HELP! Changing the WaterPump - ZR-1 Net Registry Forums

MikeG · 01-12-2008

I've got a 91 that I need to replace the waterpump on. A friend, who has a nice shop, but no ZR-1 experience, looked it up and said it was a 5 hour job and would cost $ 375+. In checking my Chilton, from the step by step, it doesn't look like that bad of a job. But since I can't even see the darn thing and having to lay on my back or bent over the side for 5 hours, which will probably mean 8 or better, the way things go, and then since the garage is unheated and it's in the 20's for the next couple of months, it's not a project that I'm really excited about.

Have on had the ZR-1 for about a year and am still getting used to the Beast! Anyone out there that has changed the pump themselves?

Mik
91 Turquoise Mettalic #135

ShawnZR-1 · 01-12-2008

Yep, 5 hours sounds about right. It's not the easiest thing to get to and there are a lot of hidden bolts!

While you're in there, change the hoses if they haven't been changed in the last few years. If they're original, you might wind up cutting them off anyway!

tomtom72 · 01-12-2008

Nope, still got my replacement in the box, but if you have those sprung steel clamps vs the "ideal" screw type clamps....go & buy the special remover tool, the up-scale one at that...it has the grasper on the end of a long cable...you'll need it & it will make life a bit less stressful, fighting with the hose clamps, that is if your 91 used the same clamps as my 90.

Not knowing the FSM steps, I haven't looked because I don't relish doing it...it would seem to me that the fans at least would have to go for the job to be even remotely pleasant. I could see r & r'ing the rad too, as it isn't that bad, just to have more room to stick my fat head in there to see what I was doing. Might even have to dis-mount the steering cooler for some room & the tensioner, p/s pump, jez...this seems like fun. I think I'll shut up now.

Oh yea, I hear ya about the unheated garage.....I got no heat & no recepticals in mine & the overhead light stinks. You have my empathy, I hope it goes smooth for ya!

Tom

cuisinartvette · 01-12-2008

you can do it without removing radiator, the hoses gotta go, think I took the air horn off too. If I remember right I didnt get the lower hose completely off the water p[ump til I had broken it loose, it was a pain to get the clamp off.

There are a bunch of bolts that come out, and some that look like theay are supposed to but dont (think those go into the timing chain cover). Get a fe cans of brakleen and spray everything off real good so you can get a closer look at what youre doing. Dont forget the ones right above the balancer, hard to see them. Make sure you keep track of what bolt goes in what hole, I believe some of them are differerent.
Its not too bad, just takes patience. WIll go together much quicker than it came apart.

UKZR1 · 01-12-2008

That sounds about right. It was a couple of years back but I remember taking the pump out with the fans etc in place. Think I removed the belt and the air horn and then located and removed the bolts by feel after looking at the replacement for an isea of where they were going to be. Not a nice job due to the lack of space. I removed the spring clamps with pliers but have since bought the proper tool for the job - go get it it makes things sooo much easier. From memory i pulled the pump with the lower hose still attacthed and then removed it when I could get to it.

If its any help, there are some photo's of my LT5 sitting out of the car on my site. You can clearly see the water pump in position.

petefias · 01-12-2008

As I recall there are several different lenght bolts coming out of the WP. Lay the new pump next to the car and transfer the bolts as you remove them from the old into the appropriate hole on the new. Once you removed the old pump transfer the bolts back to the old pump. As you install the new pump once again install the bolts one by one by transferring them from the old pump to the new one.

This will guarantee you use the bolts where they belong. You will be glad you did this "childish game"...

MikeG · 01-14-2008

Gixer, thanks for the post and the link - could you be a bit more specific on where to look on your site for the pic mentioned. Checked your site a bit - looks great and will look more indepth - but not sure where to look to see the motor,
MikeG
91 Turquoise Metallic, # 135

Hammer · 01-13-2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by MikeG

I've got a 91 that I need to replace the waterpump on. A friend, who has a nice shop, but no ZR-1 experience, looked it up and said it was a 5 hour job and would cost $ 375+. In checking my Chilton, from the step by step, it doesn't look like that bad of a job. But since I can't even see the darn thing and having to lay on my back or bent over the side for 5 hours, which will probably mean 8 or better, the way things go, and then since the garage is unheated and it's in the 20's for the next couple of months, it's not a project that I'm really excited about.

