Bob's Resource Website (2007)
Studebaker Water Pump Clearance



Sep 2005
Read service letter S-1048 dated July 10, 1962.    (Bottom of this page)
There are a number of reproduction V8 waterpumps around that are not correct.
The impeller is to far away from the housing and the pumps do not pump enough
water around the block and radiator and the cars overheat.

The critical dimension to check is the tip of the impeller to the mounting flange ,934-.938 ".
The drawing also shows the way the pulley hub should go on and how far the front of the hub to the mounting flange is. (2 33/64 ".)
The original Stude gaskets were thin.
The gaskets supplied with the repro pumps are much thicker and move the pump out to much and that increases the impeller to housing clearence and reduces the pump capacity or volume.

R.Kapteyn studebaker@mac.com

Bottom Line Quick reference

The following was offered by a fellow Stude owner, over the newsgroup in 2006.
I never got his name, but be thankful for his time and information
wpc1 - water pump impellers. standard on left --- HD on right

Notice the depressed area on bottom side of impeller
(standard pump) Both seem to use the same spring seal assembly.

wpc1.jpg
wpc2 - spring seal assembly wpc2.jpg
wpc3 - water pump bearing and seal wpc3.jpg
wpc4 - HD pump on left wpc4.jpg
wpc5 - HD on left / std on right wpc5.jpg
wpc6 - Big difference in spacing after correction. Standard on left is at ,out of box, specs. Notice impeller to housing area distance.
Now look at the HD pump on right! It has been corrected to Studebaker service letter 1962 specs. The impeller had to be moved up .80
wpc6.jpg
wpc7 - Bearing comparison
Standard bearing assembly on left
HD on right. Both bearings are the same measurements.
wpc7.jpg
wpc8 - seal comparison
Left- spring seal (bushing goes thru spring assembly) and is machine flared on back side so assembly stays intact. Middle -- HD seal Looks like the same seal except no thru. bushing (wonder if it is right?)

Right-- seal on another new pump. Notice bushing was not flared and came out separatly. Also looked like it had been damaged from the factory.

wpc8.jpg


TW, Sep 2005 Article

Larger image
Studebaker service letter

Larger image
Studebaker service letter