Just noticed a major leak coming from my water pump. Has anyone ever replaced one of these themeselves? If so how difficult and expensive? Thanks I'm pretty new to this so any info would be appreciated. Dan. Oh yeah I own a 72 Buick custom, thanx
Nah, not too bad at all. Pump shouldn't be very expensive either. I'm guessing you've never done a water pump on any engine before?
Be SUPER careful not to break off any bolts in the timing cover. Those little bolts will twist right off. Be sure to soak them with PB blaster over and over again....maybe overnight if possible....before you break them loose. It's an easy afternoon project!:TU: Good luck...
No I've never changed a water pimp before, this 1972 Buick skylark custom is my first real project. What is PB blaster? and can I get it from any auto parts store? Sorry for the silly questions I'm still pretty new to this. Thanks for the info guys It's very helpful. Dan
pump Dan - Don't freak out if one does break, just let us know and we can help. Do a search for "water pump" or "bolts" and you'll see some advice already posted. Take the old pump to the parts store to make sure you get a match. They are available! Find a shop manual and follow the instructions. Put a piece of cardboard on the engine side of the radiator so you don't damage it when removing the fan. Ask us questions and we can help! - Bill :TU:
We've all been new to this at one point in our lives, so don't worry at all about asking questions. We understand! PB Blaster is a penetrating oil; it works its way down into the threads of a bolt or nut & breaks up the corrosion that make them stick together. Any good auto parts store should carry it. Another product to ask for is a gasket remover. This stuff helps dissolve the remaining gasket material that'll be left on the engine when you remove the pump. Trying to scrape it off is risky since you're working on aluminum. Can anyone make a recommendation for him on a good gasket remover? I've only tried one brand, Mr. Gasket I think. It was ok, but there was room for improvement.
I have done a few water pumps in my short years. I have tried a brand name I cannot remember for a gasket remover. I found it pretty much useless. I used my fingers to remove the remainder of the gasket and 1.5 inch plastic putty knife for the stubborn chunks. Once you do this water pump, you will realize it is one of the simple tasks associated with car maintenence. --Tom
make sure you have a good torque wrench, since you may not be familiar with how tight things need to be when using just your hand. And as aforementioned...get a trusty car maintenence manual. :Smarty:
you do not want to overtighten the bolts. use a torque wrench for sure. when i cleaned my gaskets off i sprayed them down with WD40 and then took a medium cupped wire wheel on a cordless drill to them. came off easy. PB blaster is also now sold at walmart.
Don't forget a small tube of anti-seize to put on all the bolts threads when you re-assemble it.Your going to have 4 of them that are longer so lube up the whole bolt to the head. If at sometime a longer bolt was installed at these 4 spots it will break into the oil cavaty behind the housing and create a water leak at the spot of the block/housing gasket.Take a stiff wire and probe these 4 longer spots and make sure that they stop at the back of the housing.If you find that this isn't true than a thread compound is required on that bolt threads. I only pass this on as a worst case problem because it happened to me and I fought with a water leak for years.Only found out when I took the housing off for a cam install.
water pump when u tighten the bolts , use a 1/4" drive sockets , extension & ratchet drive , if u do not have a torque wrench . i also added a small flat washer with each bolt . if the water pump is going to leak , it will leak around the installation guide pins . i just installed a brand new water pump on my 72 gs 350 .
Before you turn any of the bolts, hit them with a hammer first. (better to have the engine warm) Use a punch if you need to get to them. This will help break the bolts loose from the cover and block thus reducing the chance of one breaking off.
All of the above , and yes bp blaster will now be a good friend . Scrape kleeeeen , seal it good , tighten to specs , anti -sieze compound . And a few prayers will not hurt when taken it apart .. Good luck p :TU:
water pump Take your time, don't rush and don't take ANY shortcuts. Remove the Radiator and Fan. Bring the radiator to a shop and have it boiled and cleaned out. It will save YOU from cooling headackes in the future. You buick will also run cooler, taking advantage of full capacity and with any blockages. When refilling the radiator, add a can of waterpump lubricant and a 50/50 mix of anti-freeze to water. Fill the radiator, CAP OFF start the car, continue to add coolant as needed.Let it run untill the thermostat opens and the coolant flows into the heater core. Make sure that the heater, defroster are open, and that the interior is throwing out plenty of heat. At this time more coolant will have to be added, otherwise your cooling system will not contain it's full capacity of coolant.
