At my wits end

[geo78]

Last step before installation... I cannot get the metal tube that is threaded into the water pump to twist out. Do you have any ideas? I have tried channel locks and cannot get the sucker to break loose.

Geoff

 

[geo78]

By the way... The pump and metal tube have been removed from the vehicle.

Geoff

 

[heeperman]

I have been in the same position as you, however the water pump was on a ford........don't ask, use a little bit of heat from a propane torch, and treat it like its a little bird in your hand you don't want to crush, it will slowly work its way loose, take your time, it will pay off in the end

 

[RichP]

Put the old pump in a vise, use a flare nut wrench to break it free or a 6 point box wrench. The other alternative that 5-90 recommended and I quote "Sure - go to the plumbing section at your local and get one 3/8"NPTx5" nipple, one 3/8" right angle, and about a 3/8"NPTx3" or so nipple (you're going to cut that last one in half.)"
I have not done it yet or even checked the parts out, got a feeling I'll be doing it on my daughters TJ because the pipe on her's looks pretty nasty....
Do a search in the oem forum for 'water pump pipe' from last week or so.

 

[geo78]

Thanks for the suggestions. I took it to Autozone looking for a torch and the associate put it in a vise and broke it loose for me.

Next problem... I started this entire process because my car overheated a week ago Monday. It was acting as if the thermostat wasn't opening unless it had some pressure (rpm's) behind it. I changed out my tstat and when I was dumping H20 into the block through the thermostat housing I found a nasty leak off the bottom of the motor. It was coming from around the water pump so I thought I may have a bad hose or a ruptured seal between the pump and the block. I now have the new pump on and the bottom radiator hose connected and I dumped a little H20 into the tstat housing again. It leaked, but not enough to tell me for sure that I didn't spill. I am going to wait until daylight so I can make sure not to spill a drop.

My question is this, if I get this thing sealed up and it still leaks like a siv is it possible that I have a crack in my block? How can I tell for sure? What else could be making it leak assuming I have a sealed water pump and lower rad house?

Thanks for the continued help. I would not even be at this point without all or your help.

Geoff

 

[Maz]

Kudos on your persistence.

For future, loosen the pipe while the old water pump is still installed on the block. Then, you don't have to wrestle with it when it is out.

For the leak, make sure the t-stat is seated correctly in the groove. There is a very shallow grove where the t-stat goes, and if there is goop still left there (in the bottom), the t-stat has a tendency to slip out just enough, so that the t-stat housing does not make complete contact with the block. A little dab of RTV helps hold the t-stat until you tighten the two bolts.

Good luck .. Maz

 

[RichP]

I swear by that indian head gasket cement. For the pump I coated the gasket on both sides and let it get tacky then stuck it on the pump and pushed it with a flat screwdriver so it would stick.
For the tstat I put OEM Tstat in, coated the gasket on the housing side and stuck it on the housing. Then lined it up and put it on while holding it in place.
I also can't stress enough that that surface for both the pump and the tstat need to be clean. I tried one of those razor scrapers and found that a narrow scraper that I use for spackling worked better. The area also has to be dry so that means you have to siphon all that water sitting in the block where the pump goes or the gasket will suck it right up and turn to mush..
From prior experience a torqe wrench is really kinda important. I have found over the years that a water pump gasket will leak at 18ftlbs, 20ftlbs and seals at 24-26 ftlbs, the bolts will break around 40ftlbs

 

[Maz]

I swear by that indian head gasket cement.

You have mentioned that cement many times. Where do you get that? Can you post a pic?
_Maz

 

[RichP]

You have mentioned that cement many times. Where do you get that? Can you post a pic?
_Maz

Indian Head

 

[Maz]

Indian Head

Thanks Rich.