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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - 1500 prostate trouble

The water pump on my 1500 midget is dribbling coolant. I looked up my Haynes manual while waiting for a new pump to arrive. The manual tells me to remove the radiator then the pump. It looks to me as if there will be room to remove the pump with the rad in place.

I can't see anything in the archives.

Has anyone out there removed a 1500 water pump with the rad in place?

Allan
Allan ('76 Midget 1500)

Yep I've just put a new one on mine with the rad in place. It can be done with some patience and a pack of band-aids for your knuckles.

Loosen the alternator, remove the belt and unbolt the top mount then push the altrntr right back out of the way. Unbolt the fan from the pump then you will have enough clearance to get it out. The three bolts on the pump flange can be got at by spanner but are a little fiddly.

Make sure you protect your rad from damage while working by taping a piece of card on the engine-side face of it. Don't forget to take it back off afterwards!

Bob T

Thanks Bob,

"a pack of band-aids for your knuckles."

Can you recommend any good swear words to use on the job?

Allan
Allan ('76 Midget 1500)

I've always found using swearing as Punctuation a good start:)
K Harris

Allan,
As the proud owner of an MG Midget I'm suprised you need a recomendation for good swear words. You should know and have used them all by now. Lol
Phil (.**!?**)in Florida
Phil

Phil,

*&%$@~ I thought there might be some new ones out there.
Allan ('76 Midget 1500)

I find "bollocks" to be a good english word for accidental damage - well known over here, but may not cause offense in america
Will Munns

As a term of general frustration I frequently use "oh for f**ks sake!" and find it quite satisfying.

For abusing inanimate objects my preferred choice is an american term "you dirty motherf**ker!".

I hope you find both of these as useful as I have.
Bob T

I have found little satisfaction in using foul language & considering that the removal of the radiator only requires 2 hose clamps & a handful of fasteners, I prefer to just get it out of the way. It reduces the bashed knuckles, protects a fragile & expensive piece of equipment, allows me to give it a thorough flushing in both directions with a garden hose & allows me to flush out the head & block. With all tnese positives, why would anyone put up with the grief to gain the false sense of saving time considering the wasted time working in a cramped area and washing & bandaging the scraped knuckles? Penny wise & dollar foolish.
Mike G

Lighten up Mike it's only a bit of fun.

"the removal of the radiator only requires 2 hose clamps & a handful of fasteners"

Not in my car it doesn't. I have a home made grille that requires removal to get at the rad mounts. Grille removal requires removal of the spotlights but the lock-rings are seized and I have broken an alen key in one of them. I can't drill it out because the alen key is harder than the lock-ring. Hence the need to change the pump with the rad in-situ
Allan ('76 Midget 1500)

And if your car has a vertical flow rad the water pump to rad hose is likely to cause amputation before it comes out happily and certainly before it goes back on. We older model Spridget owners know this far too well.

Far more fun to exercise the wonderful adaptibility of a flavour rich language.

But to each...
Bill

This thread was discussed between 21/06/2008 and 22/06/2008

MG Midget and Sprite Technical index

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