Replacing water pump info
 

Here's the deal, bad water pump, wizzing through the weep hole. How much trouble is it? So ya have to remove the radiator to get the fan off? Do you just need to take off the shroud to get to the fan to get to the pump to get to the shin bone connected, oh never mind....
Anyway... how much friggen trouble and how much time.... If I took it to the Stealer of a inde how much denaro~? Guestimate/ballpark figure if ya can...
I posted this before but I could not find it, so if it is on here somewhere, apologizes here and now for the double posting... Sooo saalee charllee.
Thank for any feedback or replies...
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I forgot to ask if it was really necessary to have that J41240 GM tool that the SI speaks of or not. I can' really see it that well but it looks like it is just a crows foot that is offset a bit. Would not a flex head ratchet with a socket of even the crows foot work just as well? I don't think that a water pump is really gonna turn out to be that hard and I don't mean to seem like I am making a big deal out of this. I just don't want to get into something that I don't have the right tool for if it really needs some off the wall one and not have it.Is that J41240 to remove the bolts or to hold the pulley in place while removing the bolts with another form of wrench or ratchet/socket?
Thanks again...
I uploaded a pic for the first time so I hope it turns out right...


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RE: Replacing water pump info
 

Hey,

Don't know what year your dealing with but I replaced my water pump on my '96. It's really pretty simple (especially after you've done it). Anyhow, if my memory serves me correctly, you need to remove the upper part of the shroud (its two pieces) but not the radiator. You'll also have to remove the belt. The tricky part here (at least for me on my '96) was to remove the fan/pulley from the pump itself. It has a very large nut (>1-1/4" I think). The auto parts store where I bought my pump from claimed they had the tools to loan out but after I looked at them, I knew they were not correct for my application. Luckily, at the time I was doing some of this type of work for a living and 'borrowed' some custom tools from work. Basically, it was a large fork (like an open end wrench) and a 'claw' like lever that hooked onto the bolts securing the pulley to the pump. As far as cost a dealership.... I'll SWAG it.... I paid ~$35 for the pump/gaskets, so the dealership will probably charge ~$60-70. They'll charge you at least 1hr of labor (maybe 2!). Shop materials, probably $10+. Bottom line, I think you'll be pushing $200. If your handy with tools and are comfortable potentially disabling your truck, its a job you could do yourself in your driveway. I'd plan on about double the 'shop time' if you find it listed anywhere. (Just reread my post - drain radiator, its a good time to flush it also, and disconnect the battery)

My $0.02,
Bob

RE: Replacing water pump info
 

Hi again,

You must have edited your post while I was writing.... Anyway, that is the tool that I wrote about. You need that to separate the fan clutch from the water pump - BEFORE you remove the pulley. It looks like that tool will hold the pump/pulley in place while you get a large open end wrench (or equivalent) to remove the nut on the clutch.

Bob

RE: Replacing water pump info (addendum)
 

Okay, looks like the "hex spacer" that the fan in on is 1 3/8th" maybe or close to it. Just gonna take a 1 1/4" oprn end and Makita the crap out of it till it is a brand new 1 3/8th" open end to hold the beeatch in place to remove the FC, then WP.etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. etc.
Hopefully I won't have any fu's.

RE: Replacing water pump info
 

I didn't use the special tool...I wish I could remember what I used instead, but I forget. I used a BIG adjustable wrench to get the fan off.
I did not remove my radiator, I removed the top part of the shroud to get at it.
Water pump is not that difficult, just take your time.

RE: Replacing water pump info
 

I used the serp belt to hold the fan in place to get the fan bolts off. Or you could buy a $20 strap wrench kit from Sears to do the same thing. No need for the special one time use tool.

Maybe someone should do a write up on this with pics and all. If noone has one done by thsi summer, I'll do one. I have to flush my coolant system, and typically replace the water pump, thermostat, upper and lower radiator hoses, plus heater hoses all at the asme time.

