desperate!!!! Water pump help needed

Get some liquid wrench.

well if your car is like mine and had a leaky waterpump gasket for a long time, some water got in the timing cover and rusted the bolts all to hell. Even my impact wrench wouldn't do anything, I had to use a 4 foot cheater bar and a 1/2" ratchet which broke the bolts and then I used a zip gun to try and "disturb" the rust to get the bolts out with a set of good vice-grips. Even then I had to tear open part of the timing cover to get a bolt out... freaking 20 minute job turned into 4 hours... and a new timing cover

When i did mine last summer it required a 3' breaker bar. Luckily i didn't have to do anything more, i would say get some PB blaster and a big bar. Worst case, maybe a cutting wheel?

Take a cardboard box, & turn it upside down. Count the number of bolts that hold the water pump on, don’t forget to count the 4 funny looking studs too. Poke a hole in the box for each bolt/stud. Arrange the holes in a circular formation, and mark the box at the 12:00 point. When you remove a water pump bolt, put it in one of the holes in the box according to where it came out of the water pump. When you are done, all bolts will be arranged it the exact same order and position that you removed them from the water pump. That makes re-installing them easy, no wondering where does this bolt go.

Use lots of NeverSeeze when you reassemble the pump bolts. That will make it easier next time (yes, there will always be a next time!).
Here’s the parts list for the broken water pump bolts. Not cheap, but it will get you fixed and back on the road…

A word about the links, if they don’t work, do a search on the part number (P/N). MSC updates their catalog regularly, and the pages may change, but the part numbers don’t. You will need the Adobe Acrobat viewer which is also a free download – http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html


http://www1.mscdirect.com/CGI/NNPDFF?PMPAGE=1096 Use drill bushing 5/16” OD, 5/32” ID, ¾” long, P/N 07010457, price $8.57 This centers the drill bit in the housing bolt hole so you don’t get off center and damage the water pump, timing cover housing or engine block


http://www1.mscdirect.com/CGI/NNPDFF?PMPAGE=27 drill bits - use 5/32” Cobalt/TiN coated bit. P/N 78530433, price $3.91

http://www1.mscdirect.com/CGI/NNPDFF?PMPAGE=1928 Screw/bolt extractors. Use EZY-OUT Screw Extractor P/N 63760037 Price $2.67


One step specialty item: See Drill-Out® Broken Bolt Extractors drill bushing, reverse twist drill & extractor all in one unit. Best to use when the bolt breaks off with the remaining part below the start of the threads. .P/N 05027164. Price $18.33 each. You MUST have a reversing drill motor (either air or electric) to use this bit. http://www1.mscdirect.com/CGI/NNPDFF?PMPAGE=19268

A long shank tap should be used to chase the leftover metal out of the original threads. Also recommended to clean the corrosion and dirt out of the threads before you reassemble everything. Cleaning the threads will help prevent the bolts from seizing next time (yes, there will be a next time).

Long shank 5/16” taps

http://www1.mscdirect.com/CGI/NNPDFF?PMPAGE=279 5/16” pulley tap, 6” shank P/N 04801189 price $14.26

OR second choice, will not clean all the bottom threads unless you grind the end of the tap.

http://www1.mscdirect.com/CGI/NNPDFF?PMPAGE=2798 extension tap, 6” reduced diameter shank P/N 04701181 $16.17

See http://www.windsorfox.com for Stainless Steel Water Pump Bolts with Custom stainless steel studs. Allow the use of factory accessory brackets without hunting for obsolete parts or using spacers.

Kit comes complete with nine polished stainless 12 point bolts, four stainless studs and nine stainless oversized washers.

Price: $65.95

See http://totallystainless.net/totally.html for the bolts. Last time I checked, they didn't have the studs. Nice folks, very into cars of all types. They have all kinds of stainless fasteners for almost every car. The prices are very reasonable, less the $8 for the water pump kit without the studs.

The studs are a Motormite item available at your local Advance Discount auto Parts store.

Motormite Water Pump Stud Kits for Ford, Lincoln and Mercury cars and trucks w/3.8L, 4.6L, 5.0L, 5.8L.



Part Number: 23744

Just a quick suggestion... If you end up using an "easy out" type of broken bolt extractor, try VERY HARD not to break the easy out off in the bolt. They are made out of very hard steel, and are nearly impossible to get out if you break one.

When you broke the bolt, did it break with any part of it sticking out so you can get some vice grips or something on it? It definitely sounds like you will end up removing the timing cover.

Jeff

Boss 351 said:

well if your car is like mine and had a leaky waterpump gasket for a long time, some water got in the timing cover and rusted the bolts all to hell. Even my impact wrench wouldn't do anything, I had to use a 4 foot cheater bar and a 1/2" ratchet which broke the bolts and then I used a zip gun to try and "disturb" the rust to get the bolts out with a set of good vice-grips. Even then I had to tear open part of the timing cover to get a bolt out... freaking 20 minute job turned into 4 hours... and a new timing cover

Click to expand...

You are exactly right!!! Mine were rusty too, but luckly they came out. I cleaned them all up then put some grease on them and slapped it together.

As far as some advice to the guy doing the pump....HEAT will work wonders.. Get a torch on them things. Or just run the motor to operating temperature, and then try them.

I had the same exact issue..i broke two...one of them way in the timing chain cover. I used an easy out for the one that was deep in there and a good set of vice grips and a torch for the one that was sticking out. Its no fun man...good luck

Hammer the bolt heads a little, and when you remove them, take your time. If you're using a cheater bar give it a sort of swaying motion instead of a constent pull... you want to try and loosen the rust. Untight, tight, untight, tight... and use plenty of loosenut (whatever brand)...

These jobs are a PITA when stuff like this happens. When I rebuild my engine, I'm getting an ENTIRE ARP stainless bolt kit for the engine from intake to oil pan.

Boss 351 said:

Hammer the bolt heads a little, and when you remove them, take your time. If you're using a cheater bar give it a sort of swaying motion instead of a constent pull... you want to try and loosen the rust. Untight, tight, untight, tight... and use plenty of loosenut (whatever brand)...

Click to expand...

Excellent advice! Smack the head of each bolt a couple times with a hammer, often that will break the bolt loose and it will come out a LOT easier.

Jeff

don't hammer it like a madman either... you want to break the rust loose, nothing else

Boss 351 has an excellent point: vibration has a way of loosening rusted fasteners without breaking them. Soak them and vibrate them and then soak and virbrate them some more...

krd005 said:

I have a 87 gt ragtop which has been in the driveway more than on the road this year. I am now tackling the WATER PUMP.

How in the hell do I remove those darn bolts. I'm a big dude and can't get them to budge!!!

Help me!!!

Click to expand...

AIRTOOLS!!!!!!!!!!!!

Personally, I wouldnt use air tools. The impact characteristic is nice, but most tools dont allow you to modulate the turning action with enough precision (you need to 'feel' what the fastener is doing).

The advice above with breaking the threads free is very good.

Good luck.

i wouldnt use a IMPACK gun because i broke one that way... lucky it just broke the very tip off and i was able to still thread it back in and tight it down... but all the bolts were real easy for me to get out, just needed a lil breaker bar