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#1
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Rebuild water pump?
Anyone rebuild their own pumps here? Any tricks? I have a date coded one I need to rebuild.
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1963 Cat SD Clone (old school) streeter 1964 GTO post coupe, tripower, 4speed (build) 1965 GTO 389 tripower, 4 speed, driver 1966 GTO dragcar 1966 GTO Ragtop 1969 Tempest ET clone street/strip 1969 GTO Judge RA lll, auto 1969 GTO limelight Conv. 4speed go and show (sold) 1970 GP SSJ 1970 GTO barn find..TLB…390 horse?….yeh, 390 1972 GTO 455 HO, 4 speed, (build) 1973 Grand Safari wagon, 700hp stoplight sleeper 525ci DCI & 609ci LM V head builds |
#2
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When I worked for Pontiac the owner's teenage son rebuilt the water pumps so it can't be too hard.
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#3
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When I worked at the Pontiac dealer, they would not pay for a new water pump under a warranty claim. You had to take it apart and attempt to rebuild it. The warranty was 5 years/50K miles. About half of them had enough grooving in the shaft in the area of the seal, that the zone would authorize a new pump. The other half, you could clean up the shaft with 400 paper. Then pack the seal inside where the garter spring is with some grease so it stays in place and press the thing back together. Take note of the exact location of the impeller on the shaft as you want to go back in the same location. All the pumps in those days had a cast iron impeller. I would not reuse a sheet metal one. Also, make sure the iron one goes back on with a press fit. If the press has a gauge, I would expect at least 750 LBS. minimum press. Good luck with it. Didn't know you could even get seals and bearings anymore . At the dealer we had to rebuild, power steering pumps, starters, alternators, master cylinders, wheel cylinders, calipers, brake boosters, steering gears and racks, all that stuff.
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#4
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Ok, a buddy of mine that worked at the Pontiac dealership in the early to mid 70s said they would break about half the housings trying to cold press them out. Pontiac wanted them to rebuild them rather and hardly gave any time for the rebuild job under warranty. So the mechanics could actually make more by just removing and replacing with a new pump.
After cold pressing and breaking a Guinea pig housing, I took a torch and cut the fan mounting flange on my number matching pump. The old bearing assembly came out heated housing easily without breakage. Had to put a little heat on the fan mounting flange going back with the assembly. Otherwise no problems.
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1963 Cat SD Clone (old school) streeter 1964 GTO post coupe, tripower, 4speed (build) 1965 GTO 389 tripower, 4 speed, driver 1966 GTO dragcar 1966 GTO Ragtop 1969 Tempest ET clone street/strip 1969 GTO Judge RA lll, auto 1969 GTO limelight Conv. 4speed go and show (sold) 1970 GP SSJ 1970 GTO barn find..TLB…390 horse?….yeh, 390 1972 GTO 455 HO, 4 speed, (build) 1973 Grand Safari wagon, 700hp stoplight sleeper 525ci DCI & 609ci LM V head builds |
#5
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I had 3 of them rebuilt, but were done by Cardone industries . https://www.cardone.com/rebuild-and-return/
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68 Firebird. IA2 block, 505 cu in, E-head, Solid roller 3650 weight. Reid TH400 4:11 gear. 29" slick. Best so far 10.12@133 mph. 1.43 60 ft. 76 Trans am, TKX .81 o/d, 3.73 Moser rearend, 468 with KRE D-ports, Doug headers, 3" Exh. |
#6
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Quote:
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#7
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Here's a Service Bulletin on rebuilding them:
Water Pump Rebuild With correct tools and rebuild kit makes it sound easy.
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John Wallace - johnta1 Pontiac Power RULES !!! www.wallaceracing.com Winner of Top Class at Pontiac Nationals, 2004 Cordova Winner of Quick 16 At Ames 2004 Pontiac Tripower Nats KRE's MR-1 - 1st 5 second Pontiac block ever! "Every man has a right to his own opinion, but no man has a right to be wrong in his facts." "People demand freedom of speech to make up for the freedom of thought which they avoid." – Socrates |
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#8
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Fwiw; i had a known-good Aluminum Water Pump sit on the shelf for about 10 years. All looked clean, no shaft rust, etc. Went to use it and it leaked from the weephole.
Front seal dried up. Went searching for Water Pump rebuild kits, but tossed the core and bought new. Price of new went up since i bought a few. |
#9
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Exactly, & the front seals do dry up with those near 50 year old GM service package bearing/seal kits. Main reason I don't use them. Another problem with an eBay or swapmeet purchase of one of the long discontinued GM water pump service kits is, there are at least 2 different dimensions of cartridge bearing/seal. Need to have the correct one.
Missing the correct cast impeller as it was replaced by a mass rebuilder years ago with a stamped steel impeller, there are 5 different cast impellers used from '63-81 on original Pontiac V8 water pumps.
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Buzzards gotta eat... same as worms. |
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#10
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Arthur Gould, on east coast. Just tell them you want your original core back. Excellent work for 40+ years! Very inexpensive!
"Bill"! |
#11
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I've rebuilt many of my water pumps for my 67 LeMans and 67 GTO. Pontiac used to sell rebuild kits that had a new shaft, seal, etc packaged in a nice case but those are long gone. I made my own kit. You'll need to have a hydraulic press to be able to remove the front flange using a bearing separator and to be able to remove the impeller and seal out together. Both the front flange and impeller will get reused.
Tractor Supply part houses have the parts, at least for the 8 bolt pumps. The bearing shaft that I chose is longer on one end than required but is sawed off to the correct length. The seal kits come with an plastic installation tool. AR62933 is the seal and JD9212 is the bearing/shaft. Replacement shaft diameter is a few thousandths over for a good press fit. Amazon sells the pump shaft bearing and seal as well but the tractor supply houses usually have lower prices. I included my inventory of used shaft bearings' dimensions and some part numbers that should work. |
#12
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I bought the kit off eBay, had all the components and cast impeller. No problem… Using a little heat to remove the old bearing and shaft. Then heat on the fan flange on assembly. I believe where one could have a problem is not getting the .425 preload they recommend on the seal installing the impeller.Think the kit was $85.
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1963 Cat SD Clone (old school) streeter 1964 GTO post coupe, tripower, 4speed (build) 1965 GTO 389 tripower, 4 speed, driver 1966 GTO dragcar 1966 GTO Ragtop 1969 Tempest ET clone street/strip 1969 GTO Judge RA lll, auto 1969 GTO limelight Conv. 4speed go and show (sold) 1970 GP SSJ 1970 GTO barn find..TLB…390 horse?….yeh, 390 1972 GTO 455 HO, 4 speed, (build) 1973 Grand Safari wagon, 700hp stoplight sleeper 525ci DCI & 609ci LM V head builds Last edited by J.C.you; 12-04-2023 at 11:12 PM. |
#13
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this post is pure gold for me...
Thanks to everyone for sharing this!!
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1970 Formula 400 Carousel Red paint on Black standard interior A no-engine, no-transmission, no-wheel option car. Quite likely one of few '70 Muncie three speed Formula 400's left. 1991 Grand Am: 14.4 @ 93.7mph (DA corrected) (retired DD, stock appearing) 2009 Cobalt SS: 13.9 @ 103mph (current DD; makes something north of 300hp & 350ft/lbs) |
#14
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A question. A guy reads that the cast impeller vs the stamped is the right way to go but I don't understand why. It would appear that the bigger vanes of a stamped impeller would grab the water and circulate it better than the shorter (that I've seen on the ones I've installed) cast version. I've not had issues with either as far as that goes.
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