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Removing Water Pump Pulley (outside of the timing belt cover)

I'm trying to replace the water pump on a '91 Sunbird. The engine is a

2.0 4 cylinder, pretty much the same engine as a Cavalier. The belts are on the passenger side of the engine.

All the information I have to go on is from a Haynes manual, and it refers to the pulley at the bottom of the timing belt cover as the water pump pulley. It's supposed to be easy to take off: remove the belt, then there are 4 13mm bolts and a 17mm middle bolt to take off.

This pulley is pretty easy to get to. I've taken off the passenger side wheel well, and I can just reach in the wheel well and have decent arm room. The problem I'm having, though, is that these bolts just aren't moving!

I've tried putting everything I've got into turning them with a 3/4" ratchet, and then tried an impact wrench (I don't have a compressor, so borrowed a tank with 120lbs of pressure). Neither have had any effect at all on any of these bolts.

Does anyone have any tips on how to get these bolts off? Are they counter-threaded or something?

TIA,

Mike

PS, it's worth mentioning that about 2 years ago, Midas replaced the timing belt for me, and I assume they had to remove and reinstall this pulley, too.

Reply to
Mike
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"Mike" wrote

The OHC engine you are working on is not the same as the Cavalier engine. The Cavaliers never did use the OHC engine. The OHC engine in your Sunbird drives the water pump off the timing belt. It doesn't have a removable pulley on the water pump, the pulley is integral with the water pump.

If you are working on the 2.0 OHC engine, that pulley you are referring to is the crank pulley. It's not the water pump pulley, but of course, you have to remove it to be able to remove the rear cam cover (the tin one, the plastic cover is the front cover.) You can remove just the 4 bolts and the pulley will come off. The middle bolt just holds the lower crank sprocket in place. Eventually that has to come off, I'd suggest an impact...probably better then the one that you have. Either that, or your air supply is not strong enough.

Well, there ya go. They "midasized" it for you.....(grin). Too bad they didn't replace the water pump at the same time. I guess you did get another two years...but now the belt has to come back off again.

Ian

Reply to
shiden_kai

Wonder if they replaced the wheel cylinders at the same time!

Reply to
Stephen Bigelow

"Stephen Bigelow" wrote

I imagine that if they came within spitting distance of the brakes....probably!

Ian

Reply to
shiden_kai

Now that's funny!! LOL! Bob

Reply to
Bob

LOL

Now, I've never been one to bad-mouth a place if I wasn't 100% sure, but I can tell you this much. I've had my car for 10 years, and never, ever had any problems with it. Minor repairs that I could handle myself, of course: valve cover gasket, new radiator, minor stuff. But I got busy for awhile and took my car to Midas for a simple oil change, and nothing's been right sense!

A week after the oil change, my timing belt went out. Two weeks after getting that fixed, my carburator started giving me problems (I rebuilt the carburator myself, then replaced the fuel filter, and it still has problems when it's cold). I haven't really driven it alot since then, until recently when the water pump went out.

All of this within about 10,000 miles of taking it to Midas...

Coincidence?

Mike

Reply to
Mike

"Mike" wrote

Probably... I shouldn't really single out Midas as the quality of work really depends on the tech who works at Midas, Sears....etc...or a dealership. The problem with a lot of the chain stores is they are almost taught to replace a ton of parts which are not needed. All in the name of safety.

Working in a dealership teaches you (or it can) about the proper way to check components (or it should) and when to replace them. The manufacturer has it's own set of specs and the fact that a late model Jimmy has lower ball joints that move around a bit when you unload them is quite normal. But the chain stores will show you the play and tell you that "no" play is normal. Same for idler arms on Astro vans. Same for rear wheel cylinders on C/H body vehicles. Same for a ton of other components that don't need to be replaced, but are, for either reasons of greed, or just lack of knowledge. Plus, you can always throw in the odd myth/old wives tale for good measure.

Ian

Reply to
shiden_kai

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