water pump oiling passage

[gearheadbill]

I ran in to something weird, maybe, while prepping my block for new water pumps. One of the oil slinging lubrication passages that supply the water pumps with lube is 1/4" diameter, the other only 1/8" diameter. Anybody run into this before?

Seems like both should be the 1/4", as the mating hole in the pumps and gaskets are larger than the 1/8" hole. I have to assume that a machining mistake occurred at the factory.

[J Franklin]

How many years and miles did it work well set up this way? I think there must be a good reason for the difference.

[gearheadbill]

I have no idea. Much of the car is original but I bought it from an estate and there's no one around with any history of the car.

[Brian]

They're all like that...I think it's to do with the rotation of the timing gear, centrifugal force throws the oil off the periphery of the gear, as the gear rotates further around, there would be less oil thrown off, so the oil hole on the furthest side is made bigger. Don't worry about it.

[RalphM]

Probably casting flaws, I’ve see the big hole for the water pump vanes also different sizes and not round either.

[deuce_roadster]

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Every block that has water pumps I have seen is this way. It might have something to do with how the cam gear throws oil.

[JWL]

Brian has the correct answer. The unit you describe is made just like the Ford drawing. More oil is being cast off the timing gears to one side and a larger hole is needed for the starving side.

[G.M.]

Originally Posted by Brian

They're all like that...I think it's to do with the rotation of the timing gear, centrifugal force throws the oil off the periphery of the gear, as the gear rotates further around, there would be less oil thrown off, so the oil hole on the furthest side is made bigger. Don't worry about it.

This is how the water pumps get lubricated. This oil is only gravity
flow to the pump bushings. Make sure you blow low pressure air
into the oil holes in the block and pumps. You should hear the air
in the engine. This will also insure there is not some kind of silicon
or other sealant blocking the holes. Only use a thin film of grease
on both sides of the gaskets. G.M.