1st time minor owner with water pump issues

Post by **norris6** » Thu Oct 29, 2009 12:56 pm

Afternoon everyone.

I have recently purchased my very first morris minor, HBV132E, and have now come across my first issue with the water pump and am hoping that some kind sole may be able to rescue me.

The story so far.

The first thing to do was to flush out cooling system and refil with fresh anti freeze, having done this a water leak from the pump soon appeared.
Purchased a new pump from Bull Motif and replaced with new gasket etc.
Unfortunately, did not notice lack of clearance between radiator and fan blades and blades damaged radiator.
Purchased new radiator from Bull Motiff and reassembled. Fan Blades touch the radiator.
Between the fan blades and pump pulley there is a spacer, because, as I was later informed, a previous owner has fitted a Morris Marina engine which has a breather on the front of the crank case.
Purchased a Marina water pump but unfortunately this does not fit due to the two locating pins on the front of the block being too big for the holes in the pump casing.
My dilema is now that I do not know where to go or what to do to get my car back on the road.
Please Please Please has anyone got any ideas or suggestions.
Thanking you in anticipation, Me and my expensive garden ornament.

Post by **bmcecosse** » Thu Oct 29, 2009 2:21 pm

Welcome to the forum! To my knowledge - there is no significant difference between the Minor and Marina water pumps! Except one may not have a bypass hose - but you don't mention that, so I guess that's not a problem. Use the Minor pump - that fits already (?) and leave the 'spacer (??)' out - and just check that the fan blades clear both the rad and the breather on the casing. Just a point - does it have the two arm (single blade) Minor fan fitted - or a multi blade Marina fan ? The single blade Minor fan will be sufficient - and is easily 'adjusted' by bending slightly to clear the breather. One possible mod is to take the timing cover off - and remove part of the breather - and weld it back up - but that's a lot of unnecessary hassle.

Post by **MarkyB** » Thu Oct 29, 2009 6:11 pm

I'm wondering if the "spacer" is the plate which should go on after the fan not before?
Some pictures would be a big help.

Post by **mike.perry** » Thu Oct 29, 2009 8:48 pm

Word of warning. If it aint broken don't fix it. Start on the easy things like geasing the suspension.

Post by **Mogwai** » Thu Oct 29, 2009 9:02 pm

If you have a 1275 fitted I would use the pump with the larger impeller. I guess it would be ok to remove the dowels if you want to fit the other pump as I have an A+ Ital engine in mine & the block isn't drilled for dowels & has been fine without. As far as I know all the pump body's are the same size

Post by **bmcecosse** » Thu Oct 29, 2009 9:07 pm

And all impellers are the same size too - have been for many many years. Only very early pumps had smaller impellers.

Post by **David53** » Mon Nov 02, 2009 5:43 am

When I first put my car back together the blades were whacking the radiator. As BMC says, just bend the metal blades back slightly and bob's your uncle