Waterpump help...

[ShadowFromHell]

My waterpump blew up on my NY tonight. Im working 150 miles from home and am going to have to change it in the parking lot of my hotel. Afterwork, in the dark, AND we are supposed to have a high of 8 degrees tommarow and possibly snow! Gonna be fun

Anyways... its been a while since I've done this. Dont have any metric tools and are going to have to borrow some from a coworker. What exactly do I need tool wise? A/C is long gone so I dont need to worry about that. Car is a 86, with 88 motor.

Thanks

[tryingbe]

Alternator bracket has to come off, so is alternator. I'd take the waterpump and its housing off and change the pump outside the car vs trying to do it in the car.
You'll need 10mm-15mm wrench, 7mm-15mm socket set, flat head screw driver, coolant, o-ring for water pump housing, RTV, might need a deep 13-15mm socket for the water pump housing studs. Be sure the disconnect the battery first. That's all I can remember.

[turbovanman²]

Also 18mm for the motor mount bracket. Agreed on taking the pump and housing off, way easier in a parking lot.

[ShadowFromHell]

Do I need to support the motor?

[tryingbe]

Yes engine needs to be supported, passenger side motor mount needs to come off so you can take the alternator bracket out.

[ShadowFromHell]

Can I pull the alt bracket with the alt attached at the top? Ive got a fullsize radiator slid all the way to the pass side. Doesnt look like I can pull the alt without removing the radiator.

[supercrackerbox]

Should be able to, I always have.

[bfarroo]

Shouldn't need to support the motor, just take the cross bolt out and the one piece that sandwiches the alternator bracket between it and the block and you can swing the alternator and bracket off the side and out of the way. No need to remove the engine mount. Just did my 89 two weeks ago and that's what I did.

[ShadowFromHell]

Changed it in hour and a half. Filled it with coolant and fired it up only to find the freeze plug behind the distributor leaking. Walked 4 blocks looking for stop leak with no luck. I cant win.

[Vigo]

You should be able to change that freeze plug fairly easily assuming you can find it.

Glad to hear the water pump went well. It's one of the very few things on these motors i don't consider 'really easy' (just normal).

[supercrackerbox]

Changed it in hour and a half. Filled it with coolant and fired it up only to find the freeze plug behind the distributor leaking. Walked 4 blocks looking for stop leak with no luck. I cant win.

Better that one than the ones on the back of the block at least.

[ShadowFromHell]

It would be easy to change with tools. But I dont have that luxury. I will be making a tool kit and putting it in the car asap. For now im going to stop leak it, drive it the 150 miles home and then change it.

[dodgeman87]

I'd use the steel freeze plugs and not the brass ones. I got mine from O'Reilly's and they are made by Dorman with a part number 555-000 stamped on them . They are a deeper plug so should be better.