MG Car Club of South Australia
TeChnical TopiC
by Bob Schapel
I
T-Type Water Pumps (Late Style)
t only takes two new bearings and a
new carbon seal to make most late
style T-Type water pumps as good as
new. Early pumps (TB, TC and early
TD) usually have 22838 cast on the cy-
lindrical body, while late pumps (Late
TD, TF and Wolseley 4/44) have 24433
cast on the mounting flange. The bear-
ings are the same for both styles of
pump and are available in sealed form
(part number 6301LLU) at any bearing
shop for about $15 each. The bearings
can be fitted fully sealed, or the seals
facing the grease nipple could be re-
moved if desired, to keep the nipple
functional. In the latter situation, an exit
path for grease would be needed, to
prevent grease-gun pressure from pop-
ping the remaining seals out. (That exit
could perhaps be a “channel” made un-
der the rear bearing to the original drain
hole.) The outer bearing seals should
be retained so that the original grease
seal system can be discarded, particu-
larly at the rear, unless you want to do it
the hard way!
The carbon seals for both pumps are
unavailable at MG shops (Moss etc).
However, generic seals are available at
AUSSEAL, 25 Weaver Street Ed-
wardstown (ph. 83631677). This ad-
dress is not a “retail shop”, so don’t be
put off by the “shopfront”. Part no.
B03ABXS0127334 suits the late style
pump. I think AUSSEAL has a $30
minimum sale, which is more than the
cost of one seal. (Buy two?) A slightly
different seal can be made to fit the
early style pump but that job is more
complicated and will have to be covered
in a future article.
Once the split-pin, nut, washer, pulley
20
and key are removed from the front, the
shaft can be withdrawn from the impeller
end. The old carbon water seal might
need some encouragement to come out
with it. This old carbon seal can then be
carefully “butchered” off the shaft,
unless the small shaft circlip can be re-
moved first. DO NOT attempt to remove
the impeller from the shaft. Thankfully,
that can be left attached. However, I
suggest that the shaft/impeller unit
should have the seal seat (copper)
“trued up” in a lathe. Discard most of
the rear grease seal (small shaft circlip,
felt and flat “keyed” washer) but RETAIN
the 12mm I.D. dished washer because
that contributes to spacing. A similar
washer at the front (behind the pulley)
also contributes to spacing.
When removing old bearings from the
pump body, the first circlip is often diffi-
cult. A small hole can be drilled into the
circlip groove from the below, for access
to push the circlip inwards.
Many
pumps already have this hole. The sec-
ond circlip should be easy because it
has hooked ends.
Carbon seal B03ABXS0127334 should
fit perfectly in place of the original.
However, its outer surface is stainless
steel instead of rubber, so it must be
pressed in using a sealant. I apply sili-
con sealant to both surfaces and press it
into the pump body using a 1 1/8”
socket in a vice. I leave it overnight to
set. Other sealants such as “LOCTITE”
might work just as well. Before assem-
bly, check the 14 mm shaft bush (now
without adjacent small circlip) will
squeeze through the new carbon seal.
The bush will probably need filing to
remove a burred edge. Also ensure that
the spring in the carbon seal will run at