H2Opumpgrease

[lakeside]

I have a leak less water pump. The rear brass fitting is greasable. One shot every 500 mi. or so. Question is, can I use a lithium grease (water resistant)or must it be the ''non water soluble'' type? Thank you.

[RonC]

Ford specified to use regular wheel bearing grease. Water pump type or non soluble grease does not solidify and can clog your radiator.

[C26Pinelake]

are you sure the grease fitting is not an ornament! Wayne

[Jim/GA]

Originally Posted by RonC

Ford specified to use regular wheel bearing grease. Water pump type or non soluble grease does not solidify and can clog your radiator.

Look in "The Ford Model A Instruction Book" (aka owner's manual) and they say to use the same grease that you use on the chassis. Unfortunately, this will result in a lot of grease inside your radiator and it will need to be cleaned out every few years or your car will overheat. Chassis grease is not water soluble, but it will get melted by hot water in the engine and get carried out into the radiator. There, when it cools, it coats the inside of the tubes and clogs up your radiator.

The better option (which we used since I was a kid) is calcium-based water pump grease that is actually water soluble. Any grease that finds its way into your cooling system dissolves in the cooling water. It does not plug up the radiator over time. We always kept a separate small grease gun loaded with this grease for just water pumps.

One supplier I have found for this water pump grease is Restoration Supply Company. They sell Lubriplate 115, made for water pumps. There are other suppliers, I'm sure.

As with engine oil discussions, this topic is bound to get a lot of negative comments, but this is really what you want to use. "Waterproof grease" will get carried out into your radiator and plug it up.

.

[lakeside]

What an interesting topic this is! There seems to be a lot of confusion about this among the mechanics and auto supply people I spoke to. I was aware of the radiator problems but thought that the water soluble grease was the culprit.
Thanks for the replies and to Jim #3 for the detailed info.I'll look for other possible answers but feel a little more sane this evening.

[Flathead]

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I side with Jim. Water soluble grease will not clog up the radiator. Just from the lubrication angle water resistant grease sounds like the best idea, but when it gets into the radiator you have problems. Forty years ago at a garage where I was working there was an old container of "Water Pump Grease" and it was water soluble. It was very thick stiff grease, we used it to hold gaskets in place.

[RonC]

Originally Posted by Jim/TX/GA

Look in "The Ford Model A Instruction Book" (aka owner's manual) and they say to use the same grease that you use on the chassis. Unfortunately, this will result in a lot of grease inside your radiator and it will need to be cleaned out every few years or your car will overheat. Chassis grease is not water soluble, but it will get melted by hot water in the engine and get carried out into the radiator. There, when it cools, it coats the inside of the tubes and clogs up your radiator.

The better option (which we used since I was a kid) is calcium-based water pump grease that is actually water soluble. Any grease that finds its way into your cooling system dissolves in the cooling water. It does not plug up the radiator over time. We always kept a separate small grease gun loaded with this grease for just water pumps.

One supplier I have found for this water pump grease is Restoration Supply Company. They sell Lubriplate 115, made for water pumps. There are other suppliers, I'm sure.

As with engine oil discussions, this topic is bound to get a lot of negative comments, but this is really what you want to use. "Waterproof grease" will get carried out into your radiator and plug it up.

.

Jim I looked up both calcium based greases and lubriplate 115 water pump grease. They are both water resistant greases not soluable.

[Tom Wesenberg]

I use regular chassis grease, Mystik JT-6 High Temp for the water pump. I don't over grease the rear bushing, and I unthread the brass collar, then pull the fan forward to make the impellor tight to the rear of the bushing, then I give the grease fitting just a little grease. Then I wipe a little grease on the front of the bushing and screw the brass collar just lightly snug. This has given me a completely leakless original pump for over 15 years, and I don't see any sign of grease in the antifreeze.

Notice ANTIFREEZE...............plain water is to drink.............antifreeze is to save the block.

[katy]

plain water is to drink

Works best when diluted w/the good stuff.

[Jim/GA]

Originally Posted by RonC

Jim I looked up both calcium based greases and lubriplate 115 water pump grease. They are both water resistant greases not soluable.

OK, I guess I misunderstood. I was always told to only use the water pump grease in the water pump fittings, not the black chassis grease. That's why we kept two separate grease guns.

It was also always a very small shot of the grease.

[Mike V. Florida]

Originally Posted by RonC

Jim I looked up both calcium based greases and lubriplate 115 water pump grease. They are both water resistant greases not soluable.

Product Information Sheet

[coupe1942]

Curiosity question, but what is the "normal" operating temperature of water in a Model A Ford?