93 Bonneville SSEi antifreeze leak help?

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u c c
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Reply to
Shep

I have a steady drip at the bottom of my crankshalf pulley. Basically there is a drop in about 5 seconds after the engine has stop and a small puddle overnight. I have checked around the water pump within engine bay but could not see anything. It is bone dry from engine top all the way down to water pump pulley. So my guess is around water pump or behind water pump. Does anyone know what may be the problem? Should I remove the water pump to check behind to see if something is broken or it is the water pump itself? If it is the water pump, how come I can't see my leak source?

Thanks for the help.

Reply to
none

Disable airbag before doing anything, book tells you to.

  1. Remove negative battery cable.
  2. Drain coolant.
  3. Remove drive belt.
  4. Remove coolant hoses at water pump.
  5. Remove coolant pump pulley bolts (long bolt removed through access hole provided in the body side rail), then remove the pulley.
  6. Remove torque axis mount.
  7. Coolant pump attaching bolts and pump.

To remove torque axis mount:

  1. Lift engine slightly to remove wieght from mounts.
  2. Remove through bolt from engine mount.
  3. Lift engine until power steering reservoir touches strut tower brace, the loosen bottom two bolts on engine mount.
  4. Remove A/C line clip, then the top two bolts from engine mount and remove mount.

Sounds easy.

Steve

Reply to
Steve Mackie

Reply to
none

I have reviewed all possible ways I can think off to remove the water pump. To me the only way to remove the water pump for this supercharged model is to loosen the powersteering bracket (even this is a challenge) I have removed two metal pipe for water heater to access one the bolt for powersteering bracket. So far I have not touch the water pump itself yet.

My question is: Am I on the right track? Do I have to remove engine mount bracket too? Has anyone done this before that can point me in the right direction? With the metal pipe for water heater removed, Do I need a new O ring? Not that I don't want to buy it. Just no transportation at this moment since the car is out of order.

Suggestion?

Reply to
none

Reply to
JRL

this desc. does not sound like mine car. The pump is mounted in front of the engine with no coolant hose attach to. Basically the replacement pump or pump assembly (half pump) design to fit in an existing coolant channel that is part of the front engine assembly. The problem I have is the large casting that supporting power steering and belt tensioner is blocking one of the water pump bolt. I have checked the manual and convince that this large casting only available on SSEi model (two belts option). I have recalled that someone form this newgroup has dealt with this similar problem about a year ago. I would like to know if there is an easy way to replace the pump?

Reply to
none

Reply to
Shep

All fixed! I drove around the city once and check for leak. Everything seems to be working fine. The job took me about 7 hrs. Once I knew the power steering pump and its bracket has to come off, the job start to move quickly. The most diff. part of the job is powersteering pump/ bracket and engine mount. The rest is easy. I had replaced water pump for 3.8 L engine without supercharged. This job is far more complicated. I am relief to see some antifreeze residue behind the water pump pulley. I really don't want to do this job twice. So I took the time to check all other hose and connections, the large fitting under my supercharged like someone has said here as well. All looks good. I took a few pictures just incase someone here may needed.

Thank you all for the tips.

Reply to
none

It does, but that's because it's not the procedure for a supercharged Bonneville. At least, it's nothing like the ones that I've done.

Ian

Reply to
shiden_kai

Hrm....let me recheck. I copied it verbatum from ALLData. Maybe they made a mistake. I'll check some other S/C 3800 models see what the procedure says.

Steve

Reply to
Steve Mackie

Got it. 1993 procedure doesn't say anything about the S/C, but the 1994 model does. Says to remove A/C splash shield, drain coolant, remove belts, move coil pack out of the way, remove S/C belt tensioner, remove engine support fixture, remove engine mount, remove power steering pump, remove engine mount bracket, remove idler pulley, remove water pump.

Steve

Reply to
Steve Mackie

Mackie<

Why do we need to disable the air bag & remove battery power to change a water pump??

Hope that ain't the procedure with my Park.

Harryface

05 Park Avenue 91 Bonneville LE, 303,555 miles
Reply to
Harry Face

I'm not sure exactly, but in every procedure in which you need to disconnect the negative battery cable, you're supposed to disable the air bags first. Why you have to disconnect the battery to change a water pump? I'm not sure. Maybe because you have to move the ignition module out of the way and since it's electronic, they tell you to disconnect the battery as a safety percaution. Or maybe a long time ago some dumb ass arced out the battery while under the hood and blew himself up so they made disconnecting the negtive battery cable common practice to help avoid this.

Maybe someone who has taken techincians course can tells us more.

Steve

Reply to
Steve Mackie

It's a "cover your ass" type of thing. If you are nowhere near the battery and/or positive/live wires/cables....it's a waste of time. I can certainly tell you that I do not disconnect the battery for 90% of the procedures that I do at work. It's common sense stuff that you disconnect the battery for. Like if you are replacing the starter.

Ian

Reply to
shiden_kai

LOL, that'd be funny to see. Not disconnecting the battery while replacing the starter. I find myself disconnecting the battery whenever I am doing anything fuel or electrical related. Except for minor things like sensor replacement. If I'm messing with the PCM, it's disconnected, if I'm messing with my stereo, it's disconnected, if I'm anywhere near an airbag, they are disabled and the battery is disconnected.

Steve

Reply to
Steve Mackie

Thanks Steve, I have replaced my water pump. I have S/C. I do have the GM manual and does not show step by step instruction. A bit of information here and few more on diff pages. Here are the steps:

1/ disconnect batt. 2/ remove alternator 3/ Drain coolant 4/ remove power steering pump (access the bolts through the pulley) 5/ remove power steering/ alternator and S/C belt tensioner support frame 6/ loosen engine support mount (jack under engine oil pan) 7/ remove water pump 8/
Reply to
none

Just changed my water pump on my 93 bonneville 3800.. my only input would be.... drain the radiator, remove belt, jack up and brace the engine(only place is under the oil pan).. pull the motor mount off ( passangers side) then remove the water pump...its really not that bad of a job considering the incredibly stupid idea of having 2 of the water pump bolts and a very small section of the water pump behind the motor mount.

Reply to
Knight

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