Another Case of Unnecessary Stag Paranoia?

[DJT]

I rebuilt the water pump on my Stag back in 2014 when I did the head gaskets. It was in good condition, so I was happy to use it again. Since then I have done around 24,000 miles. Back in 2007 (with my previous Stag) I had water pump failure on the M25 on my way to Brooklands, due to the gears wearing out. With the trip to Silverstone looming , I started to have nightmares about the same thinghappening again, so I have invested in a Stagdad water pump kit. Removed the pump today to find it was in perfect condition and would probably have outlasted me. Oh, well. At least I should be able to sleep at night again!

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[AndyG]

Best thing I ever did installing the StagDad kit. Has been running for 6 months now with no issues.

[NeilR]

Totaly agree with orginal post.

A few weeks ago, while messing with my active breather system, I inadvertantly put the PCV valve in the wrong way round !!, another senior moment.
This blew the oil seal out of position in the water pump & was filling the V with oil. So off with inlet manifold & out with pump, gears were as good as
the day I assembled this engine - 22,000 miles later.

No point in replacing that with something else, new water pump oil seal & while I was at it, new bearing. All back together again, slap on wrist - don't do it again.

There were no other damaged oil seals fortunately.

[macstag1]

Paranoia is the name of the game. Has a great run down to the coast on drive it day, on the the way back there was suddenly a scraping, scratching sound, My Wife looked at me worriedly,, I frantically checked the gauges, looking out side for tractors etc. wondering what could possible be the cause of the noise when I realised I had inadvertently turned on the radio as I was adjusting the heater control and the radio was searching for a station. The car has been running perfectly for months but the paranoia never leaves.

[RobinLegin]

I thought paranoia comes as a standard feature with classic car ownership! If venturing out in either the Stag or the Alvis Grey Lady I make sure I have a boot full of tools and some « essential » spares just in case. The only thing I ever needed was K seal to get home in the Grey Lady from Brittany when the head gasket blew.

My wife thinks another feature of classic car ownership is optimism!

[barkerwilliams]

For me after a couple of removals of the water pump it was just too much trouble. Most cars a couple of hoses and three bolts and you back in business, with the Stag too much work and too much collateral damage needed for a simple pump repair or inspection.
My original pump, seemingly in good condition now lurks in a plastic bag with a silica gel pack awaiting a future owner who wants to spend more time in the garage and fewer hours on the road.

Alan

[mike@thenook]

I have to say that if I needed to replace/recondition my pump again due to it leaking I would 100% replace it with a Stagdad external pump. I’ve only had to do the job twice due to a leaking pump but I’ve not had a catastrophic failure of a pump in the 30+ years I’ve owned two different Stags but IMHO the parts that now seem to be marketed for reconditioning or as complete replacement pump are just not to be trusted so for that reason and the fact it’s a pain in the arse to remove and replace manifold that hides it easily the next time that hole will be plugged..

[AndyG]

+1 it really is a worry free upgrade

[trunt]

Haha, having a bout of that myself..been chasing a clunk, found that but was still perplexed by a noise from the prop shaft .. cv joints? Diff extension bearing? prop spline? What expensive thing could it be??

Tonight I found a plastic fuel return line I had installed “just” touching the prop shaft... easy fix..

RELAX!

[RNF]

Talk about "Stag paranoia". Try driving your Stag when the temp in the shade is 105+°F (42°C in your world). Best thing I ever did was Steve's Stagdad kit.

[davidf]

I’ve towed my caravan in similar temperatures; guess what, the Stag cooling system works!

[DJT]

I've only once had an issue with overheating in over 100,000 miles of Stag driving, and that was when the water pump gears let go as mentioned in my original post, so I know the cooling system works.

On a positive note, close examination of the inlet manifold gaskets when removed indicate that the front right one was ready to let go, which explains the occasional small amount of coolant in the vee. External pump now fitted and working fine. Gasket faces of the inlet manifold all dressed with fine glass paper on a flat surface, Payen gaskets fitted with Stag Wellseal, so fingers crossed that they will last.

I would really like to have a chat with the engineer responsible for signing off on the Inlet manifold design which has 12 bolts, only nine of which you can get a socket on. The front two are difficult enough to do with a spanner, yet the jokers in Triumph still specified a torque setting (20lb/ft)......

[mike@thenook]

“I would really like to have a chat with the engineer responsible for signing off on the Inlet manifold design which has 12 bolts, only nine of which you can get a socket on. The front two are difficult enough to do with a spanner, yet the jokers in Triumph still specified a torque setting (20lb/ft).....”

I’m with you on that Dave, absolutely appalling design and not I would say from a competent engineer!

[022Dave]

I would really like to have a chat with the engineer responsible for signing off on the Inlet manifold design which has 12 bolts, only nine of which you can get a socket on. The front two are difficult enough to do with a spanner, yet the jokers in Triumph still specified a torque setting (20lb/ft)......

Notwithstanding the lack of Triumph's engineering prowess on this design, is there any scope for using Allen socket-headed bolts on the inlet manifold? As well as easier fitting, they could all be torqued up equally. I've not tried it, hence my question.

Other Dave

[DJT]

Notwithstanding the lack of Triumph's engineering prowess on this design, is there any scope for using Allen socket-headed bolts on the inlet manifold? As well as easier fitting, they could all be torqued up equally. I've not tried it, hence my question.

Other Dave

Still got the same problem with the front two. Open ended spanner is about it. No room for an Allen key...... Even the front one on the left rear gasket won't take a socket. I tried with a short 1/4-inch drive socket and swivel coupled to a 3/8-inch drive torque wrench.....

Dave