Re: 1929 640 Water pump/fan hub pulley

Posted by Owen_Dyneto On 2014/1/13 10:15:59

According to Turnquist's commentary on the 6th Series in his book, "The first Standard Eights had a side-mounted water pump to save space between the fan and the radiator. The pump proved very unsatisfactory and a conventional type pump was installed after 2 months of production". Not that Turnquist always had his facts straight.

The Kimes tome in the chapter on the 6th series cars (by Morgan Yost) has it differently: "The pump at the front of the block had to be compressed, leaving no space for the Alemite fitting to grease the fan and water pump bearing, this solved by providing a hole in the fan hub to receive an Alemite fitting which would have to be removed and a pipe plug screwed in. "Important" warned the Information Book, Do not leave the Alemite filling in the pulley as ut tends to throw the assembly out of balance". The fan belt could not be replaced except by loosening and tilting the radiator forward, rather a chore. Packard was soon aware of it's mistake and changed the pump location mid-model to a left-side position on the bottom radiator hose. The following year the engine would be relocated, twin fan belts installed, and the redesigned pump put back in it's original position".

So, take your choice of two different scenarios from the "historians". To me, the Morgan Yost explanation seems the more plausible.