Oh Joy, and i never have replaced one before.... Do these cars have a timeing belt(chain)? So how hard would it be to Replace it??? I don't know of anyone that could help me either... So how long should it take?

 

you dont have to touch the timming chain to replace the pump, unless you need a new timmin chain.
but chaining the pump is pretty easy,
make sure you draw a draw a digram off the belt, and locations of bolts you remove. this way you arent left over with a handfull of bolts.

i did it by myself in about 2 hours or so, just def take your time. and seriously get a pen and a pad of paper and draw the stuff you take off it will help you big time when putting every thing together.

 

Pump is easy, just have to remove the power steering pump bracket. The timing chain can get more complicated. If you are inexperienced in auto mechanics, I suggest you get a Chilton/Haynes manual.

 

just did this two days ago. took me two days. but i also did timing chain and gears as well as the oil pan gasket at the same time. if i just had to do the pump it would be a one day job. remember i am alloting for dry time of the RTV.

on my car I did not have to remove the power steering pump.

I have attached 3 pictures.
1st one is car with belts and intake off, and the pulleys removed. so far this is about 30minutes in if you are slow. I also have the coolant draining. you do not need to remove the crank pulley, but it may make things a bit easier to get too. I removed it because i was also removing the timing cover.

2nd
is the timing cover after I put it back on, before I put the water pump back on. you can see the holes that need bolts. at this step it is important to note that you must put RTV on some of the bolts as they go through to water jackets. if you do not you can get water leaking into your timing cover, and thus into your oil. to be safe just put it on all of them. I mostly just put this up so you can see what it looks like with the pump off.

3rd is after I put the water pump back on. see how nice and shiney. all in all it was not too dificult. i took the oportunity to replace the lower radiator hose and clamps as they are easy to get at with the pump off. if you do this take my advice. drain the radiator by cutting the lower hose. if you pull it off the radiator you will dump coolant on the core support and it will drip on you for days. same thing if you use the drain plug.

 

This sounds like a Job for a Pro. My Fan, is spun by the pullys. So this means i have to Remove the Fan and a Few other stuff don't it.?
This sounds like something i can't do.. Anyone want to help? (Free Labor)?

*edit* I also got the Gasket Sealer, so i need to go buy some RTV? Whats that? and how much does it cost???

 

Tony, you didn't have to remove the PS pump because you have a v-belt drive. Seeing Berlinetta's is a 1983, he should also have the v-belt. Also for someone who has never done something like this doesn't know the tricks (like getting the pulley off the pump). This sounds like a good time to learn ;P

 

http://www.partsource.ca/doityourself/JOM_Sept2005.asp

read this, its really not that complex to do, and is pretty basic. plus you will never learn untill you try. but if you feel nervous or uncomfortable attempting this just pay some to do it. but doing it your self will help you save for those incredible 2.8 performance parts.
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you dont really have to flush your system if you know that all the coolant is nice a clean, but nows the perfect opportunity to do so.

 

thank you all. I will look into it.

 

I have found a Shop that Made me a Deal for 75bucks they will install my water pump for me!

 

not a horrible deal, but I did mine in about an hour.

 

Plus the cost of the pump/gaskets. That's an OK price if it's all inclusive.

 

Well i already got the Pump and it came with the gasket. I also bought the Gasket sealer stuff. So i have everything that goes with it.

 

$75 is a little high, then. I don't know what the mechanics get in your area, here the dealers MIGHT charge $75/hr, most garages get about $40-$50.

 

this realy is somthing you can do yourself. spend 15$ on a hynes/chiltons manual, set aside a day and get it done. before I did this one i had never done one before. this car and my GTA give me alot of firsts. first clutch job, first tranny swap... etc.. it's always nice to have help for the big ones, but the little stuff like water pump, we can assist you if you get into trouble.

 

Yeah but i'm not the kind of person that wants to take everything off myself, My next door people know the people that own the shop, thats why i got it for 75 bucks.

 

I will never go back to those people again. My car started to over heat cause i didn't have any fluid in it, so i needed to go buy some... On my way to speedway, i encounter a problem, My belt sliped off and raped itself around my fan... So i told the guy that fixed it to come up there and fix the belt, he gets up there, i said there is a autoparts store across the street. Go buy me one and i will pay you back... Takes off and didn't come back. So i finally got one myself, had some guy help me put it back on, put the rad Fluid in, and on the way home i didn't get any heat and my temp gauge rad about 220 (In the Middle) So i get home, and park my car and what the hell... Shut it off and the Fluid comes pouring out the bottom... I also found out that right after he removed my old pump, he didn't drain the fluid first... Geesh... So now my car has too sit, untill someone can help reseal it or i get the money to take it to the dealership to get it resealed....

Any Ideas of why it came out of the pump? It didn't drop its whole load onto the ground.. It just poured some of it.... What should i Do?

 

is it actually coming from the bottom of the pump, or is it coming from the lower hose. you might need a new hose. possibly he didnt seal it good enough, or tighten it enough.

 

yeah thats what i am thinking. But i watched him tighten it tight... How much do you think it will cost a dealership to reseal it for me????

 

im gonna be honest with you it will be real easy to do your self, a dealer is gonna be expensive. you could do it your self in a couple hours. its realy not that hard even for some one with little mechanical skill. plus the fact that there is a entire foot of room infront of the engine mackes this job a sanp.