Have on had the ZR-1 for about a year and am still getting used to the Beast! Anyone out there that has changed the pump themselves?

Mik
91 Turquoise Mettalic #135

Nice to see you over here Mike. Glad these guys can help. I haven't had to do this or I would have posted.

cuisinartvette · 01-13-2008

Wanted to add when reattaching the WP leave the lower hose off. Once its secured you can get the hose on, I just used a regular ol clamp instead of the stock one. Leaving the hose on and tryuing to line up the bolts...good luck. For some reason I remmeber having to remove a bolt/few from the alternator.
Maybe Jeff can fill in the blanks here.

01-14-2008

Alright here we go this is without changing hoses.

Steps:
1) Drain coolant
2) remove accordian duct
3) Remove airhorn
4) Remove serpentine belt
5) remove belt tensioner
6) Remove water pump pulley
7) Remove hoses at coolant outlet pipes and pull coolant hose assembly towards the front of the car.
8) Remove the spring clamp off of the water pump end of the hose
9) Get a crewdriver or awl or anything to start prying the hose end off. Once you have an opening spray some sort of penetrating oil to help get the hose off
10) I use a large pry bar and push down on the hose to get it to slide off. Less damage on your knuckles
11) Spray the crap out of it with brake kleen.
12) Now tackle the bolts there are three different ones.
13) Use your new pump as a bolt guide. As you pull them out place them in the corresponding holes on the new pump.
14) Once the pump is out transfer the bolts from the new one to the old one.
15) Put a small amount of rtv on a few spots on the pump and and put the gasket on the pump.
16) Run a couple of bolts through as guides. Insert all bolts and then tighten down.
17) Re-assemble everything else and fill with fresh coolant.

01-12-2008	#2
ShawnZR-1 Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Atlanta, GA Posts: 81	Re: HELP! Changing the WaterPump Yep, 5 hours sounds about right. It's not the easiest thing to get to and there are a lot of hidden bolts! While you're in there, change the hoses if they haven't been changed in the last few years. If they're original, you might wind up cutting them off anyway! __________________ 1991 Chevrolet Corvette ZR-1

01-12-2008	#3
tomtom72 Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Jacksonville, FL USA Posts: 4,645	Re: HELP! Changing the WaterPump Nope, still got my replacement in the box, but if you have those sprung steel clamps vs the "ideal" screw type clamps....go & buy the special remover tool, the up-scale one at that...it has the grasper on the end of a long cable...you'll need it & it will make life a bit less stressful, fighting with the hose clamps, that is if your 91 used the same clamps as my 90. Not knowing the FSM steps, I haven't looked because I don't relish doing it...it would seem to me that the fans at least would have to go for the job to be even remotely pleasant. I could see r & r'ing the rad too, as it isn't that bad, just to have more room to stick my fat head in there to see what I was doing. Might even have to dis-mount the steering cooler for some room & the tensioner, p/s pump, jez...this seems like fun. I think I'll shut up now. Oh yea, I hear ya about the unheated garage.....I got no heat & no recepticals in mine & the overhead light stinks. You have my empathy, I hope it goes smooth for ya! Tom __________________ 1990 ZR-1, Black/grey, #2233, stock. ZR-1 Net Reg Founding Member #316 & NCM member

01-12-2008	#4
cuisinartvette Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: San Fernando Valley, CA. Posts: 896	Re: HELP! Changing the WaterPump you can do it without removing radiator, the hoses gotta go, think I took the air horn off too. If I remember right I didnt get the lower hose completely off the water p[ump til I had broken it loose, it was a pain to get the clamp off. There are a bunch of bolts that come out, and some that look like theay are supposed to but dont (think those go into the timing chain cover). Get a fe cans of brakleen and spray everything off real good so you can get a closer look at what youre doing. Dont forget the ones right above the balancer, hard to see them. Make sure you keep track of what bolt goes in what hole, I believe some of them are differerent. Its not too bad, just takes patience. WIll go together much quicker than it came apart. __________________ 1990 ZR1, 142,000 miles-Black on black 4.09's Haibeck chip, 3"exh, K&N, meth inj.

