Author Topic: Water pump woes. What am I looking at?  (Read 1985 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline HelpMyLotus

  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Joined: Sep 2016
  • Location: Ada, Michigan
  • Posts: 91
Water pump woes. What am I looking at?
« on: Wednesday,November 29, 2017, 07:24:20 AM »
It wasn't 10 minutes after getting my car on the road than the water pump started dripping.  It didn't drip a drop before the transaxle swap.  I know I tweaked the hose on the front of the block when rotating the engine to remove the trans.  I replaced the hose and clamps but I'm still getting constant drips from the bottom pulley.  I'm assuming it's the water pump. 


Here's my confusion:  The water line points straight forward and connects to the hard line running forward in the car.  From quick inspections of images on the internet it looks like many or most go sideways.  Is this a special cover for the Europa due to no fan and rear engine layout?  Does this mean anything like my car may have a cartridge water pump?



Lastly, excuse my ignorance, but is there a fill level in the car?  Should the tank next to the battery be filled?  Is there a chance I over filled the car and it's dribbling over? 



Sorry for the confusion if I did something wrong here.  I'm just confused how the pump drips so badly after a trans swap.



Offline buzzer

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Joined: Mar 2013
  • Location: Beaconsfield UK
  • Posts: 672
Re: Water pump woes. What am I looking at?
« Reply #1 on: Wednesday,November 29, 2017, 08:24:01 AM »
Hmmm, any pics would be interesting. Yes the Europa has a special cover and the outlet come out the front of the engine not the side so your install sounds correct. There is not enough room in the chassis for a side exit and in Elan's etc it has to come out the side to avoid the fan/radiator.
I would try and get something in to see whats going on as you might find the water is tracking along the case as you say you did some work on the front hose. I would suspect that first before you strip out the engine!
The tank next to the battery should be 2/3rd full ish. Overfilling and it would expand out of the small pipe on the cap.
Dave,

Other cars. Westfield SEiW. BMW E90 Alpina D3. BMW 325 E30 convertible and Range Rover CSK

Offline jbcollier

  • Super Member
  • *******
  • Joined: Nov 2013
  • Location: Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
  • Posts: 5,783
Re: Water pump woes. What am I looking at?
« Reply #2 on: Wednesday,November 29, 2017, 08:27:21 AM »
Yes, it will be the water pump.

AFAIK, all the Europa covers have the water inlet pointing ahead:

http://www.race-cars.com/engsold/lotus/1062012724/1062012724la.htm

Wouldn't fit otherwise.

The header tank should have some coolant in it but not full.  Overfilling the system will not cause the pump to leak.  Time to overhaul the pump.  It is possible to do in situ but not by any measure enjoyable.  Myself, I would pull the engine.

Offline Bainford

  • Twin Cam 3682R
  • Super Member
  • *******
  • Joined: Jul 2012
  • Location: Nova Scotia
  • Posts: 1,622
Re: Water pump woes. What am I looking at?
« Reply #3 on: Wednesday,November 29, 2017, 08:59:54 AM »
Before doing any teardown, be certain that the pump is the source of the leak. A few years ago I was very sure I had a coolant drip from the pump, even after a close inspection. I was planning to pull the engine so I could sort the pump, when I decided to be absolutely certain I could identify the leak source. Laying under the car with lots of light and inspection mirrors I eventually identified a coolant hose joint near the front of the engine with a slow leak that tracked along the hose and dripped onto the front pulleys. It was difficult to find and really looked like it was coming from the pump, but a quick turn of the hose clamp screw and problem solved.
The Twin Cam plays the symphony whilst my right foot conducts the orchestra. At 3800 rpm the Mad Pipe Organ joins in.

Trevor

Offline HelpMyLotus

  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Joined: Sep 2016
  • Location: Ada, Michigan
  • Posts: 91
Re: Water pump woes. What am I looking at?
« Reply #4 on: Thursday,November 30, 2017, 11:09:27 AM »
Please refrain from commenting on the cleanliness of the engine area. Between several Niagra Falls oil leaks and one Yellowstone geyser I'm losing the battle.


Here is a video of the leak.  I still stand by the water pump being the culprit.



https://youtu.be/5uEQPFEZAMI



Offline jbcollier

  • Super Member
  • *******
  • Joined: Nov 2013
  • Location: Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
  • Posts: 5,783
Re: Water pump woes. What am I looking at?
« Reply #5 on: Thursday,November 30, 2017, 02:18:00 PM »
I would tend to agree but clean the front cover spic and span and then you will be able to see properly and know for sure.

Offline EuropaTC

  • Super Member
  • *******
  • Joined: Jun 2012
  • Location: Lincolnshire, UK
  • Posts: 2,983
    • LotusLand
Re: Water pump woes. What am I looking at?
« Reply #6 on: Thursday,November 30, 2017, 11:10:58 PM »
hmm, that looks like the mechanical seal has failed, it's hard to imagine where else the water is coming from given that you've looked very closely at the most likely hose connection. I suppose it could be spraying from a heater hose or dripping from the head itself (although that's not good news) but they look slim compared to a seal failure. 