 

That is why I don't trust just anyone to work on my car (actually I only have one that I kind of trust to certain things for me). The reason it came out after you shut the car off is because the pressure built up because the coolant wasn't being run through the radiator anymore. If he didn't drain the coolant before he started, you might have bigger problems. The right side bolt that holds the water pump on penetrates into the oil passages in the head. This means you could possably have water in your oil. Before you freak out, though the good thing is water is heavier than oil and the car sitting for a day will allow the oil/water to seperate. To confirm, after the car sits for a day, jack it up and open the oil drain plug enough to have something come out. If water comes out, change your oil immediately (oil is cheap so probably just change it anyways). Not trying to scare you, but as I said earlier the dealer probably would have charged $75 if you brought the pump to them. In your situation where you don't work on cars, shop around and find a shop that lets you wach as your car is being worked on (TiresPlus, Sears, etc) and develop a relationship with the shop and make sure thay know that's the only place you go (It also helps to send friend there). If it's a shop attached to a gas station, don't bother unless you know the mechanic personally (they usually rape people). Or you can go another route and buy a Chilton or Haynes manual and start small (oil change etc) and work your way to larger jobs. If you have a few hand tools you can take care of most items in your driveway.
BTW: Even though I'm a Patriots fan, I thought Manning and his team deserved to win a SuperBowl - FINALLY

 

Can i check it with out opening the drain plug?
Will the oil look differnt? milky white?
I'm gonna go look at it now, btw, it was not water that was in the pump it was the green ****... I will let you know.

 

the green stuff is the coolant.

 

I know. i checked the dipstick, and it was still black oil on it. Someone just told me that it will turn to a Milkshake color white when there is water in there.

 

yeah it will, i mean really the only thing you can do is just double check all the hoses and make sure they ae tight. get a junk towel and dry off as much off the front and bottom of the engine as you can, this way you can see better as to where its leaking from. and chances are it will be better for you to just change to oil as a saftey percaution and flush the radiator. then take a towel and wipe off the belt and all the pulleys reall good. then see what happens.

 

Still change the oil, and no there is no way of knowing a minute amount of water got into your oil - not to mention if your oil is black and not a translucent brown, you are overdue anyways. Yes the oil will get milky with a significant ammount of water. Either way if there is ANY water in it, could cause premature wear of the crank bearings as well as multiple other problems. Like I said oil is cheap and a "minute lube" will do it for around $25 and grease the chassis parts (judging by the color of your oil this hasn't been done lately either).

 

Well i ran the car today. And this time No Fluid came out. and it looks like it quit leaking... But now i have a head Gasket leak. Talk about Smoke coming from the back of the car. Even Midias said it was bad. I ran the car for about 10mins. Still no Heat. So just to be safe, i am gonna have some pro look it over for me and check the oil.

Thanks.

 

well the fluid from earlier that you said spilled out could just have been form when they changed the pump and spilled some, then when you drove it it just dripped away.

 

I'm confident the gasket blew because of overheating, completely the guy's fault that installed the pump and didn't refill the fluid.

 

THIS kind of thing is why i do my own work. i would hate to pay good money and get screwed. sucks man. hopefully you got some knowledge out of this though and will see about doing your own work from now on.

when i am working on my own car i know there is a chance my inexperiance will cause me to mess up, but i can always take the car to a mechanic AFTER I screw it up. I atleast give myself the oportunity to do it right and save some dough/headache. and you know what... I have not had to take it to mechanic because of a screw up yet.

 

Okay, i Reported them to the BBB, for Not refunding my Money and Letting me know that the guy that fixed my car did NOT work there.... I also let them know that it blew my headgasket out.

 

no responses from the shop that done it? didnt even try to help ya fix it?




MAN!! thats gotta suck........

 

Well they said they would fix the waterpump, but eveytime i call, the guy is NOT there or went out of town. They said they would not repair the head Gasket cause its not their falut...

 

<-- the mechanic shop.

Good job reporting them.

 

that's the horror story of going to a shop. I've taken my car to about 3 shops, normally when i know what's wrong, and i also know how to fix it but either lack time or facilities. Thinking of taking it in for u-joint replacement because i hate being under a jacked car (even w/ stands). The key is like everyone said, find a shop you trust (preferably that has a reputation to protect) and let them do the work. Watching the guy do it is nice, but only helps if you know what you're doing in the first place, besides that, it typically just annoys the mechanic. Best of luck getting it fixed, and if you can avoid "my friends, buddy is a mechanic" people, cause they'll never let you leave whole....just piece by piece.

 

I agree 85f-bird. it does suck.. I need someone in Indy that can replace the Gasket and seal it right, for a great price... Might have my buddys dad do it. He works for Dodge, and he knows what the hell he is doing.

 

Well the BBB Emailed me today, They are Giving them 30 days to answer. If nothing happens they will let me know.

 

Sucks to hear that man....


You should really try and do it yourself.

 

I would but i ain't got the tools or room to do it, plus its cold. So i will wait.

 

AWW man i just read that whole horror story and no happy ending.. anyways Happy New Year

 

Guess i had better end this.. haha, i forgot about this thread

I did in fact get the pump fixed for free by a good friend. Come to find out, the head gaskets were *fine*. After about 2 or 3ish weeks, the BBB did let me know, that the shop in question had Closed their doors due to me reporting them, then the people who i lived by reported them for screwing their car up too.

Yea, i was happy, they also got from having a shop again

Sadly, i sold the firebird for a quick 500$ as too much work and money was needed, and i couldn't afford it.

so that end this crappy story.

 

AAAAHHH closure "eyes teared up". THANKS... ROUND OF APPLAUSE!

H-TOWN