Well, I think the water pump is shot as I'm leaking antifreeze and it seems to be dripping down the lower coolant hose. Anyways, before I change it I know I have to drain the coolant, but I was wondering if I need to drain it from the engine block as well, or just from the radiator. Also, I have no idea how much coolant is in there, so how big of a bucket do i need to drain it in? thanks

 

Why worry about the coolant? It will pick up dirt as it leaves the radiator. You will need two gallon jugs. Do not buy the premixed stuff, because after flushing the motor with water, you will need full strength coolant, to dilute the pure water in the motor. The motor plugs are a bitch, and I think you should leave them alone.This is a good time to change the coolant , as well as the hoses. You will probably have to slice the hose ends, and peel them off the nipples. Consider this, too.
Lots of things to remove from a stock setup to get to the pump.
Remember where it all goes. Best of luck.

 

When you remove the pump any coolant will spill out from the block down to the point of the water pump mating surface.Even if you drain the rad first.Just disconnect the lower hose first.Let whatever coolant is in the block/rad spill out.Then remove the pump & let the remaining coolant flow out.Make sure when your ready to replace the pump.That your mating surfaces on the block are VERY dry.Or youll end up with coolant leaks.If i use something,its usually use a 5 gallon pail to drain the coolant into(from the rad),but it never fills up though.From the block i just let spill to the ground & hose it off right after.

 

Don't let his experience from his V-belt 1983 scare ya. They are much much more difficult. If you're working on the 1991, the serpentine setups are cake to work on. It won't even have a 5/8inch heater hose coming out of it to worry about. All that I can think of that has to be removed is the belt. If you don't already know, to take the belt off, you just need a 1/2inch drive rachet or breaker bar and put it in the 1/2 inch drive hole on the idler pully braket and just take the tension of the belt. Just keep a note of how the belt is routed if you don't have the routing sticker still on the underside of the hood.

Tom

 

Cool, so i dont need to unscrew the 2 engine block plugs. Now once I have the water pump on, and everything srt up, do I just fill the radiator up to the top, then run it for a while and fill it up some more? Or is there a better way to refill the coolant?

 

Yup, you've pretty much got it, just don't forget to put some sort of thread sealer on the bolts. Teflon tape always works for me.

Tom

 

Dumb question, I know....but do i need to mix the antifreeze and water before I put it in the radiator, or can I just pour the antifreeze in and then pour the water in?

 

The reason that I suggested that you get straight coolant, is that I know that you intend to run a garden hose through the engine, to get out some rust and goop.
This will leave you with nothing but straight water in the block.
You would then have to begin with a gallon of straight anti-freeze . It is your car, but why not go that extra mile? Excuse the pun. If not motivated to do so, a 50/50 mix is appropriate.
Did you know that antifreeze looses its lubricative properties after some use, and this is a big reason why water pumps fail?
Most people are too lazy to change the stuff, or drop in a $.99 bottle of pump lube