water pump replacement - sheared a bolt :-(

1396midget

Well-Known Member
Booooooo :-(

Pulled car out of garage this morning, what's all this pink on the floor....

Oh dear. Coming from the water pump seal judging by the stains.

Whip that off, no bother, right? Wrong. Snap goes one of the longest thinnest rustiest bolt ever...

So now I have to take all the timing cover to bits to get at the sheared end.

I see I'm not the only one this has happened to, our very own Stina has been helpful already thanks to the search function!

Anything else I should do while I'm in there? Nice steel timing gears perhaps?

Bah, it's done sterling service the last couple of weekends as well, down to Kent from York and back with trailer, then another 800 miles with trailer, and another 300 without. Poor thing :-(
 
If you have the equipment or access to it and the stub is slightly proud of the surface, find a nut that is the same size as the bolt and weld it onto the stub. The cooling will shrink the stub and the heat will help free it off.
You should be able to remove it easily after that.
 
With the timing cover off you'll soon know whether you need new timing gears or not. You can also refurbish or uprate your oil pump at the same time.
 
Yep i remember that pain ! Plus 1 for the timing gears / oil pump if you feel the need while your in there . I also copied Stan Vaultsmans idea of converting to stainless studs instead of the long bolts when i put it back together to avoid future problems . Just means you have to lift the rad out to remove the water pump / front cover in future , but thats no hardship . Also sometimes those bolt holes from the long ones go right through into the water jacket , so a use a thread seal ( another reason for the studs ) :D
 
Do I have to drain the transmission fluid out of the auto box to get the rad out? Can I get away with clamping the hoses with one of those brake things then plug the ends?

Have been reading the book about how to do it, looks fairly straightforward, though removing the crrank pulley looks a bit of a challenge but the internet is providing answers :)
 
1396midget said:
Do I have to drain the transmission fluid out of the auto box to get the rad out? Can I get away with clamping the hoses with one of those brake things then plug the ends?

If you undo the hoses and raise the ends you should be OK, if not lightly clamp the hoses.
 
I don't think it has, is there an easy way to tell? The one that is in there is spot on though, no visible wear at all.

It has gone through my mind as to whether to change the cam while I'm in there, tbh the running in procedure has scared me slightly. :shock: Suppose it'd just be manifold off as well to do the cam, so not actually that much more work...
 
harveyp6 said:
1396midget said:
Do I have to drain the transmission fluid out of the auto box to get the rad out? Can I get away with clamping the hoses with one of those brake things then plug the ends?

If you undo the hoses and raise the ends you should be OK, if not lightly clamp the hoses.
As an addy to Harveys advise - tie the raised ends up above oil level - mine slipped back and started to drain the g/box. Harvey already new that , didnt he ?
The cost of upgrading the oil pump and new timing chain is nothing compared to the piece of mind and improvement to the motor .
 
Thanks everyone :)

that was pretty straightforward really. Drilling out these snapped bit and tapping a new thread was heart in mouth moment but seems to have worked. Not back together yet as I'm trying to decide on if I need a new timing set or not... (See other thread :D )
 
And it's all back together again! Fired up very well once I had the distributor in the right way round. Oil pump primed perfectly with drill down the distributor hole with no messing with vaseline or anything. One huge pop and a garage full of smoke then it started and ran perfectly. Needs a retime but at least it's back :)
 
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