RE: Replacing water pump info
 

A write up with pics would be a great idea. I keep doing jobs on my cars, and wishing I had taken pics.
This site have a "tech" section with write ups like that.

RE: Replacing water pump info
 

I have been meaning to setup a Tech How-To section at some point, but haven't had the time as of yet.

RE: Replacing water pump info
 

I've found this fantastic set of manuals - it is for the Blazer (somewhere, they call it an Astro Van)

Astro Van Manuals - Water Pump

There's loads of good info in there

RE: Replacing water pump info
 

Hi All,

Last fall I replaced my water pump on my 96. Very messy job with the coolant thought. As described I removed the top fan shroud, air intake, belt and fan. To get the fan off I used a very large adjustable and a 2lb mechanics hammer. A couple of taps and it spun off.

Getting the rad and heater houses off was a pain in the butt also. I am a novice so it took me about 4 hours.

At the same time I changed the coolant and belt. Houses were OK, no cracking or inidcation they were worn but not a bad idea to change also.

M.

RE: Replacing water pump info
 

Tip for ya.
The next time you need to change rubber hoses, spray them with WD40 first. The WD-40 softens the rubber so they slide like they did when new.

RE: Replacing water pump info
 

I just finished changing mine. I just bought a 99 blazer 4-door and it was about ready for the 90,000 mile tune-up so I flushed the coolant, replaced the water pump, upper and lower hoses, one heater hose that looked to be in bad shape, and the thermostat and rad cap. All in all, maybe 5 hours. The fan clutch can be a pain, I used an adjustable wrench on the nut to break it off. I didn't have a manual and made the mistake of taking the water pump pulley off first thinking it was all one assembly. Big mistake, spent the next twenty min trying to put the pulley back on so I could take that big nut off. Before braeking into that though, remember to loosen the thermostat housing to allow the upper half of the engine to drain fluid out the radiator. Then take the housing and hoses off. I removed the lower fan shroud as well and it made things easier. I kept it off since I plan on doing a body lift. Then with the colant drained and the hoses off an out of the way, tackled the fan clutch. Good luck!
Will

RE: Replacing water pump info
 

I'm in on my 1996 Blazer 4x4 right now. The clutch is squealing like a piggy. I know this may seem novice, but it's an honest question. Is the clutch nut reverse threaded? ie: I would be trying to break it clockwise if facing the front of the truck. I was able to lodge a small open ended wrench behind the water pump pulley to hold the thing in place, but for the life of me, even after heating it for 5 mins with a torch, I can not get this nut to break loose.

RE: Replacing water pump info
 

I'm pretty sure you want to turn the nut counter clockwise. I have done this by leaving the belt on, installing a large adjustable wrench and smacking the handle as fast and as hard as I could. Once the nut is initially loosened, it comes off easy.

RE: Replacing water pump info
 

is it legal to post a how-to with pics from somewhere else on here? lol...because i have a good one.

RE: Replacing water pump info
 

I've done it before, so I don't think so. I think he might have fixed already tho.. old post.

RE: Replacing water pump info
 

hah ayea...i guess it is pretty old...didnt see the date...but would it be sometihng that i should make a new thread on anyways as a how-to?

99 chevy blazer water pump replacement
 

I found the easiest way to stop the pulley from moving while removing the large nut. Using the wrench that fits the pulley bolts, I put the closed end on one of the pulley bolts and the open end of the other side of the same wrench over an adjacent bolt of another piece of the engine that was located to the left of the water pump pulley. I used one of those wrenches that are slightly bent at the closed end side of the wrench and used the angle to my advantage to reach the other piece of equipment. For the life of me I can't remember what was to the left of the water pump pulley but I do believe it was another pulley that the belt ran on. I no longer own the truck or I would go outside right now and look. Hope that helps. I was able to hold the pulley in place with that wrench and EASILY remove that giant nut off the water pump.