015, 06:41 PM	#9
BILL WILLIAMSON Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: FRESNO, CA Posts: 12,560	Re: Water pump not pumping? That's a GOOD one to REMEMBER!!! I've NEVER seen that happen before. Bill W. __________________ "THE ASSISTANT GURU OF STUFF"

07-02-2015, 07:01 PM	#11
bobpo1 Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: NW Ohio Posts: 301	Re: Water pump not pumping? Keen observation at it's Best. !

07-02-2015, 08:15 PM	#12
BILL WILLIAMSON Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: FRESNO, CA Posts: 12,560	Re: Water pump not pumping? Once saw a tech miss pulling out 1 rubber plug, while installing a new A/C. POOR Bastard almost disassembled the WHOLE thing to find it! AFTER THAT, we always blew SMOKE through all hoses & components! Bill W. __________________ "THE ASSISTANT GURU OF STUFF"

07-03-2015, 09:31 AM	#13
Hoogah Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2014 Location: Warrnambool, Victoria, Australia Posts: 800	Re: Water pump not pumping? I picked up my (modern) car from a service years back and had to pull up after just a few miles because it was handling horribly. The mechanic had done up the wheel nuts on all four wheels only finger tight while it was on the hoist, and then forgot to tension them before replacing the wheel covers. He was pretty embarrassed when I called to inform him!