Re: Using water soluble oil in radiator to lubricate the water pump ?

Posted by Owen_Dyneto On 2018/3/1 8:17:02

Sure, water soluble oil was a standard staple of the auto parts stores for decades. It was normally sold as a combination rust inhibitor and water pump lube. But stop for a minute and think about it - the bearings on a water pump are protected from the coolant by seals - so how is the oil soluble oil supposed to get to the bearings? Answer - it can't until the seal fails, and the bearing is doomed when the seal fails, whether or not the water soluble oil is present. The product may have been useful as a rust inhibitor, but not as a lubricant for water pump bearings.

Replacing bearings and seals on a '34 Packard Eight pump is a very simple matter, bearings and seals are standard items available at any decent bearing outlet. The original bearings were open bearings so you needed to regularly lubricate via the oiler on the pump housing. But today, just buy sealed bearings - keep the oiler for show.