Water Pump Packing ?
 

I have been restoring my A for about 2 years now. It's a project that I started about 25 years ago, then started again about 2 years ago.
I started on the body first this time because 25 years ago, I stripped the car down the frame, and put a new rebuilt engine in it. The engine ran at idle a few times but that's where I stopped.
Now that the body's painted I needed to freshen up the paint on the engine and frame. I decided I would strip the engine down, and pull the head, the valve cover and oil pan. That way I could inspect and give a shot of mystery oil before hand cranking it.
After opening it up, I was amazed how good it looked. Very little rust inside the valve cover and everything else looked clean. The antifreeze that was left in the engine was a little sludgy, but not bad.
There is one thing i am concerned about though.
When I pulled the water pump, there was what I will describe as a glob of fabric type stuff wrapped up in the impeller and some pushed into the cooling passage of the head.
I'm guessing that it's waterpump packing, but it seems like a big glob. I'd say that it was a soggy handful.

Does this sound normal ?:confused:

Tommy-

Re: Water Pump Packing ?
 

I don't see how packing could get into the impeller unless it fell
in before the upper radiator hose was put on.

Bob

Re: Water Pump Packing ?
 

Mouse nest!

Re: Water Pump Packing ?
 

Doesn't sound like water pump packing to me if its a handful. Maybe what is left of a rag that was placed in the water outlet to protect against any foreign matter getting into the water passages of he head.

Re: Water Pump Packing ?
 

You should have 2 lead packing rings installed in the packing nut, and be sure they have lots of grease on them. As mentioned, there's no way for the packing to be back in the impeller. I also suspect a mouse nest or rag left behind.

Re: Water Pump Packing ?
 

I use the lead rings and fill the packing nut with water proof grease.

Re: Water Pump Packing ?
 

In a Volvo-122 gas tank, I found a foil GUM wrapper, once in awhile it would suck up to the end of the gas line & PFFFFFT, it wuz DEAD, then it would fall off & run GOOD! Most everyone in the shop had "worked" on thet car, including ME!!! I bought it CHEEP, from the owner.
Bill W.

Re: Water Pump Packing ?
 

I guess it's a good thing I opened this thing up.

Tommy-

Re: Water Pump Packing ?
 

While Chief was assisting a fellow tech in starting up a turbo diesel, just overhauled, a red shop rag got sucked in the open air intake. Chief grabbed the governor rod & ROARED it up for awhile. Red fuzz went ALL over the shop, but the engine WASN'T DAMAGED!!! RED FUZZ was found all over the shop for weeks!
Bill W.