well...i put it off as long as i could, it is now time for me to change my waterpump...i was wanting to try to do it myself, i have one of the haynes manuals to help me do it..but i was wondering what you guys might suggest, if it would be alright for me to do it myself...or if i should take it in to someone...i would really like to try and do it myself, and if anyone could give me any help on the easiest way to go about doing this, to reach it and such, please post or e-mail me at megaparanoid@yahoo.com

 

Kaas,

You're asking different questions. It's easiest to take the car to a mechanic to change the pump, but more expensive. In my opinion, it's best to do it yourself, since most mechanics probably won't spend the time to prepare everything the way you would, detail everything, and take the same care you might.

Refresh our memories - what year/engine do you have? We should be able to lend a lot of hints and advice once we know that.

 

it's an 84 z-28, any hints would be appriated...i am actually wanting to do it myself, for i am wanting to be more experianced working on cars and such...but i don't want to mess up my car by messing something up badly heh.

 

OK, if you want hints - while you have the coolant drained out of it, think about the condition of all the cooling system hoses. Are they soft/spongy? Also, do you know the last time it had the thermostat and coolant changed? Look in the radiator - is it crusty? Does the radiator seem to be in good shape externally? Finally, while you have the belts loose, inspect them for cracks/strings. These are the most obvious and common related parts I can think of to check. Hope this helps.

 

It's an easy job. Just buy one and go do it.

About the only things I can think of that might be a problem, would include the pulley studs; you could either buy new ones (about $2), or use 2 nuts on each of hte old ones to pull them; and at least one of the bolts (specifically the lower one on the driver's side) goes into the water jacket, and must have some type of non-hardening sealer applied to it, so just put sealer on all of them. Don't use silicone, on either the gaskets or the bolt; use Permatex 300, or their purple gasket sealer.

Like the other post said, now is the time to inspect, or renew, or replace everything else you touch. If this motor has a fan clutch, definitely put a new one in, get the thermostatic type not the centrifugal type (in other words, don't get the cheeepest thing you can find); put a new lower radiator hose on it even if the one that's there looks good, because it's easy now but is a PITA later; all new belts if you haven't changed all of them lately; etc.

 

I was able to do this with no help, so you should have no problem. Just be careful on what you disturb and remember where everything goes, that was my biggest problem. That and I attempted a whole bunch more stuff at the same time and got confused. I used a non thermal clutch, as Id rather have the motor run super cool over running to 220. It keeps the motor to 180 instead of 220 now, which I figure gives me a better gain than the less drag would. But I could be (and often am) wrong on that one.

 

thanks for all the advice guys..i was also wondering if any of you could tell me how to know if my radiator is bad or not..cause it is leaking really really bad now..and everytime i pull the car over and check the coolant, the overflow is full and boiling. When i put water in the radiator, it usually leaks out almost as fast as i put it in

 

Kaas,

When you say the coolant is leaking out, do you mean overflowing back through the filler neck or leaking out somewhere else? If you have leakage from some other point, you'll need to repair that before you worry about a water pump.

 

See if there is anybody in your area. Look in the regional boards and at www.nethirdgen.org. You might be surprised to find someone very close by that can help you out.

 

it is leaking somewhere else...towards the area of the water pump/lower radiator hose...where all can the coolant leak at other than the pump and the hoses? and i need to change the water pump for sure, when i took my car in to change the clutch, i asked him to do a pressure test, and he came back as the water pump

 

Kaas,

So what you are saying is that the coolant leaks out somewhere while you are filling it, but not necessarily out of the radiator. You are also indicating that you had a pressure test that revelaed a leak at the water pump, and that you can see leakage near the water pump and/or lower hose - but NOT visibly from the radiator tanks or fin tubes. Correct me if/where I'm mistaken.

If the water pump seal has failed, you will get leakage out of the lower weep hole in the pump body, and the coolant will drip down along the lower hose. Leakage at the rear cover of the water pump can do the same thing, so basically the pump is leaking.

