The Triumph Dolomite Club - Discussion Forum

Hi all, thought I would share my experience of removing a stubborn water pump cage removal from my Sprint. Apologies if this is old news but I was seriously stumped and hadn't seen this method before in my searching.

I had followed Jon Tilson's excellent guide but found, as I believe is very common, when the pump came out it left the brass cage behind. No amount of gentle persuasion with a slide hammer moved it at all, even with a good amount of WD40 applied.

I didn't want prise it out with screwdrivers in case I damaged anything so looked around for some options on Amazon and came up with this....
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07D189M7N/ ... 7EbNA6QC5Z

I inserted the 3 hooked legs under the cage, braced the legs on either side of the water pump hole on the block and screwed down with a 3/4 spanner, applying an upward force on the cage from underneath. The cage came out smooth as silk with no damage to cage nor block!

My next question is how do I see if the bush at the bottom is damaged or should I remove it anyway and replace. I saw there was a method using grease to remove it but I am not quite sure how, can anybody help?

That tool looks the biz, good find.

Removing the block bush is as 'simple' as finding a bar that is the same diameter as the pump shaft. Half fill the bush with grease, insert bar and apply blunt force trauma. A good snug fit of the bar in the bush is all that matters. I've tried and failed using wooden dowel and under sized bar shimmed with tape, here lies frustration. But the sheer simplicity of the job when you have the right tool brings a real smile to your face. Much like that puller I imagine.

What a great find with that tool payload, i have just ordered one in the hope i will never use it

Tinweevil, you gave me a great laugh by saying "apply blunt force trauma" In the motor trade its called f*ckin' tw*t it one..... I will remember that saying in this pc world

Tony.

tinweevil wrote: ↑Sun Jun 21, 2020 7:14 pm Half fill the bush with grease, insert bar and apply blunt force trauma.

Ah, using the incompressibility effect. An effing brilliant solution!

Like the puller too. My car's pump cage was totally resistant to removal with a slide hammer, and I didn't have the wherewithalls to make puller from a toggling oveled washer, etc. So I rebuilt the pump into the cage stuck in the block. Seems to have worked. But next time, I'll get one of these in advance - in which case, the cage will have been loosened by use and will fall out on its own.

Graham

GrahamFountain wrote: ↑Mon Jun 22, 2020 12:45 pm Ah, using the incompressibility effect.

Exactly. The first time I tried it I was far from convinced but it came out half way on the first whack Another time is was much more difficult to get moving, perhaps that one had been pushed all the way to the bottom of the housing so the grease couldn't get under it to begin with. So long as your aim is good it is totally non-destructive so if one wouldn't move you've lost nothing.

So - is it feasible to use the old water pump shaft as the bar that can remove the bush with the grease method? Or will the blunt force needed probably break the old pump?

First time I read of it was in one of the MC rags reporting a Suzuki Cobra owner whose fuel tap leaked. It had filled the crankcase to capacity with two stroke mix overnight, which transferred over the piston when he tried to turn it over, and the incompressibility of the fuel jammed it solid. It only got worse when he wheeled it down the bike shop and they got that big guy they all had in the workshop, who jumped on the kickstart a few time before announcing the gearbox was jammed. There was a photo of the conrods bent s shaped - not sure how they both got bent though, as two stroke twins should be one up one down, not both together.

Graham

payload wrote: ↑Mon Jun 22, 2020 1:25 pm So - is it feasible to use the old water pump shaft as the bar that can remove the bush with the grease method? Or will the blunt force needed probably break the old pump?

If I recall correctly no, it has a cutout to allow oil down onto the bush. Hmm, cutout doesn't describe it well - Flatted off part? D shape? No success searching for a picture.

Yes there is a flat on the bottom of the shaft from memory, you can hold it in the vice.

Thanks all, makes sense. I will search for a bar to do the job.

Ian

This picture was on the Forum some time ago about a water pump rebuild job