11 replies to this topic

[Tornado99]

I will be replacing the water pump on my '88 Mini with 1275 engine when I swap out a leaking radiator and replace all the hoses. Nothing obviously wrong with existing pump, just doing a "while I'm there" operation.  I've just got the parts delivered and believe I've ordered the older type of pump with a by-pass hose connection point. The pump on the car presently has this blocked off. Can I just tap a thread in to the new pump and fit a bolt into to seal it or are there other differences I need to deal with (impeller size; mounting hole size/location; fan mounting holes etc)? 

 

Trying to avoid returning the pump as shipping is very costly in time and $$$ (I'm in Canada).

 

thx.

[absx2]

Yes you can just block it off, some even came from the factory with a rubber cap clipped on.

If there is no play in the existing pump when you give it a good shake I would be inclined to leave it on with the new part quality being as it is these days.

[cal844]

You can blank it, yes. Make sure it is the cast impeller type pump and not the push fit one....

[Tornado99]

Good to know the older style works fine. Had heard there were higher output type pumps available (presumably impeller differences or just different belt pulley diameters?).

[Tornado99]

You can blank it, yes. Make sure it is the cast impeller type pump and not the push fit one....

The new one has a plastic impeller....is that of concern?

[bpirie1000]

If you are running the engine as a 1275 with a new radiator then water flow should not be a problem.

Standard pump,will work just fine.

[68+86auto]

 

You can blank it, yes. Make sure it is the cast impeller type pump and not the push fit one....

The new one has a plastic impeller....is that of concern?

 

 

No. That is perfectly fine.

[Cooperman]

You can usually tap the by-pass stub to 3/8" UNF, then use some good sealant on the thread with a short hex head screw and it should be fine.

[Tornado99]

Got the new pump and rad (alu from Minispares) installed. New Fletcher silicone upper and lower hoses fitted.
Old pump seemed fine, no bearing roughness. Impeller was cast metal, new pump plastic.
I found I could install rad with lower hose and fan shroud already attached, which meant no big hassles trying to fit lower hose to rad afterwards. A bit of wiggling and rotating and it all get around installed fan ok.
Only took about 2.5 lites of new coolant to full it up, book states 3.8l is capacity, as not all was lost during drainage.

Tomorrow I'll do an oil and filter change while all up on jack.

[Tornado99]

First test drive today.
No leaks from new rad nor new hoses. Found the interior heater no longer putting out warm air. Checked hoes into core box, one hot, one not. Was working well previously. Could there be an air bubble trapped stopping thru flow?

Another issue, new rad is vibrating against the bodywork at the front lower corner. I think issue is the fan shroud is not sitting fully square to the rad, as it doesn't fit the rad well. So rad is shifted away from engine at front side, putting it closer to body panel. Will try shifting shroud a but.

Another item, the temp guage is now reading a full 3/4 mark on H/C scale...previously tis rarely went higher than 1/4 above the C. I had put this down to a wrong temp sender unit and had planned to fit the other type (red instead of black). During rad install I did disconnect and reconnect the electrical connect on the engine head...maybe this cleaned up connection and now getting a normal guage reading?

[Quinlan minor]

First test drive today.
No leaks from new rad nor new hoses. Found the interior heater no longer putting out warm air. Checked hoes into core box, one hot, one not. Was working well previously. Could there be an air bubble trapped stopping thru flow?

Almost certainly.

put heater valve to 'Hot'.

Take the return hose off, hold it up and back fill it with a jug. Put your thumb over the end of the hose, removing it only as you re-attach it. make sure everything is tightened properly.

Run the car and see if that's cleared it.

If not, let it cool, and repeat.

[Tornado99]

 

First test drive today.
No leaks from new rad nor new hoses. Found the interior heater no longer putting out warm air. Checked hoes into core box, one hot, one not. Was working well previously. Could there be an air bubble trapped stopping thru flow?

Almost certainly.

put heater valve to 'Hot'.

Take the return hose off, hold it up and back fill it with a jug. Put your thumb over the end of the hose, removing it only as you re-attach it. make sure everything is tightened properly.

Run the car and see if that's cleared it.

If not, let it cool, and repeat.

 

Yes, that has solved the heater not heating issue. Also, after that first test drive, the level in the new rad was way low....so this must have contributed to the 3/4 to the H mark reading the gauge...topping up the reading is now back to usual, barely off the C mark nearly all the time. 

 

Only issue remaining now is the rad rattling against the bodywork lower front corner b/c the shroud would not fit well ...rad sits away from shroud by up to 1/4" at top left edge, placing it too close to body work. Not sure what's best option...try padding the lower corner with rubber, knocking a clearance dent into bodywork panel? There seems to be no way to re-position shroud on the alloy rad to make it sit more squarely without major re-shaping where it bends 90 degrees to the bolt holes. 

Edited by Tornado99, 04 March 2024 - 03:00 AM.