[Mk2] [Turbo] Water pump removal - why wont it come off????

[dunc982]

Im looking for some advice on removing my water pump.
Last weekend I decided to replace the cam belt and idlers on my 1993 MR2 Turbo. Upon removing the old parts, I decided it would be a good idea to replace the waterpump aswell while ive got access to it.

Ive removed the large coolant pipe from thermostat housing, unbolted the dipstick from the housing, unbolted the coolant hard pipes from the rear of the housing (two bolts) and removed the three bolts that fix the pump to the block.

It is now free to move and wiggle about but it simply wont come off. I can only think that the 'O' ring in the hard pipe is tight and stopping it coming free but ive levered the hard pipes and, although there is movement, the pipe doesnt come free.

Is there something ive missed?? Are the 'O' rings in the hard pipes very tight and I just have to lever harder?? Any suggestions would be much appretiated.

[dunc982]

bump

[robwsurf]

might be a silly question but have you removed the big flat head screw from under the pulley too

[dunc982]

Im not aware off a flat head screw under the pulley no. I can see the cross head screw above the pulley which mounts the pump to the thermostat housing. Is there another one?

[liamc]

If its the same as the 3SGE you don't need to take off any pipes or the housing itself. Just that cross head screw and a few bolts around that area and the pump will pull away from the housing.

Be carefull with that screw as its easy to mash the head and then you end up having to get a flexible drill shaft and drill the head of it.

[dunc982]

Actually, part of the reason I wanted to get the whole lot off it one go was because ive mashed the crosshead screw ....oops. In the manual ive got it says to take the pump and housing off in one go anyway.

Has anybody had trouble getting the housing off before??

[JJ]

Shouldn't be a problem pulling it apart if you've done what you've said ?!!

Just tap it a bit... dont try and seperate it in the engine bay.. impossible as you've found out... killing off the screwhead... What often happens is the alloy corrodes a little at the contact with the cast iron block... also corrodes a little.... the pump is only secured with those bolts on the timing belt end of the block and of course the nuts for the stainless water pipes !

Could be a little resistance from one of the pipes in the back of the water pipe.. it must come in the direction of the bottom pulley about an inch before you can vertically remove it.

The two pipes that join the back of the water pump, one is flush fitting with a gasket and the other fits into the pipe with a ring seal gasket... hence pulling it towards you first before lifting out. See if you can just stick a flathead screw driver in the between the flange between the pump and the pipework... if thats free.. the only thing holding it in place is the bolts going into the block.. in which... get a flathead again and knock it out of position...

Just a tip on the timing belt....knock your bottom end out 5 degree ( towards the 10 degree mark - anticlockwise )... fit belt.. fit tensioner ( do not release it ) rotate 720 degrees and see if everything lines up.... TDC cams and 0 zero on the bottom pulley. The right hand side of the belt only tightens up once you begin rotation... and if you've put the belt on at zero on the bottom pulley.. it'll be 5 degree out !

[dunc982]

Ohright, ok cheers for that mate

The pump and housing are physically loose, you can wiggle it with your hand so that rules out it being corroded to the block. It can only be those pipes at the rear of the housing that are jammed, what do you recon?

Ive tried putting a screwdriver inbetween the pipe flange and housing and levering and there is a tiny amount of movement. How much did you struggle to release the pipes on yours? I levered quite hard, is it well known for them to be a b1tch to release from the housing?

[JJ]

dunc, is there not another nut in the back... ?? I can't remember if theres 2 or 3... would explain why they wont come apart.... Very little resistance to move it... !!

[dunc982]

Ive done some searching on the net i.e google etc and on the diagrams ive seen theres only two nuts. I will do some more searching but it does almost feel like theres another nut holding it

[dunc982]

Success!!! I levered the hard pipes at the rear again this morning and it released from the housing. The 'O' ring was pretty gunged up with mess so thats probably what was making it excessively tight. There was also a small pipe going to the oil cooler that I didnt know about that was attached to the housing.

I now have it on my work bench ready to drill out that cross headed screw.

[JJ]