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Broken water pump bolts

4K views 4 replies 2 participants last post by  tempfixit 
#1 ·
94 voyager 3.3 auto

Yesterday I removed the water pump and 2 of the bolts twisted off even after turning them both directions while removing to help clean threads. The bolts are the ones closest to the grill of vehicle. Any one else had this problem.


thanks
 
#2 ·
I've heard of that problem in salty road states. I think there are a few options for that issue. I would think that careful drilling, extraction and re-tap would be most correct method. I guess I got lucky on my waterpump replacement last week no broken bolts. I'm pretty sure you'll need some tricky tools to get in there like a 90° drill and a really short drill bit. Maybe what might work for clearance would be to take off the front engine mount and lower that end of the engine by using a floor jack/block of wood on the oil pan. If this repair method is not acheivable, you'll probably need to replace entire front cover.
 
#3 ·
Thanks, yes I would need a 90 degree drill which I don't have so I will look at doing as you suggest about possibly lowering engine on that side. This vehicle is really starting to piss me off. After installing new head gaskets, replacing head on bank 1, installing a flusjing tee on the return hose from the heater core I still can't get the damm thing to burp the coolant system making me think I still have a internal combustion leak into coolant system. In hindsight I should have probably just put a different engine in it. Chances are I would be able to use the vehicle by now.
 
#4 ·
Did you properly torque the head bolts? Did you sufficently clean off the gasket surfaces? Did you do a cooling system pressure test? I read that if you have a bad head gasket, using a cooling system pressure test will identify a leak I also read that if you were to put compressed air into the spark plug hole with the valves closed, a bad head gasket would show up as bubbles in the radiator. I'm wondering why you are going after the waterpump until you figure out the other possibilities. BTW did you ever just take the thing for a drive and monitor the coolant temp? A scanner works really nice to see actual temp off the ECT because the gauge thing just gives an approximation and really doesn't show any real numbers. Maybe the heater core is bad? When you put in the flush t did you put it on the supply or return side to the heater core? What about the water flow control valve that has the vacuum line going to it?
 
#5 ·
Could not get the broken bolts out so I installed a new O ring and applied blue RTV sealant on the new O ring, took 2 vise grips and placed them at each broken bolt and let cure for about 15 hours. I have had it running at normal operating temp a couple of times with no leaks. I did find that the bypass hose from water pump to intake had a crimp in it from being a touch to long, shortened it. I thinking that the crimp prevented the proper coolant flow.

For the time being I have by passed the heater core and the flush tee is on the return hose.

I don't have the vehicle licensed and it has a bad inner tie rod end so I have not driven it much, maybe 2 miles.

Today I did a air leak down test on the left bank and found no bubbles in the radiator, so I am going to flush the heater core and drive to see what happens.

Yes I did torque the heads by sequence and torqueing specifications, after the additional 1/4 turn, I set the torque wrench at 95 ft/lbs and all met those specs.
 
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