HELP!

[Curtis]

I have successfully broken off 4 out of 7 studs /bolts of my 85's original water pump. This, after spraying liquid wrench on the damn things for the last two weeks to avoid the situation I'm in.

The next plan, I hoping to be able to remove the water pump to make it easier to extract the broken bolts since I don't believe there are any threads in the pump itself. After about 40 minutes of strategic blows to the old water pump with a dead blow hammer and a small board and large screw driver I have successfully moved the water pump about 1/16 of an inch.

HELP!

Also- to avoid this the next time I'd like to use stainless studs/bolts-where can I get stainless water pump hardware to fit my OEM brackets?

[85vert]

Can't offer any advice on getting the pump off, I've always been lucky and not had them break.
Your stainless bolt kit is here:
http://store.summitracing.com/partde...4&autoview=sku

Good luck.

[Curtis]

Since this pump has been on there for 23 years I think there was no getting around breaking them. At least that's what I keep telling myself. Maybe I just suck as a mechanic!

Thanks for the tip on the bolt kit but I don't see how this will work with the stock air conditioning and power steering pump bracket. The bracket attaches using the same studs as the water pump so if the kit is pictured correctly it uses all bolts.

[embler]

they have the studded bolts in the help section at your local auto parts store. the rest can be gotten at a local hardware store. good luck on getting the bolts out. I broke one on my '91 and it took many hours and many pleas to the good Lord for forgiveness for taking his name in vain. I would have rivaled a sailor that day

[heyitsme]

did you take the bolts out of the bottom, that run through the oil pan? I'm not sure if you are trying to take the timing cover off as well, but I also learned that there were bolts coming up from the bottom that hold that stuff on, after beating it with a hammer

[v8only]

I found it easier to replace the entire motor once that started happening to me.

[83 V8 RS T's]

I have successfully broken off 4 out of 7 studs /bolts of my 85's original water pump. This, after spraying liquid wrench on the damn things for the last two weeks to avoid the situation I'm in.

The next plan, I hoping to be able to remove the water pump to make it easier to extract the broken bolts since I don't believe there are any threads in the pump itself. After about 40 minutes of strategic blows to the old water pump with a dead blow hammer and a small board and large screw driver I have successfully moved the water pump about 1/16 of an inch.

HELP!

Also- to avoid this the next time I'd like to use stainless studs/bolts-where can I get stainless water pump hardware to fit my OEM brackets?

I wonder if FORD may have those studs. I know it's not stainless but they made the 302 (5.0L) till was it 96,97 you never know? That way you'll keep the stock look. As far as the removal issue, I've had some stubborn pumps but it sounds like you still got a bolt tight some where?

[JACook]

Stainless bolts would help some, but the problem you're dealing with is mostly caused
by electrolysis between steel bolts and aluminum water pump and timing cover.

There are a few things you can do to prevent electrolysis. First, you -must- use thread
sealer on the timing cover and water pump bolts. No matter how much you tighten a
bolt, coolant will still seep past the threads. Second, use good gaskets. Cheap gaskets
allow coolant to seep through the gasket material itself. Third, go easy on the silicone,
and use the sensor-safe stuff. Fourth, and probably the most important, always fill
your cooling system with a 50/50 pre-mix of antifreeze, and DISTILLED water. Using
tap water to save a buck, will deplete some of the corrosion protection you paid for
when you bought your antifreeze. Distilled water is cheap insurance.

And keep a jug of pre-mix on hand for top-ups. NEVER top up with water. A proper
coolant/water mixture will prevent the corrosion you're fighting when all the other
preventive measures have failed. There's no way to know your maintaining the proper
concentration unless you only ever put the proper concentration in the system every
time.

I've got a '65 Mustang here that still has it's original timing cover, so I'm here to tell
you that what you're dealing with is not inevitable.

[TWR2003]

Block


Timing Cover


Water pump


Thats correct - no threads in the pump itself (except for the small bolts screw into it from the rear and hold the back cover on the pump). And only the very 'top' bolt on the water pump threads into the timing cover. All others go THRU the cover and into threads in the block. So almost always its an issue of the steel bolts/studs corroding/siezing in the cast iron block.

And other that the one bolt at the top of the pump and the bolts that hold the timing cover to the oil pan at the bottom front of the pan the bolts that hold the pump on also hold the timing cover on.

I too have broken a couple of bolts while trying to remove a water pump from a 5.0L/302. Generally once all the water pump bolts are removed -either unscrewed or broken off - the pump comes right off. Any bolts/studs that have broken usually -not always - have a portion of them left sticking out of the block but you need to take off the timing cover as well to get to them. Then - sometimes - you can grab what is left with a vice grip or stud extraxtor an get the rest out of the block.

Stainless steel fasteners are the best way to go if you can find the correct ones. Minimally I chase out the block threads and use a bit of anti-sieze compound on the pump/timing cover-to-block bolts/studs, even if it screws up the torque readiung a bit when you tighten them. After that you usually you dont have any trouble getting them out down the line.

T

[Phrogman46]

Lefty Loosey Righty Tighty????

I'm sure you know that but i could not help myself, sorry to here about your misfortune.

[Dean_T]

My '89 hatch had one stud that snapped off. It was one of the long ones that goes through the timing cover and water pump next to the driver side water passage and also goes through the power steering/AC bracket. What a pain! It turned out the stud had corroded and froze to the water pump housing. I had to use a drill to drill a series of holes in the water pump housing next to where the stud went through. After the drilling was done, I chiseled the area I drilled off and that freed the stud from the water pump. I like Chevrolet's small block V8 water pump and timing cover design better.

Dean T

[Curtis]

After playing with it more yesterday afternoon I found that the studs were so rusted that they basically were welded into the holes in the water pump. I've got all of them broken free except the one next the the bottom rad hose. I may just cut through the water pump housing to get this last one because I can get any leverage on this position. For some strange reason I hate to do this, since it is the orginal pump and I've been asked to post pics and details on the restoration forum concerning this pump, but I guess the information will still be there.

Thanks for all the tips.