01-12-2008	#5
UKZR1 Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: South East England Posts: 173	Re: HELP! Changing the WaterPump That sounds about right. It was a couple of years back but I remember taking the pump out with the fans etc in place. Think I removed the belt and the air horn and then located and removed the bolts by feel after looking at the replacement for an isea of where they were going to be. Not a nice job due to the lack of space. I removed the spring clamps with pliers but have since bought the proper tool for the job - go get it it makes things sooo much easier. From memory i pulled the pump with the lower hose still attacthed and then removed it when I could get to it. If its any help, there are some photo's of my LT5 sitting out of the car on my site. You can clearly see the water pump in position. __________________ Red/red 90 #1281 (UK) Marc Haibeck 368 B&B, Brembos DRM suspension Known as 'Gixer' on corvettechat.co.uk www.corvetteclips.co.uk

01-12-2008	#6
petefias Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Lancaster, PA Posts: 147	Re: HELP! Changing the WaterPump As I recall there are several different lenght bolts coming out of the WP. Lay the new pump next to the car and transfer the bolts as you remove them from the old into the appropriate hole on the new. Once you removed the old pump transfer the bolts back to the old pump. As you install the new pump once again install the bolts one by one by transferring them from the old pump to the new one. This will guarantee you use the bolts where they belong. You will be glad you did this "childish game"...

01-12-2008	#1
MikeG Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Sioux Falls, SD Posts: 77	HELP! Changing the WaterPump I've got a 91 that I need to replace the waterpump on. A friend, who has a nice shop, but no ZR-1 experience, looked it up and said it was a 5 hour job and would cost $ 375+. In checking my Chilton, from the step by step, it doesn't look like that bad of a job. But since I can't even see the darn thing and having to lay on my back or bent over the side for 5 hours, which will probably mean 8 or better, the way things go, and then since the garage is unheated and it's in the 20's for the next couple of months, it's not a project that I'm really excited about. Have on had the ZR-1 for about a year and am still getting used to the Beast! Anyone out there that has changed the pump themselves? Mik 91 Turquoise Mettalic #135 __________________ [FONT=Impact]MikeG[/FONT] [FONT=Impact]91 Turquoise Mettalic #135[/FONT] [FONT=Impact]1HOTZR1:cool: [/FONT]

01-14-2008	#7
MikeG Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Sioux Falls, SD Posts: 77	Re: HELP! Changing the WaterPump Gixer, thanks for the post and the link - could you be a bit more specific on where to look on your site for the pic mentioned. Checked your site a bit - looks great and will look more indepth - but not sure where to look to see the motor, MikeG 91 Turquoise Metallic, # 135 __________________ [FONT=Impact]MikeG[/FONT] [FONT=Impact]91 Turquoise Mettalic #135[/FONT] [FONT=Impact]1HOTZR1:cool: [/FONT]

01-13-2008	#9
cuisinartvette Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: San Fernando Valley, CA. Posts: 896	Re: HELP! Changing the WaterPump Wanted to add when reattaching the WP leave the lower hose off. Once its secured you can get the hose on, I just used a regular ol clamp instead of the stock one. Leaving the hose on and tryuing to line up the bolts...good luck. For some reason I remmeber having to remove a bolt/few from the alternator. Maybe Jeff can fill in the blanks here. __________________ 1990 ZR1, 142,000 miles-Black on black 4.09's Haibeck chip, 3"exh, K&N, meth inj.

01-14-2008	#10
Jeffvette Guest Posts: n/a	Re: HELP! Changing the WaterPump Alright here we go this is without changing hoses. Steps: 1) Drain coolant 2) remove accordian duct 3) Remove airhorn 4) Remove serpentine belt 5) remove belt tensioner 6) Remove water pump pulley 7) Remove hoses at coolant outlet pipes and pull coolant hose assembly towards the front of the car. 8) Remove the spring clamp off of the water pump end of the hose 9) Get a crewdriver or awl or anything to start prying the hose end off. Once you have an opening spray some sort of penetrating oil to help get the hose off 10) I use a large pry bar and push down on the hose to get it to slide off. Less damage on your knuckles 11) Spray the crap out of it with brake kleen. 12) Now tackle the bolts there are three different ones. 13) Use your new pump as a bolt guide. As you pull them out place them in the corresponding holes on the new pump. 14) Once the pump is out transfer the bolts from the new one to the old one. 15) Put a small amount of rtv on a few spots on the pump and and put the gasket on the pump. 16) Run a couple of bolts through as guides. Insert all bolts and then tighten down. 17) Re-assemble everything else and fill with fresh coolant.