Water Pump Grease - Derby

Neil Bennet · Posted: Mon Jan 02, 2012 7:04 pm Post subject: Water Pump Grease - Derby

Hi,

I am rebuilding my water pump on my Derby 1936.

What is the best recommended Grease to load into the grease cup.

Best supplied in England.

Cheers

Neil
_________________
Derby Bentley - DLA 377 - B153HM - 1936 4.25 Park Ward Saloon
Former owner MK VI - WKO 561 - B389MB
Burgess Hill, West Sussex, England, UK

Christopher Carnley · Posted: Mon Jan 02, 2012 9:09 pm Post subject:

Neil

Have you looked at the glands?

The last R-R recommendation was Shell Retinax "A", but any general purpose lithium hub bearing grease is OK.

Chris.

Neil Bennet · Posted: Tue Jan 03, 2012 6:07 pm Post subject:

Hi Chris,

Thanks for the recommended , I have been reading the service manual and the glands are highlighted. Are there any gotcha's here please.

Is Shell Retinax 'A' still available.

I was thinking of getting Penrite water pump grease, how is this please.

cheers

Neil
_________________
Derby Bentley - DLA 377 - B153HM - 1936 4.25 Park Ward Saloon
Former owner MK VI - WKO 561 - B389MB
Burgess Hill, West Sussex, England, UK

Laurie Fox · Guest

Neil may want some help on this. My experience of water pumps with greased glands is limited to those on a 1936 Armstrong Siddeley. I would expect the Derby pump shaft to show some signs of wear and would be uncertain as to how much wear is OK with a new gland. I would probably not refit the old gland.

Laurie

Christopher Carnley · Posted: Tue Jan 03, 2012 8:52 pm Post subject:

Neil,

The R-R recommendation is the same as mine, a general purpose hub grease, so you can use the same one for all applications, and no tin going to waste!

The form is to fill the cup with grease, then fill the cap about 1/3rd, then screw it all the way in. Unlike the MK VI distributor Stauffer.

The pump spindle packing is a complicated affair with 2 No white metal bearings and a double gland packing, among other parts.

I urge you to buy a new copy of the Derby Bentley Technical manual, a very good compilation of everything published on these cars, but you need to enroll with the Derby Spares scheme, so it will cost you about Â£170.

It isn,t as professionally written as the excellent MK VI one, but has helped me out no end, when coming back to a pile of bits some time after starting the job. There are loads of good diagrams.

Chris.

Neil Bennet · Posted: Tue Jan 03, 2012 9:18 pm Post subject:

Hi Chris,

I am the proud owner of the BIG FAT Green Derby book, this is my service manual, helping me to rebuild the water pump and soon to be the wiring replacement.

But you cannot beat experience, so I am always keen to learn from the Bentley Enthusiasts.

cheers

Neil
_________________
Derby Bentley - DLA 377 - B153HM - 1936 4.25 Park Ward Saloon
Former owner MK VI - WKO 561 - B389MB
Burgess Hill, West Sussex, England, UK

Guy Lachlan · Joined: 19 May 2012 Posts: 17 Location: Aylesbury UK

Fwiw, I use the Millers Water Pump grease in preference to the Penrite - just seems to more suit the application on our cars.
_________________
Guy Lachlan
Classic Oils, Aylesbury
1935 3½-litre, B157DK

Christopher Carnley · Posted: Thu Jun 07, 2012 12:53 pm Post subject:

Guy,

Are you selling copies of "Which Oil ?", by Richard Michell?

Very informative it is too, but there are some errors of research.

Chris.

Guy Lachlan · Joined: 19 May 2012 Posts: 17 Location: Aylesbury UK

No I'm not selling the book, but I did contact the publisher to ask about bulk pricing. Turned out the amazon price for one is the same a the publisher's price for 20, so no point! There are some errors in it, but on the whole it's a sound reference work.
_________________
Guy Lachlan
Classic Oils, Aylesbury
1935 3½-litre, B157DK

Steve Welton · Joined: 17 Oct 2013 Posts: 105

I noted with interest the advice on water pump grease. I have always used a designated water pump grease on A-Siddeleys, Sunbeams etc.. Indeed this and the packing or gland is available in ship's chandlers as it is used on prop shafts. My understanding has always been that the specific composition of the grease is important in preventing water ingress or egress ( depending on application ) whilst reducing the extent to which the shaft wears. I have taken many pumps apart where the shafts have been very worn indeed and over the last four or five decades have discussed these with older and more experienced boys than me. Without exception they recommended using water pump grease or stern tube grease. Of course these days, provided a good shaft, you would use a double lipped seal ; I did that on a Talbot 105 once.