by Paul Burr 3/18/91
I recently changed the water pump in my Tiger and would like to share this information with you. At first glance, getting the thing out looked like a nasty job, but once underway, it went smoothly.
First, drain the radiator into a suitable container by opening the petcock at the bottom of the radiator. Easy so far, right? After it drains, remove the hoses from the expansion tank, heater and the radiator inlet and outlet. Now would be a good time to replace them, if need be.
Though it is possible to change the pump with the radiator in place, I chose to remove it to gain some room and save the flesh on my knuckles. Take out the four mounting bolts, work the fan shroud clear, and have someone help you lift the radiator out.Now would be a good time to send it out for a good cleaning and to patch up any leaks it might have.
Now for the main event. Remove the generator and its lower bracket and take off the fan belt. Again, replace if worn. Unbolt the fan and pulley from the water pump.
Remove the pump mounting bolts, one at a time, and tag them so you can get them back in the right places. The pump should come off with a couple of taps with your fingers. Any more force than that means you forgot to remove a bolt. Once out, clean the old gasket off the engine.
In case you did not know, your aluminum case water pump is different from the cast iron replacement ones. The pulley hub is about 1/4?inch lower and shaped differently. This leaves you with a couple of options. I had the pulley pressed off my old pump and onto the cast iron replacement. The machine shop only charged $8 and it works perfectly. But, be careful to choose a good shop because a slip-up will be costly to you.
A second way would be to find a rebuild that will do the aluminum pump and return it to you. This is more costly in time and money, but you retain the “original look.”
Once the pulley hub is squared away, you reassemble everything. Assembly is the reverse of removal. Make sure all the gasket surfaces are clean (use a scraper) and dry. Use a light, even coat of gasket sealer on both surfaces. Use a new gasket and be careful not to hang it up when positioning the water pump. Put the bolts back in proper order and torque to 15 foot-pounds. Put the fan pulley and fan on water pump. Bolt in generator bracket and generator. Put fan belt on and adjust. Install radiator and shroud and reconnect hoses. Add coolant, let the engine run for 15 minutes and check for leaks.
Not counting parts chasing and beer breaks, this was about a four-hour job for me. The squeal is gone, the car runs cool again and the heater output has increased. Not bad for the time invested.
Editors note: The old style aluminum pumps are available from Sunbeam Specialties and other Ford parts suppliers.