Embarrassing problem; power steering pulley.

:hang:

I feel like a grade A moron for this. It's one of those moments that you have an easy job in front of you, and then you make mistake. And then you try to rectify that mistakes and just end up making more mistakes. Like a train wreck.

I went to a junkyard, took a water pump (and some other stuff) out of a junked XJ. So, I'm taking off the serpentine belt, and (don't ask), I got a little careless and managed to take off a good two inches of the lip of the stupid plastic power steering pulley. I have no idea how I managed that. Plus, that's the least of my worries.

I grab a p/s pulley puller/installer, and I thread in the installer just to see which one I need (it came with five different bolts) for later. Lo and behold, I threaded it too tight, and now it won't come off. I tighten up a vise grip onto the pulley, which is toast anyhow, and end up continually taking out chunks of it trying to get a good grip.

How in the hell do I get that bolt out? I've got nothing to grab onto, and I tried putting another vise grip on the bolt to twist it off but all I'm doing is stripping the threads off the bolt. It's utterly embarrassing, in fact I intend on keeping it a secret from my mechanically inclined friends.

(Oh, and the water pump, where the piping screws into, is also stripped, I should have noticed. Can I just rethread it and put a good whack of teflon tape on the pipe thread?)


Thanks guys. :rattle:

That shaft is so hard that you'll probably never be able to get a bite with vise grips. I think your only option at this point is to break or saw off the rest of the pulley. After that, I'd leave the bolt in and just saw the end off, and press another pulley on with a piece of pipe and an arbor press. Just make sure you get the position right on the first try.

For the water pump, you can at least try rethreading. Not much to lose, unless you have to buy the tap. Cut as little as you can get away with, just enough to get the threads clean, and hope that the new part can go a little deeper. My own inclination would be to go with something like Permatex high tack gasket sealer rather than teflon tape. Just don't get too over-enthusiastic tightening it. The threads will be weak and easy to strip.

Somehow I am getting the impression that you are going to install a salvage yard water pump on your vehicle? Is this correct?

Murphy's law: If it jams, force it. If you break it, it needed replacing anyhow.

Good luck man.

Joe has a point. Of course there are always a few of us who will put a used anything into our vehicles, on the principle that half worn out is not all worn out, and anyway, when it needs replacing again it won't have had time to seize, so it will be easier to do. I can take wheel bearings out of my Jeeps with my bare hands these days. Eagle used to refer to people like us as "Swamp Yankees."

But if you aren't indulging in cheap Jeep repair as a recreation in its own right, you should consider a new pump. If you don't already have the pipe tap to clean up the heater line don't forget to factor that cost in along with the likelihood of having to do it again.

joe_peters said:

Somehow I am getting the impression that you are going to install a salvage yard water pump on your vehicle? Is this correct?

Click to expand...

they are $25 BRAND NEW.. thats alot of work for used parts:wierd:

Thanks guys.

Yes, unfortunately I am using a used water pump. I'm short on funds so I'm keeping it cheap, but you guys will have to realize I'm in Canada: a brand new, factory replacement water pump is $75 - and that's not a dealership part price. A rebuilt water pump is $55 minimum. It was more cost effective, for the moment, for me to spend the fifteen minutes grabbing a used water pump for $7, seeing as I was already at the junk yard!
Don't worry, I'm not expecting it to last long, though it looks almost brand new.

I was taking a look in the daylight, and I saw that the threaded piece has a hex nut on, it's just a little deep in. Didn't see that in the night. I figure I'll try using a deep socket and a nice big cheater bar attached to my breaker bar.

I hit the yard earlier today to take out a steering column (wreckers were asking $350) for $45, so I grabbed a steel pulley while I was at it. Stupid flimsy plastic.

Hoping all goes well tonight, if not, well, I'll be back with questions. :bawl: