water pump and housing removal

[ichthos]

Hello,
I need to remove the water pump and housing. I figured it would be simplest to just remove both at once since it is only held on by three bolts. It was fairly simple until I tried to separate the heater return pipe from the housing. Does anyone have any tips on how to remove this?
Thanks, Kevin

 

[Guest]

Kevin,
The heater return pipe is usually a stainless steel compression-style nut that will back down once you have unscrewed it completely, allowing you to move the unbolted water pump housing forward once it is unbolted. Be careful not to lose the stainless compression fitting that might fall out when you take the housing forward. Leave the water pipe going to the rear of the engine alone and unmolested. May take a little wiggle to break it aloose.
That said, I have seen some aftermarket fittings for this pipe which are really strange as far as how they fit and what they bolt up to. These are usually black colored steel, not stainless. Shouldn't have one of these fittings unless someone changed it out in the past.


Bill

 

[ichthos]

Thanks for the reply Bill. I still don't get it though and need your help. There is a what I think is a threaded pipe fiting into the housing. Another threaded fitting screws into this. When I try to loosen the fitting (stainless steel?) the whole tube moves. The only other option I can think of is removing the two heater hoses at the other end and pulling the whole thing forward so I can get a better look before I damage something. I know this can't be that difficult. What am I doing wrong?
Kevin

 

[piman]

Hello Kevin,

the first fitting screws into the water pump body, then the tube is held in that fitting with a compression gland. Hold the first fitting and unscrew the second then the pipe will pull out.

Alec

 

[Guest]

Kevin,
Alec has it right, do not attempt to remove the piece that screws into the housing. Put a wrench on it to back off the collar that screws down over it, with the compression piece inside. If, when you get it all out, you find that you had loosened the piece that screws into the housing, make certain that you retorque it into the housing before attempting to reassemble, otherwise you will end up with a water leak. Try to avoid using Teflon tape here. The threads in the water pump housing are very old and are often subjected to breakdown from rust. I changed my housing to an alloy one from a vendor in the UK as my old iron one was quite decayed.


Bill