84, 6.2 diesel water pump replacement tips?

[maynardogle]

It looks like I have to tackle this job tomorrow. From the book it looks like the pump mounts on a flat plate, which is essentially the timing gear cover. Am I correct that sequence is that the plate and the pump come off the engine as a unit..then the pump comes off the plate? Also, book shows just RTV (no gasket) between the plate and the block..Seems odd..

Also ont bolt seems to be blocked by the nipple from the crossover hose on bottom of thermostat housing. Book doesn't say to remove the thermostat housing..but I can't see any way around that....

ANybody done one of these and have info that didn't get into the book?

 

[icemanoh58d]

It looks like I have to tackle this job tomorrow. From the book it looks like the pump mounts on a flat plate, which is essentially the timing gear cover. Am I correct that sequence is that the plate and the pump come off the engine as a unit..then the pump comes off the plate? Also, book shows just RTV (no gasket) between the plate and the block..Seems odd..

Also ont bolt seems to be blocked by the nipple from the crossover hose on bottom of thermostat housing. Book doesn't say to remove the thermostat housing..but I can't see any way around that....

ANybody done one of these and have info that didn't get into the book?

Hey brother I did mine two years ago, I have an 83 w/ 6.2 as well and there wasn't much to removing it as I remember, I did it on the side of the road with a leatherman while waiting for a tow truck (lesson learned there always carry tools) N-E ways I had a hard time getting a replacement pump from the local auto parts store finally found one at O'reilly's I did not have to remove the thermostat housing on mine and not sure if there is any difference between 83/84 set-up also there was no gasket just good RTV and making sure the surfaces are well cleaned.. no leaks or problems with the pump although I replaced the lower radiator hose at the same time as well and I am still having a hard time getting it to seal good as soon as I get a standard hose clamp tight enough to to keep it from leaking it strips within a couple days and starts up again so while you do this if you replace any of those hose clamps and know of something better than your average run-o-the mill hose clamp for that lower hose let me know. You might even save some animals life in the process due to the amount of antifreeze my truck can leak at times...

Trev

 

[diesel4me]

Goop it..

I had a 67 Impala 283-V8--like all other GM small blocks,it always had a green puddle on the intake manifold,from the thermostat housing leaking overnight...seems the aluminum housing and cast iron intake expand and contract at different rates,and allows coolant to escape,usually about a teaspoon or two overnight..adds up after awhile..

Anyhaow,I tired of losing coolant, and smelling anti-freeze burning off the manifold every morning....I replaced the housing with a cast iron one,tightened the hose clamp until it stripped,like yours keeps doing..the iron housing didn't leak,but the dam radiator hose weeped now that the housing was sealed..I tried a bunch of hose clamps..Gates "Gold Seal" were the beefiest then,but I bet they all suck nowadays..

In desparation,I swabbed the inside of the radiator hose,and the thermostat outlet nipple with "Indian Head Gasket Shellac" I had lying around..it NEVER leaked another drop,but I did have to use a wood chisel,hammer,and a wire wheel on a bench grinder to remove the hose when it failed a few years later!..I think even with NO hose clamp that hose never would have come off or leaked!.
Permatex "High Tack" works much the same way,it practically welds rubber to steel!..I used the brush on variety to "stick" rubber floor mats to my bare steel floors,and it was HELL to remove them a year later to fix the rusted floor!!..they came off in peices and layers,with great effort and putty knives and a propane torch......

 

[maynardogle]

Well...just to report back in...job is almost done... It took all of Saturday to get a pump...I spent the day geting everything off and cleaning bolts. Sunday got consumed by higher priority taks (grandchild birthday)..and today I am called in sick to work and will finish....I hope. Interesting comment about top clamp on lower hose.. When this leak started, I replaced lower hose, and the top clamp leaked. I repositioned the clamp higher on the nipple and tightened the crap out of it. That seems to stop it. Based on your comments I may double clamp if there is enough room. Interesting observation on this job was apparent cavitation corrossion (little pits) all around the backside of the timing cover/water pump mounting plate right where the water pump gasket meets the plate. I'v never seen this on a gas engine but I
I hear it is common on diesels.

 

[imiceman44]

I had a 67 Impala 283-V8--like all other GM small blocks,it always had a green puddle on the intake manifold,from the thermostat housing leaking overnight...seems the aluminum housing and cast iron intake expand and contract at different rates,and allows coolant to escape,usually about a teaspoon or two overnight..adds up after awhile..

Anyhaow,I tired of losing coolant, and smelling anti-freeze burning off the manifold every morning....I replaced the housing with a cast iron one,tightened the hose clamp until it stripped,like yours keeps doing..the iron housing didn't leak,but the dam radiator hose weeped now that the housing was sealed..I tried a bunch of hose clamps..Gates "Gold Seal" were the beefiest then,but I bet they all suck nowadays..

In desparation,I swabbed the inside of the radiator hose,and the thermostat outlet nipple with "Indian Head Gasket Shellac" I had lying around..it NEVER leaked another drop,but I did have to use a wood chisel,hammer,and a wire wheel on a bench grinder to remove the hose when it failed a few years later!..I think even with NO hose clamp that hose never would have come off or leaked!.
Permatex "High Tack" works much the same way,it practically welds rubber to steel!..I used the brush on variety to "stick" rubber floor mats to my bare steel floors,and it was HELL to remove them a year later to fix the rusted floor!!..they came off in peices and layers,with great effort and putty knives and a propane torch......

What I have done for hose clamp leaks is clean thoroughly and then apply a thin layer of oil on the inside of the hose and the outside of the housing or the radiator which ever is being connected to the hose, I neve had a problem, and I don;t tighten the hell out of my clamp either.
As long as the rubber fits snug to begin with, the oil helps it to slip into the position instead of kinking when you tighten the clamp.

 

[maynardogle]

OK...job is done..no apparent leaks...so far. I double clamped the lower hose where it pushes on to the water pump.. I had a small leak where the top hose pushes on to the thermostat housing but another turn on the clamp fixed that one. I may reposition the single clamp and double clamp that one as well. Lots of room to work there. Lessons Learned..1) the engine is mostly metric..which surprised me. You need 10mm 13 mm and 15 mm both shallow and deepwell sockets to do this job. The 1/2 in. socket will fit over the 13 mm bolts some of the time....as would the 3/8 fit over the 10 mm bolts..some of the time. Only parts that weren't metric were the four little nuts which hold the fan to the water pump hub. Those came off with 1/2 inch wrench and are simple 5/16 in. course thread nuts. Other lesson learned... 2) I wish I had a serpentine belt set up..