Austin Healey Water Pumps for Engine Cooling

The water pump is one of the key parts that keeps an Austin Healey cooling system doing its job. It circulates coolant through the engine and radiator, so if the pump is worn, leaking, noisy or poorly matched to the belt and pulley setup, the rest of the system has a harder time than it should.

Choose from premium CAD-designed Big Healey water pumps, standard replacement pumps, Sprite and MG Midget pumps, pulleys, fan belts and the BN1-BN2 narrow belt conversion route. The right combination helps keep coolant moving properly and the belt running where it should, which is always preferable to diagnosing belt noise at the roadside.

• Premium Big Healey pumps: CAD-designed, CNC-machined and supplied with pulley and gasket.
• Standard Big Healey pumps: straightforward replacement routes for owners keeping the car closer to standard specification.
• Sprite and MG Midget pumps: model-led replacement pumps for MK1-MK3 and MK4 cars.
• Pulleys and fan belts: match the pump to the correct belt width and pulley arrangement.
• Cooling troubleshooting: useful when dealing with leaks, bearing noise, belt problems, poor circulation or overheating diagnosis.

Choose the correct Austin Healey water pump

Start with the model, then confirm the pulley and belt setup. BN1-BN2 cars use the Austin Healey 100 route, six-cylinder BN4-BJ8 cars use 3/8-inch or 1/2-inch pulley arrangements depending on the car, and Sprite/MG Midget pumps are chosen by model range and engine size.

For Big Healey owners carrying out proper cooling system work, the premium water pumps are the strongest route. They are made new, designed around improved function and suited to restoration, recommissioning, engine-bay refreshes and touring preparation where coolant circulation is being dealt with properly.

Premium Big Healey water pumps

Need a straightforward replacement pump instead? Standard new water pumps are also available for BN1-BN2 without pulley, BN4-BJ8 with 3/8-inch pulley and BJ8 with 1/2-inch pulley.

Sprite & MG Midget water pumps

For Sprite and MG Midget owners, the water pump route is clear: choose the correct replacement pump for the model range. The important part is fitting the correct pump while the cooling system is already drained and access is sensible.

Water pump pulleys, fan belts and conversion parts

These supporting parts are included here because the water pump does not work in splendid isolation. The pulley and belt must suit the pump and the car. Mix the wrong pieces and the cooling system may reward you with noise, slip, vibration or a belt that develops travel plans.

Water pump pulleys

Fan belts

BN1-BN2 narrow belt conversion

A water pump is worth checking whenever the cooling system is drained, the fan belt is being changed, the engine is out, the radiator is removed, or the car is being recommissioned after standing. Access is half the battle, and Healeys are very good at reminding you when you missed the easy moment.

Do not blame the water pump automatically for every hot-running issue. A restricted radiator, weak fan, tired hoses, incorrect thermostat, poor coolant choice, wrong cap, belt slip or poor coolant circulation can all make the temperature gauge look lively. The pump is one important part of the diagnosis, not the only suspect in the line-up.

• Check for leaks: staining, drips or coolant marks around the pump area need attention.
• Listen for bearing noise: rumbling or roughness can point to pump wear.
• Check pulley alignment: a mismatched pulley or belt can cause noise, slip and poor engagement.
• Check belt condition: old, glazed, cracked or incorrect-width belts should be replaced.
• Look deeper: repeated overheating still needs the wider cooling system checked before parts are blamed unfairly.

Back to Austin Healey Cooling Advice

Useful cooling checks while you are there

A water pump works best as part of a clean, correctly matched cooling system. Before fitting parts and calling it done, check radiator efficiency, hoses, coolant, thermostat and fan setup too. That is less exciting than ordering one shiny part and hoping for the best, but it generally ends better.