How to remove an old water pump from the engine block?

[anoccasionalyachtsman]

Apologies ...... but yet another beginner's question .........

Is there any advantage to whacking the protruding nut, compared to whacking the side of the flange?

I have to admit that I've been trying to find a way of whacking the pump body forwards ie away from the crankcase, rather than up/ down or laterally.

You don't really have to hit it in an 'away' direction. Sideways is fine - what you're doing is fracturing a rusty layer. The closer to the pulley you hit the body (with the hard wood spacer) the better it will try and rotate off the face.

 

[rotrax]

As the flange incorporates the pulley, try not to hit that. I doubt you will damage a shaft supported in bearings, but a strong blow or blows should break the seal and loosen it.

If you go to the exploded drawing of the pump you will see a circular protrusion between the gasket and main pump body. This is where it will be tight, this part is meant to be tight in the block, not much radial clearance there.. Add a bit of age/corrosion and rust and it will be bloody tight!

Paul Rainbow's suggestion of placing a socket on the nut has merit.

Good Luck!

 

[PaulRainbow]

A million thank yous, again, rotrax.

The pump looks exactly as in the pic (which is from the workshop manual: thanks again to vyv-cox for that).

Here's the whole pic:

View attachment 126294

The holes are threaded, and the nut in the centre does protrude.

So ....... that's another whacking day lined up for tomorrow

Now i see the whole picture, if you can undue the nut and get the pulley off, you can hit the pump body from various directions with a block of wood and a hammer, as Rotrax describes (builders lump hammer sort of size, bash it, don't tickle it). If you can't get the pulley off don't hit it, or the "flange" with the threaded holes, put a socket or tight fitting tube in the end, so it protrudes, and hit that from different directions, but this time with a blunt cold chisel or drift or similar metal bar (socket extension etc).

Give it a good hit or three, your are trying to twist the pump body out of its register (the block).

If you need to, you should have my phone number, feel free to call me.

 

[NealB]

Now i see the whole picture, if you can undue the nut and get the pulley off, you can hit the pump body from various directions with a block of wood and a hammer, as Rotrax describes (builders lump hammer sort of size, bash it, don't tickle it). If you can't get the pulley off don't hit it, or the "flange" with the threaded holes, put a socket or tight fitting tube in the end, so it protrudes, and hit that from different directions, but this time with a blunt cold chisel or drift or similar metal bar (socket extension etc).

Give it a good hit or three, your are trying to twist the pump body out of its register (the block).

If you need to, you should have my phone number, feel free to call me.

Thanks, Paul.

Undoing the nut, to get the pulley off, will be a challenge in itself, as the pump's shaft (spindle?) turns so freely.

The nut is 11/16ths, and I've got several sockets of that size that I won't mind subjecting to a bit of violence.

I'm intrigued about why you suggest using some sort of 'shock absorber' (ie block of wood), if I were to be hitting the pump body, but not if I'm going to hit the socket on the protruding nut?

(and, yes, I've got your number, thanks, but I'm sure I won't need to bother you during the day: but the generous thought is greatly appreciated).

 

[PaulRainbow]

Thanks, Paul.

Undoing the nut, to get the pulley off, will be a challenge in itself, as the pump's shaft (spindle?) turns so freely.

Best undone with the belt on and tight, preferably with an impact gun (which i know you won't have). In the absence of said gun, a socket and T bar, given a sharp whack with a large hammer.

If possible, this would be my favourite solution, get the pulley off, bash the pump body.

The nut is 11/16ths, and I've got several sockets of that size that I won't mind subjecting to a bit of violence.

I'm intrigued about why you suggest using some sort of 'shock absorber' (ie block of wood), if I were to be hitting the pump body, but not if I'm going to hit the socket on the protruding nut?

(and, yes, I've got your number, thanks, but I'm sure I won't need to bother you during the day: but the generous thought is greatly appreciated).

If bashing the pump body, a block of wood stops you knocking lumps out of it or otherwise damaging it. If using the socket there should be no risk of damage and the metal on metal whack is a bit more effective (you use the blunt chisel etc to make sure the impact is where you want it to be, rather than just using a hammer and risk missing the target.

 

[NealB]

Best undone with the belt on and tight, preferably with an impact gun (which i know you won't have). In the absence of said gun, a socket and T bar, given a sharp whack with a large hammer.

If possible, this would be my favourite solution, get the pulley off, bash the pump body.

If bashing the pump body, a block of wood stops you knocking lumps out of it or otherwise damaging it. If using the socket there should be no risk of damage and the metal on metal whack is a bit more effective (you use the blunt chisel etc to make sure the impact is where you want it to be, rather than just using a hammer and risk missing the target.

Thanks again, Paul ..... I can, just possibly, borrow an impact gun. If not, I've got a long wrecker's bar socket handle thing, and will see if that can undo the nut (and, yes, if that succeeds then, somewhere in the garage, I've got a puller).

I'm still not sure why "there should be no risk of damage" if I'm hitting a socket on the nut: but I'm very willing to accept your considerble knowledge in such matters (and, yes, just to be clear, I emphatically understand that, if any damage were to occur, it would all be on my own broad shoulders!).

 

[rotrax]

To undo the nut screw two bolts in the threaded holes and place a long screwdriver or bar across them to hold the shaft still while you undo the centre nut .

 

[NealB]

Well ........ please excuse my blushes, but it turns out that anoccasional yachtsmen, post #24, was right: I did have it off on a Wednesday morning, albeit a week late!

Yes: it's out!

The (now) obvious 'secret' was that whacking it in any direction would free it: I'd been nervous of bending or breaking something.

A few good solid whacks downwards and laterally got it moving.

It looks like some sort of red gasket goo was resisting the separation.

So, thanks to all for your ideas , support and patience, but particularly vyv-cox, rotrax and PaulRainbow.

I think I need to get a T-shirt printed, as a reminder: "Whack don't tickle".

 

[rotrax]

My old Lancastrian Racing mate always said :-

"When In Doubt, Fetch It a Clout! "

With a Birmingham Screwdriver..........