Sometimes I had little bubbles in the top of the radiator. To eliminate one of the easier to reach possible sources I decided to repack the water pump. I aquired three lead coated packing rings, pulled the pump off the engine for ease of access, and removed the old packing. After about 10 miles I had to tighten the packing nut to the point it was almost bottomed out. Saturday we took it on a 160 mile tour with the Columbia River Region up to Mt Hood area. Since then I have had to bottom out the packing nut and it quickly leaked out all of the water, running or not. There is no spacer in it as described by other postings, and the way it is constructed you could not get any new rings into it with one in there anyway. Inside everything looked good. I have packed several boat stuffing boxes and packing glands without problem so what am I missing?

Hi Beachbum,
I have no hands on experience with the water-pump in my 31 Coach yet, but I have been reading the manuals and looking at the sectional views showing the construction and parts. Looking at the parts locations view, I'm seeing an inner water-pump packing, then a water-pump packing spacer, then an outer water-pump packing. From reading your post, I would guess that without a packing spacer you do not have enough packing to seal the shaft before the water-pump packing nut bottoms out. Also the view shows that the grease cup directs the lubricant to the spacer area. The Technical Advisors would know for sure. I'm still learning, but that's how it appears to me.

The water pump body is designed to use one metal packing spacer and four packings.

When replacing the packing in the water pump, two packings are required at the back of the water pump. Then the metal packing spacer is installed. After that, two more packings are required in front of the metal packing spacer and then the packing nut.

The water pump packing spacer is illustrated in the 1929-32 Chevrolet parts book.

When purchasing a new water pump repair kit from the Filling Station or from Gary Wallace, the kit will contain four packings. However, the kit does not contain the required metal packing spacer.

That spacer is REALLY important.The only way I can stop water from dripping when not driving is screwing in the grease cup while rotating the fan blade . A Grease seal is going on!

Absolutely! It is critical that the metal packing spacer is installed in the water pump.

If water is leaking, air is being drawn into the cooling system when the engine is running. If a coolant leak is stopped by turning in the grease cup then the packing is not sealing properly. Turning in the packing nut and probably adding more packing is needed. Once the packing is sealing properly then you should not have any coolant loss.

Air in the coolant reduces the cooling and results in loss of coolant due to air taking the place of the liquid. Adding a coolant recovery tank will help keep the system full and operating properly. The recovery tank only has a limited capability to overcome air entrainment so a properly sealed water pump is important.

Interesting concept!!

Once you have fitted a recovery tank, you will wonder why you never fitted one sooner,

Regards

Ray

Final update on the re-pack. A friend and I purchases a car trailer load of parts from a fellow who is hot rodding a '30 sedan for $650. There is a lot of really good parts in that some from '29 but most from 1930. Anyway I grabbed a water pump out of there and lubed, oiled it up. The impellar is a little pitted and it appears to be an after market since it does not have the drain in the bottom of the cup and there are no Chev numbers on it. Works fine, no leaks but the bubbles are still there so it is an internal engine problem. Someday I will have to take the head off and investigate further. But for now its off to Carson City NV for the early six tour. Thanks for all the advice.