If you remove the pulley (simple job) then you can see the casing itself & I'd bet you can see water dribbling out from the pump if you turn the shaft by hand. If it's recent you might not have the traditional "wobble" at the water pump pulley because the bearings are still in one piece. (so far). If you have got play at the pulley then I'd stop now and pull it apart because you don't want any further damage.

It is practical to replace the pump without pulling the engine but you still have to remove the head and sump, the only advantage is that you're leaving the block/clutch/gearbox in place. I have heard of people doing the job by just dropping the sump and using lots of instant gasket type stuff to make the joint at the top of the cover - you pays your money and makes your choice... etc.

FWIW I've done the Europa pump twice, both times with the engine in situ. Both times I had the car on axle stands, removed luggage tray to sit on the engine and took off the head/carbs as one unit and then dropped the sump.  Once the head is away you have a surprising amount of access to the cover although if you've added extra insulation or otherwise modified the bulkhead it'll obviously change things.  Set it all to TDC before you start undoing stuff, it'll make it easier going back together !

Brian (still amazed by this interwebby thing and the technology we have today)

Offline shootingsight

  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Joined: Oct 2017
  • Location: Cincinnati, OH, USA
  • Posts: 67
    • Lotus Europa Community
Re: Water pump woes. What am I looking at?
« Reply #7 on: Saturday,December 02, 2017, 08:57:52 AM »
No one has mentioned that English cars are SUPPOSED to leak.  So perhaps this is normal.

Offline Benn012

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Joined: Aug 2015
  • Location: France
  • Posts: 6
Re: Water pump woes. What am I looking at?
« Reply #8 on: Wednesday,December 13, 2017, 12:25:16 PM »
Hello,
I broke the water pump of my type 74 in late summer, and I am currently repairing my engine. I took pictures of the front cover, which also supports the water pump. I think your problem comes from the mechanical seal, which is behind the turbine. Unfortunately, it is necessary to remove the engine / gearbox then cylinder head and oil sump to access the water pump.
Good luck!
Translated by Google.
 

Offline E Paul

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Joined: Nov 2012
  • Location: Duxbury, MA
  • Posts: 102
Re: Water pump woes. What am I looking at?
« Reply #9 on: Wednesday,December 13, 2017, 12:29:26 PM »
I am just throwing this out there, but I was able to change my water pump without pulling the engine and transaxle. Of course the head and oil sump still have to come off. I did not say it was easy...just possible.
Paul

Offline Bainford

  • Twin Cam 3682R
  • Super Member
  • *******
  • Joined: Jul 2012
  • Location: Nova Scotia
  • Posts: 1,622
Re: Water pump woes. What am I looking at?
« Reply #10 on: Thursday,December 14, 2017, 08:23:25 AM »
Cheers Mr. Paul. Have you get it up and running yet?
The Twin Cam plays the symphony whilst my right foot conducts the orchestra. At 3800 rpm the Mad Pipe Organ joins in.

Trevor

Offline E Paul

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Joined: Nov 2012
  • Location: Duxbury, MA
  • Posts: 102
Re: Water pump woes. What am I looking at?
« Reply #11 on: Thursday,December 14, 2017, 09:13:16 AM »
Oh yes, the pump was changed out years ago. No issues.

Offline Benn012

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Joined: Aug 2015
  • Location: France
  • Posts: 6
Re: Water pump woes. What am I looking at?
« Reply #12 on: Thursday,December 14, 2017, 11:57:39 AM »
Hello,
it may be possible to replace the water pump with the engine in place, but I find it much more "comfortable" to make it motor-driven.
For my part, I also take advantage of the removal of the entire motor / box to mount a box type 365 instead of my 352 !!!!!
But on this subject, I'm waiting to finalize the editing to make a post.
cordially

Benn

Translated with Google

Offline HelpMyLotus

  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Joined: Sep 2016
  • Location: Ada, Michigan
  • Posts: 91
Re: Water pump woes. What am I looking at?
« Reply #13 on: Saturday,June 16, 2018, 05:09:32 PM »
Well that was fun.  Here are my lessons for the people who are considering taking on this task.

1. What the heck, I can't REACH the engine with my hoist!  I made a dolly that was just tall enough to release the engine while on the dolly, lower the car slightly, roll the engine back to the rear of the car and lift out the engine.  That solved my first problem.

2. Get an engine stand. Luckily my neighbor had a stand he wasn't using.  I had to modify the mount to hold my little motor but it made accessing all sides of the engine much easier than having it on the dolly in the middle of the floor.

3. Go to harbor freight and buy the small 3 set of 3 leg gear pullers.  I fought that damn pulley for an hour until I spent $19.99 on the puller and it was off in 3 minutes.

4. I did all the pressing in my vice with a few random sockets.  It's very easy to install the parts and press them to the .020" tolerance. 

5. The safety or locating wire that was in the pump would not fit.  The gap on the new bearing was far smaller.  I had to use another wire gauge.

6. Be sure when you assemble the pump on your bench you put the pulley flange on the right direction.  Don't ask my how far I was when I discovered it.  (had to tear it literally completely apart to pull and reassemble the pump with the correct tolerance after thinking I could just tap it on farther)

That's all for now.  The head needs to be torqued then the whole bunch goes back in.  I'll update later.