So I bought my Camaro with the power steering pump leaking, I figured it would be an easy fix.

Boy was I wrong, it's NOTHING like it is on my 87. I'm about halfway into disassembly, already found out that the bolt going into the head is stripped out (it's a freaking torx... why did GM use those?) so the bracket will never be able to be removed unless I can get in there and drill the bolt out. Image attached if the bolt. Sorry it's blurry, I had to slide my phone down the front of the engine to get it.

Since bracket removal was out of the question, I decided to get a pully puller. The first two I tried were too long, since I still had the radiator in the car. Finally found one, but even with a breaker bar on it I am unable to get it to turn, and the pully won't budge. Took a picture of the pully puller attached, only cost me $30 so it's not too horrible. Any thoughts on how to loosen it up?

 

Propane torch/PB Blaster. Try to heat the block around the bolt and not the bolt. Heat, quench w/PB Blaster. Lather/rinse/repeat. If that doesn't work, drill the head off the bolt so you can remove the bracket. With that out of the way, extracting the remaining "stud" should be easier.

 

Aright so I got the pulley off, took a little bit of elbow grease in addition to the WD40, bit it's off!

Now I've encountered the three torx bolts that hold the power steering pump on. Couldn't get two of them, so they're soaking overnight in wd40... I'll see how they do. I hate torx, feels so much like they're gonna strip out like the one in the head did.

 

I'm pulling my accessories off right now as well, and I feel the same way about Torx. Luckily the only one that stripped on mine was one holding the smog pump onto the bracket. Both brackets came off though. Possibly try welding a nut or bolt onto the head of the Torx? I did that on one of my stripped plenum bolts that was impossible to get to, and it worked quite easily.

I had to get a brand new T40 bit, but before that, vicegrips allowed me to pull two of the bolts. I'm not sure if the ones you're going for have enough space for that, but it's a thought.

 

Strike them w/ a hammer, sometimes that helps loosen them up.

 

If you don't like the Torx bolts, just replace them with hex head bolts. As long as you match the threads (most likely metric) it wont be an issue, unless you are wanting to keep it all original.

 

The Torx in this particular instance are 3/8", USS. Almost all of my Torx got switched to mostly stainless Allen head or regular hex stainless w/a dab of anti seize.

 

+1 I'll be doing this when the motor goes back together.

 

+2

After I get it apart, when I go to the store to pick up the new PS pump (which should arrive today), I'm going to get equivalent stainless bolts.

I like the idea of welding a normal nut on top of the head bolt and backing it out that way. I may do that next time I have the PS pump out, otherwise that bracket will never be able to be removed.

 

Got it all apart. 3ft handle of a craftsman hydraulic jack on the end of a ratchet as a breaker bar was the way to go! :-D

I've been taking pictures as I disassemble, so I'll put them up here once I'm all finished putting it back together this afternoon.... assuming it goes back together without incident.... I expect nothing of the sort

 

Got it done! WHEW!.

That was a headache... got it all back together and noticed there was a weird whining noise...

I about cried, it sounded exactly like the sound my other engine made when I spun a bearing in the bottom end. Fortunately I did some checking, and it was the water pump! $30 and an hour later and it's all fixed and back together, no issues!

Course now my thermostat housing is leaking, and I am unable to loosen one of the two bolts... but that'll be another story

 

Get everything of the puller on except the the 2 half pieces and sleeve.
Heat up the pulley around the hub before using the puller, just don't allow the pump shaft to get hot or it will expand along with the pulley which defeats the purpose. Get the rest of the puller on as quickly as possible and start turning.
The puller I use is a U.S. General Item #40479, I know it's made in china, but it's the only one that works for me.
You'll definitely need a long cheater bar for both the 1/2" & 7/8" nuts. Use a closed wrench on the 7/8" and a ratchet on the 1/2", it will make popping sounds when it's coming off.
I use conduit pipe (thin wall pipe) for wrench cheater bars, if the wrench doesn't go in flatten the end until it does.
Good luck - let us know and happy new Year!

 

PS done, water pump done, started in on the thermostat housing. Got one of the bolts out, there's not much of it left, it's mostly rusted away. The second bolt snapped off, so I'm stuck with it in my intake :/

 

So I've tried heating with a torch and cooling with PB blaster, using vice grips, hitting it with a hammer, just can't seem to break that bolt loose. I guess the only other option is to grind it flush, center punch a dent in the middle, and drill/helicoil it. That'll be a project for next week though, don't have the tools for it now.

 

when I drilled out the steel bolt in the aluminum intake, I ended up with a larger gouged out hole. A larger bolt threaded into the remaining mess and has held up for years.....Most of the holding power from the other good bolt and permatex. Now that I think about it I probably broke off an easy-out in there....So now I always use a reverse turn drill bit.....Nothing easy with an easy-out.

 

There is a new product out I think from liquid wrench that is supposed to freeze the bolt and allow the penetrant in.....

 

It's the intake material around the bolt that you need to heat up.
If you know someone who can weld a bolt on to it like a tee handle, cooled it off with water then heat the intake while turning should break it lose.

 

I may attempt this, or welding a nut on it if I can get a buddy with a welder to bring it up. Heating up the intake won't cause it to warp will it? Will a large butane torch (the size of one of those on-tank propane torchs) have enough power to heat up that part of the intake?

 

It's no problem just don't stay in one place too long, move the flame around the bolt hole in a circle.

 

Where did you get your pump from? The parts stores in my area cant seem to find one for a 88

 

Here is a video of where the bolts are: