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water pump

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Old 07-05-2007, 04:16 PM
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Well I think the water pump is shot. leaks alot of coolant from that area. So I bought a new one today since Its annoying adding 1 gallon of coolant every day or so probably more now cause its leaking faster now. How hard is it to replace? Looks best to take off the wheel and wheel wells and such to get to it but after that is it pretty much just unbolt it and bolt the new one in? Also how do you change the pulleys over? Ive never done it. And estimated time to do it? I dont work till 5pm so i have plenty of time during the day.
Old 07-05-2007, 04:55 PM
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Make sure its the pump first by feeling under the pulley for wetness the pull up and down on the pulley to see if it has play in it.
Its pretty simple from the top. Pull up on your overflow tank and put it aside. Then remove the pulley bolts. Use a large srewdriver under two of the bolts to stop it from turning.
Old 07-05-2007, 05:30 PM
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It seems to be leaking from the bottom of the pump. Alright let me double check what I need to do. So I remove the tank for the windshield washer then I can get to the pump from the top without removing the wheel. Remove the bolts on the pulley to remove it and then remove the bolts on the pump. Put new gasket on and pump and put pulley back on and put everything back together. I've never worked on a serpentine belt setup so how do I loosen the tention on the belt? I've only worked on old trucks that have 2-3 V-Belts.
Old 07-05-2007, 06:05 PM
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Belt is pretty simple just use wrench or socket on tensioner pulley nut and turn counter clockwise ( I beleive), youll be able to pull belt off alternator
Old 07-06-2007, 11:43 AM
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I just changed mine a couple of months ago and I didn't have to remove the overflow or washer bottles. It will be easier if you do, but not absolutely necessary.
The most time consuming part of the job for me was scraping the old gasket material off the block. Also cleaning the bolts took me a while, I did it by hand with a wire brush but a bench grinder with a wire wheel would be quicker.
I used Ultra Grey sensor safe Permatex on the new gasket and on the water pump bolts. Some of the water pump bolt holes are open to water jackets in back and will leak externally if not well sealed. I let it sit for a full day to cure the sealant before I put coolant back in it.

When mine failed there was no play in the hub, it was leaking out the bottom. It wasn't anywhere near the gallon a day that you are experiencing, but it was enough to notice. Then one day on the way home, it really let go. So you won't necessarily feel any play by wiggling the pulley, but if you do it'* a bad sign.
Old 07-06-2007, 03:10 PM
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I can't even get a socket on any of the pulley nuts. I got a 10mm on one at one point but I couldn't get it to turn except the whole pulley and it came off when I tried to get something to stop the pulley from moving.

*edit* The one bolt that I could get the 10mm on broke just my luck. Which way do I turn it if I looking straight at it just like normal lefty loosey.
Old 07-06-2007, 03:59 PM
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Originally Posted by Mattster
I can't even get a socket on any of the pulley nuts. I got a 10mm on one at one point but I couldn't get it to turn except the whole pulley and it came off when I tried to get something to stop the pulley from moving.

*edit* The one bolt that I could get the 10mm on broke just my luck. Which way do I turn it if I looking straight at it just like normal lefty loosey.
on my car its a 8mm bolt on the pulleys

and its standard lefty loosey
Old 07-06-2007, 04:06 PM
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8mm is to small, 9mm too small. 10mm worked on one of them. And I can't get anything else to fit the other ones. that dome on the housing makes it difficult to get a socket on them not enough clearance.

I'm thinking since Im replacing the pump anyways to take a hack saw and just say it off if that would work.
Old 07-06-2007, 10:13 PM
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As you are standing on the passenger side of the car looking at the pulley, the bolts will turn counter-clockwise.
It seems to me like it would be as hard to hold it still trying to saw it off as it is trying to use a ratchet on the bolts. That sounds like a final, angry approach. I don't recommend it.
I used the cheapest Craftsman 1/4" drive ratchet they sell and my shortest socket of whatever size it was. I don't remember right off. If the same socket won't fit on all of yours someone may have used a substitute bolt in the past or you are dealing with severe corrosion. If it is corrosion, you might want to try some penetrant like PB Blaster, just be sure not to let it drip down on your crank position sensor or anything else important down there. Let it sit for a while to soak in.
Get the socket and ratchet on the bolt head and hold it and the pulley still with one hand and use the other hand to tap on the end of the ratchet handle to get the bolt loosened. Get them all loosened first, then go back and spin them out. If they don't break loose or seize on the way spinning out, you may have to resort to cutting them. But only as a last resort unless you already have new bolts to put it back on with.
Old 07-07-2007, 02:06 AM
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I'll see what I can do in the morning. The one bolt started to turn then it snapped.


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