Water pump washer

[Wickstop]

Rebuilding my water pump and their are 3bronze washers 1/8"x2" and don't know where
they belong. The center holes fit the pump shaft tightly. Need advice.

[gunmetal 2]

This is a parts diagram for the the 28-31 ford water pump.

[AAholic]

I'd venture to say they were being used as spacers to take up excessive end play?

[spectria]

If they fit the shaft tightly, and OD fits even with the roller bearing, they go either side of the bearing, then run against the bearing edges, then packings, then cups.
#10 in the drawing above.

[E.Moore]

When rebuilding the Model A water pump, one needs to install the water pump with gasket on the head and move the water pump shaft toward the head. There is often a lot of wear on the water pump shaft stop (thrust) in the head. The extra brass shims are used to take up the excessive wear to prevent the water pump shaft from walking back and forth in the water pump housing bearing assembly. Many water pumps leak for one reason due to excessive shaft movement. When there is excessive wear, the fan will move back and forth and the fan belt can wear prematurely. .010 inch is what I measure between the water pump shaft and water pump shaft stop (thrust) on my engine with a NOS head and NOS water pump with the correct water pump to head gasket.