218 water pump interference

[bkahler]

I was getting ready to install the water pump and while holding it up to the block for a test fit I found that one of the small bolt heads on the back side of the pump housing (bolts the sheet metal cover plate to the pump) hits the head. Even with a gasket in place the bolt head is to large. The obvious solution is to grind down the bolt head enough to clear or alternately grind a spot off the head. Somethings gotta give somewhere

Any one else run across this little surprise?

Thanks,

Brad

[Norm's Coupe]

Not sure, but if you are putting a new water pump on, it sounds like you may have received the wrong one. I bought a new water pump for my P15 when I rebuilt the engine from JC Whitney. Had no problems with it mounting. I would double check, you should not have to grind down a bolt head to make it fit.

[Don Coatney]

I was getting ready to install the water pump and while holding it up to the block for a test fit I found that one of the small bolt heads on the back side of the pump housing (bolts the sheet metal cover plate to the pump) hits the head. Even with a gasket in place the bolt head is to large. The obvious solution is to grind down the bolt head enough to clear or alternately grind a spot off the head. Somethings gotta give somewhere

Any one else run across this little surprise?

Thanks,

Brad

Brad;

The 4 bolts pictured below should not contact the head. Does your head have the internal by-pass provision? If so you may have the wrong backing plate for your water pump.

[bkahler]

Don & Norm,

The pump is the correct pump. The head and engine block are matched in so far as years go (1951) and the pump looks identical to the oiginal that was on there. Unfortunately during a move I lost the back plate and screws from the original pump. My failing memory seems to remember screws with very thin heads were used on my original pump. The screws on the new pump look like the ones in the blue pump from Don's photo.

I'm going to try and look a little closer at the situation tonight and see if I notice anything that might contribute to the problem.

I'll also try and post a picture as well.

Thanks,

Brad

[Merle Coggins]

Brad,

My original water pump had a round headed machine screw in that hole. When I got my new one I had to remove that one bolt and replace it with the machine screw from the old one to get it to fit up to the block.

Merle

[bkahler]

Brad,

My original water pump had a round headed machine screw in that hole. When I got my new one I had to remove that one bolt and replace it with the machine screw from the old one to get it to fit up to the block.

Merle

Thanks Merle! Thats kinda what I was hoping to hear. At most the interference is something like .015 or so. A simple screw change would solve it.

Thanks again

Brad

[bkahler]

Brad,

My original water pump had a round headed machine screw in that hole. When I got my new one I had to remove that one bolt and replace it with the machine screw from the old one to get it to fit up to the block.

Merle

I decided it was time to replace the little screw that was interferring so I bolted the pump back up to the block and whatdaya know, no interference

I must have been tired the other night because I could have sworn there was an interference on one screw.

Bottom line is everything ended up working just fine. Go figure.....

Thanks for all the replies!

Brad