Pump replacement is an easy task as others have outlined. There are a few things to check or investigate when you're doing the replacement:

• If the cooling system hasn't been serviced/flushed in the last tow years, this is your golden opportunity;
• Open the radiator drain petcóck and capture all the coolant you can. Remove the radiator cap to vent the system and allow faster draining;
• Remove the fan shroud if necessary to access the fan hub nuts/bolts;
• Loosen the fan hub bolts but don't completely remove them just yet;
• Remove the accessory belts, lower radiator hose, and any heater hose connection(s) you may have at the pump;
• Remove the fan hub nuts and fan (you left the belt in place to keep the pump from turning while you loosened the fan nuts/bolts);
• Remove the upper alternator bracket and move the alternator out of the way. Be careful not to short the output stud on any grounded surface. You may want to remove the battery ground cable to be safe;
• Remove the old pump and locate a replacement supplier;
• Inspect the replacement pump, since it will likely be a remanufactured unit. Remove the rear cover of your current pump and note/measure the depth of the vanes on the impeller. Remove the cover of the replacement pump before you buy it and make sure the vanes of the replacement have not been cut down or eroded. Shallow vanes will cause flow problems and overheating in the next few months;
• Make sure the replacement pump has the heater hose fitting or pipe plug that you need. If the replacement has no hose fitting, you'll have to transfer the one from your existing pump. When you remove the fitting, wire brush the threads clean, apply a Teflon sealant like Loctite PST or Permatex Pro-Lock, and install it in the new pump;
• Get some of your favorite color engine paint or Rust-O-Leum to paint the replacement pump before you install it. Chances are the replacement will be bare cast iron with only some sort of rust preventive coating on it, and it will rust on your engine. If you don't care about that, you can skip the painting;
• Reseal the rear cover of the replacement pump and check the bolt torque;
• Use two jamb nuts locked to each fan hub stud to remove your original and transfer them to the replacement pump if the replacement doesn't come with studs (probably won't);
• Clean the gasket surfaces on the block with a gasket scraper until all traces of the old gaskets and sealers are gone and you're down to bare iron;
• Inspect the rear outlet flanges of the replacement pump, deburr as necessary, and attach the gaskets with a light adhesive such as Permatex High-Tack;
• Install the replacement pump. Apply the same thread sealant you used on the plug/hose fitting to the bolts that hold the pump to the front of the engine. About 40 ft/lbs should be adequate;
• Inspect all the heater hoses and radiator hoses, and replace any that are soft, dried and cracking, or even suspect;
• Reconnect the hoses;
• Install the fan hub loosely - just snug the bolts into position;
• Install the alternator bracket, alternator, and belts. Inspect the belts for fraying, cracks, and glazing. Replace any that are beyond service. They are such a chore to replace, this would be a good time if you have any doubts;
• Do not tighten the drive belt(s) that operate the pump fully until it has been run in for a few minutes to distribute the grease in the front roller bearing. The grease tends to settle and harden a bit while the pump sits on the store shelves;
• Tighten the fan hub nuts/bolts and replace the fan shroud if you removed it;
• If you were considering replacing the thermostat with a fresh one, or changing to a lower temperature unit, this would be an excellent time to do so. If so, remove the original thermostat and reassemble the water outlet to the intake for the next steps, leaving the new thermostat out for now;
• Close the radiator petcóck and fill the system with clean water, keep the radiator cap off, and run the engine until it is warmed to check for leaks. Monitor the coolant flow in the open radiator side tank when the engine is fully warmed and the thermostat is open;
• If the system hasn't been flushed in two years, add a cooling system cleaner and follow the directions on the package;
• Drain the system and flush it again with clear water;
• If you are replacing the thermostat, remove the water outlet and install the new thermostat now;
• Drain the water and refill with a 40-50% mixture of antifreeze concentrate and water;
• Replace the radiator cap, adjust the accessory belts to their normal tension, and operate the engine to test for leaks. If everything went as planned, you'll be finished.

I believe I've covered most of the steps involved. If not, let me know what I missed. A few extra little steps along the way will make the difference between what you would have paid a mechanic to do and what you can do for yourself. And you'll have saved a few bucks and picked up some experience along the way.

One final note, dispose of that collected antifreeze properly. You can't just pour it in the driveway or storm sewer. Many municipalities with sewage treatment facilities prefer that antifreeze is poured into a sanitary sewer where it can be treated. If you have a private septic system, you certainly don't want to do that either. Find a disposal facility and take it there is necessary.