Water Pump, how to remove the cover

Many years ago when I first got my Cord running after a complete engine rebuild. I found the water pump seals shot. So being the type that will try any mechanical repair I tried to remove the stuck cover too. Sure nuff.. I broke off the flange. So way back then in 1975 I called Stan. He told me what I did wrong and if I wanted it rebuilt to send it to him.. So I did. After is shipped it he contacted me telling me that he was going to need the two drive flanges to set it up. So I made a plywood box divided in the center to hold the drive flanges seperate in transit. One would have felt a box made from 3/8 inch thick plywood and nailed and glued well would make it thru the US Mail. Thank God I insured it for $200.00 because only one flange got to Stan in Kansas. One end of the box broke open and the flange slipped out. So a claim was put in to the post office.. Guess what... Because one of the two flanges got there safely I was only intitled to a $100.00 claim... WTH is that all about. THEY.. Not me lost half of my parts so why didn't I get a Full $200.00 claim... I still don't know about that. To this day I clearly feel I was cheated on that deal. But Stan did a great repair and rebuild for me. I still use that same pump today.

Great Stuff, about the best around !

I have used Aerokroil spray for over 37 years to free up any rusted nuts or bolts. Its sold by the makers called Kano Labs. You have a warranty. Buy two cans. Use it and not like it just send back the unused can and get a full refund... I can tell you this... You will never send any back but buy much more from them. Its so much better than PB Blaster or WD40 or Liquid Wrench. If your concerned about removing an exhaust manifold just wet down the bolts or stud nuts. Run the engine till its warmed up. As the engine cools down keep the stuff wet that you want to loosen. This heating and cooling will suck in the Kroil. The action of that stuf it amazing to watch it work. Its not a lubricant nor a rust protecter either. And when installing any nut or bolt or water pump type cover always use anti sieze. I have found the best is the nuclear grade NL1000. For stainless steel I use Silver Goop... Comes in a small tube... Very expensive but you will never gauld a stainless thread again after using it...

Hi,

I [u:se9ad1qd]really[/u:se9ad1qd] like the idea of tapping the three unassigned holes in the cover to ease possible future removal. I have had occasions to remove sheaves from shafts after they had been there since the 50's. Thankfully, pulley-type designers had built in tapped holes for pusher bolts. Ditto, btw, for brake drums and rotors on modern cars and light trucks.

The techinque is less of a push-em-off motion than it is a tighten-to-create-strain concept. You then bonk the part to be moved with a BFH to shock the metal-to-metal surfaces. That way the threads do not strip out. Repeat as necessary.

In working with orphan cars my entire adult life I have always re-assembled parts with the thought of maybe having to take them apart in 25 years. (Learned that from my Dad.) As I have kept the Cord, the LaSalle, and the Buick that long, I have reaped the harvest of those decisions a number of times.

Congratulations on successfully getting your unit apart! Please keep us advised as to how the repair ends up.

--Tom

Well guys, as I read in J.K.Howell's Assembly Hints, I'm still '..recovering from the trauma of removing the cover...' but the cover is off!
After two days with Coke poured in, today I got down to it. I first used the Dremel to clear a path around the cover, then inspired by Mario von Allmen's suggestion to hammer a sharp knife in there, I used hacksaw blades, well-sharpened on one end.
They can take some good hammering and I first managed to insert one, then two, then three of them, in three different places around the cover, see pics below
With lots of heating it eventually moved!. In my pump, the cover itself was stuck allright, but what made the job more difficult was the ball bearing which was frozen on the shaft. Apparently when the seal started leaking and because the drain hole was plugged up, the water got into the bearing and destroyed it freezing it inplace as well.
Now I'm on to making the seating tool, even though I still don't get what is an 'open coat abrasive'; is it a paste or sanding paper? Any explanation will be appreciated.
Also has anyone tried drilling and tapping the three holes on the cover for 'jacking-off' the cover when it's next needed? (hopefully not in my time..)
Here are the pics with the hacksaws in place.

Heat with a propane torch to expand & contract the back plate & pump housing to help remove the frozen & stuck pump cover plate.
Use liquid wrench, or similar penetrating oil to help penetrate the rust seam after heating.
The heat will suck-in the penetrating oil by capillary action.
Keep repeating the Heat-up & cool-down cycles while putting more penetrating oil on the rusted & corroded gasket seam.

Heat will work small wonders in breaking loose almost all old frozen parts !

Hi,

Too bad these covers weren't Never-Seez'ed when assembled way back then.

In the 60's, my father, a first class machinist, rebuilt the 812's water pump. I don't know if he ended up breaking the original cover. If so, he would have made a new cover for it. He did say that it was the hardest part of the entire car's drive train rebuild. I'll look and see just what he did.

I don't know how he got it apart, but I'll bet your life that I know how it was reassembled: with Never-Seez !

--Tom

DO NOT PRY, After soaking I made horse shoe plate picture a ? mark with a four foot handle. Remove cap screws then attach this newly made plate with studs about three just spaced apart to fit each hole in cover let say 12 o'clock,3 o'clock and five, put pump body in a very large vise tap end of four ft. pipe, do this after a long soak, you will have success if still resistant add some heat to cover.

After a long soak in whatever chemical chosen, prying upward at first would probably still break the cover. Try to rotate it first to loosen it. A good old kerosene soak might work too.
Frankly, I can't say I have had success with this method, but this was the advice of an old time Cord man from in the '40's whose approach was to save every part if at all possible..

There are a lot of how to videos on (youtube.com) that show the molassas/water method, also electrolysis rust removal. The elecrolysis method uses Washing soda not baking soda, a small dc current etc. this method will only take off the iron oxide-(rust) and not any good metal.

Please do not hammer on it at all. If you intend to save the cover do not hammer on the shaft. You could soak it in a solution of molasses and water. Leave in a few weeks.

Hi Josh
Your detailed 1988 article is since then in my bibliography, Im particulary looking for the best way to pry open the cover, with minimal damage. Besides bathing it in Coke, I'm now thinking of pressing the shaft from the back end outwards, hoping that will do it. Chances are that it will destroy the old seal and the bearing, which is anyway busted. I was looking for any more ideas even on how to break the cover if need be.

Hi Aris. The cover will likely break when you take it off. Don't worry about it, or any of the internal parts. They should all be replaced with brand new ones from Henry Portz. And be sure to replace the sealing surfaces in the housing and cover.

There is an article in the newsletter that I wrote, using material provided by JK Howell and Henry Portz, many years ago. If you have the ACD club archive DVD you should be able to find it quickly. You need to follow the instructions.

Hi there CORDial friends!

Back working on the 810 again, and on my leaking water pump. I'm trying to remove the cover, with no luck so far. Lots of WD40 for some days and today I even poured in some Coke and pray it won't damage the impeller and shaft.
Any other ideas ???

Happy, Healthy and Prosperous holidays to everyone !