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  #1  
Old 05-02-2022, 09:57 PM
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Default Matt C's step by step guide to Pontiac water pump replacement

The subject: One 1974 Grandville with a 455 and 75,000 original miles. The water pump has been weeping but got real bad over the last couple months.
Step #1 begin draining coolant
2. remove fan and clutch
3. remove alternator and PS pump
4. remove one of the 1/2" bolts
5. remove two more by breaking
6. remove three on the bottom
7. remove two more
8. remove one more by breaking
9. attempt to remove the two 3/8" bolts through timing cover but break them as well, heat was applied and tons of lubricant
10. check to see if you have a decent timing cover
11. drill 1/4" holes on top of the 3/8" bolt and lube and heat
12. remove pulley (you literally could not get another spec of dirt in there)
13. remove balancer
14. remove fuel pump
15. remove lower 4 bolts in pan
16. yank, tap, wedge to get cover off for about 45 min
17. install cover over front of oil pan
18. heat bolt to try to remove by tapping and two nuts (breaks further)
19. drill 1/8" then 3/16" hole through bolt and spray with kroil through hole
20. call you buddy Roy to see what kind of easy outs he has
21. Roy comes over at 630 to remove the driver side bolt (success)
22. heat, tap, play with pass side
23. your brother in law stops over and says hes got a better EZ out
24. your brother in law breaks EZ out in 3/16" hole
25. drink a miller lite (dont like miller lite but I had it, someone else bought it)
26. brother in laws goes to get "drill bit for EZ out" (yeah right)
27. attempt to drill it (LOL)
28. drink another miller
29. grind with cutting tool on air grinder until the is a noticeable divet
30. drink another miller
31. drink ANOTHER MILLER AND CALL IT A NIGHT
32. go to Lowes and buy 3/16" sharpening stone for chainsaw blades
33. grind in hole
34. grind
35. grind
36. grind carefully
37. grind even more carefully
38. EZ out falls in hole
39. drill to 1/4"
40. heat and try more EZ outs (but none broken)
41. drill to 5/16"
42. re-tap and clean out threads (threads are all clear but its 2 pm)
43. right stuff and gaskets (by now my buddy mark is here cleaning hardware)
44. observe really bad timing chain (luckily I got a couple in stock)
45. install new old TRW timing chain
46. install seal in timing cover out of my stash
47. install timing cover
48 install balancer
49. install fuel pump
50. clean 5# of dirt out of pulley and install it
51. drink a miller
52. drink a miller
53. drink a miller (gotta bbq at the same bro in law that broke the EZ out) 5pm
54. 9am sunday install radiator and hoses
55. install drive accessories, brackets, trans lines
56. fill with coolant and start engine (it actually sounds great with new chain)
57. let run for 20 while watering flowers
58. observe coolant leak from heater hose near firewall
59. fix leak
60. 1pm buddy calls and needs help picking up tool box and after returning
61. road test and no leaks
62. drink a miller
63. drink a miller
64. drink a miller
The car feels better with the new timing chain!!

All in all about 6 hours removing both 3/8" bolts. A simple two hour water pump swap, this thread for entertainment purposes only.

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Old 05-02-2022, 11:53 PM
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I read your post, first, in reverse, from bottom to top.. Either way, that's one hell of a post.

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Old 05-03-2022, 08:17 AM
66sprint6 66sprint6 is offline
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Is this typical or anectdotal?

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Old 05-03-2022, 08:32 AM
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Funny because there is a common rust situation on those long 3/8" studs.

My very 1st Pontiac had that deal in the early 80s. Those Timing Cover top-studs get fresh Bolts, and the troubles seem to not-occur as each decade goes on.

Rust troubles might be remedied by re-torquing the Timing Cover bolts the next week after a heat cycle or two.

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Old 05-03-2022, 09:18 AM
'ol Pinion head 'ol Pinion head is offline
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Have pulled hundreds of original Pontiac waterpump cores, two stick out as a super PITA to remove without snapping off the drivers side 9/16" headed long bolt. One trick I've used over the decades in boneyards, is with the fan shroud & radiator removed (they nearly always are) is to take my heavy fiberglass handled min sledge & carefully line up & pop the face of those two 9/16" headed bolts real good. Then follow up with 6 point socket on near 2 foot long ratcheting brake over. Not sure how much that jars the threads, but has always seem to work well.

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Old 05-03-2022, 10:18 AM
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OMG Matt, that brings back some bad memories for me. Although I only broke 1 bolt.
Dave
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  #7  
Old 05-03-2022, 07:54 PM
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Yeah, if that water pump hasn't been off for a while, get ready for a MUCH bigger job. Then, when you're finally done, hope that your new water pump is not porous in the casting and squirts coolant from the housing. Then hope that six months later the Chinese cast iron doesn't corrode against the aluminum timing cover.

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Old 05-03-2022, 09:55 PM
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This thread not anecdotal. I have torn down my share of blocks and it has always been the passenger side bolt!! But always on a stand, never in a car. I put fresh plugs in her last night (who knows how long they were in there... super tight) and drove the car tonight 20 miles or so. Re-adjusted the new belts (probably 20 years old) and no leaks. When I was growing up my buddies dad had a 74 or 5 ford truck with I think a 351M that was rusted so bad by the mid 80's. The old man loved that truck, it had old school railing pipe for a ladder rack and was the truck that started his roofing and siding business. The old man kept that truck going for years. If an atom bomb hit it, he would rebuild it. Still sitting in an open bay at my buddies work, he cant let go of it. Hid dad died at 63. This Grandville is my Ford truck.

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Old 05-03-2022, 10:08 PM
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Buicks are worse.
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  #10  
Old 05-03-2022, 10:25 PM
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What breaks in the buicks? Or is it the fact you have to take the dizzy out?

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  #11  
Old 05-03-2022, 10:33 PM
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They have that thick aluminum timing cover like a pontiac. BUT, those through bolts are smaller and almost always break.

Good timing cover to is $450.

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Old 05-04-2022, 08:03 AM
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Wouldn't you rather have a Buick.

Passenger 3/8 bolt is moreso the seize culprit.

Oh, and when the racers figured a Front Plate that sandwiched between Tining Cover & Block, well I just have to comment about thaat.

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