Water pump pulley?

[brandon12777]

Anyone have any tips to get this friggin thing off? I tried prying it I couldn't get it to even budge. It has pretty much stopped me in my tracks. As of now I sprayed it with PB blaster and I'm hoping that does something.

Thanks,
Brandon

[stbvue]

Can you try using a pulley tool? or is to tight to get in to it?

[Chazberry]

Originally Posted by brandon12777

Anyone have any tips to get this friggin thing off? I tried prying it I couldn't get it to even budge. It has pretty much stopped me in my tracks. As of now I sprayed it with PB blaster and I'm hoping that does something.

See Post 18 in this thread >
http://saturnfans3.saturnfans.com/~s...d.php?t=145969

[brandon12777]

Thanks Chaz, I actually saw that post and was prying using that technique.
Didn't get any bit of movement that way. At this point I am really really hoping the PB blasters loosens it up some because I dont know what to do if it doesn't.

[Chazberry]

PB working yet?

[far2grumpy]

Originally Posted by brandon12777

Anyone have any tips to get this friggin thing off? I tried prying it I couldn't get it to even budge. It has pretty much stopped me in my tracks. As of now I sprayed it with PB blaster and I'm hoping that does something.

Thanks,
Brandon

Which flavor engine are you working on?

[brandon12777]

L81.

Ok PB overnight didnt help any. I almost feel like I am doing something wrong but I looked at the new water pump and it seems like with those 3 bolts on the pulley removed it should come off.

I have been trying to use Chaz's method to pry it off and I can actually see the pulley flexing under the prying but it isnt budging off the water pump. It wouldnt surprised me if I have slightly bent the pulley.
I also tried putting a long screw driver tip on the water pump and hitting it with a hammer to see if they shock/vibrations could unset it some but to no avail.

I'm willing to try anything at this point, I probably have to get a new pulley so I dont care if getting it off involves destroying it or the water pump!.

[far2grumpy]

Originally Posted by brandon12777

L81.

Ok PB overnight didnt help any. I almost feel like I am doing something wrong but I looked at the new water pump and it seems like with those 3 bolts on the pulley removed it should come off.

I have been trying to use Chaz's method to pry it off and I can actually see the pulley flexing under the prying but it isnt budging off the water pump. It wouldnt surprised me if I have slightly bent the pulley.
I also tried putting a long screw driver tip on the water pump and hitting it with a hammer to see if they shock/vibrations could unset it some but to no avail.

I'm willing to try anything at this point, I probably have to get a new pulley so I dont care if getting it off involves destroying it or the water pump!.

There are no magic words in the service manual ... is there enough space behind the pulley to use a wheel puller? They generally have all sizes and shapes to lend at most parts stores.

[brandon12777]

F2G, I think that is going to be my next step. I do think there is enough room to get a pullers arms in behind the pulley but not sure if there is enough room between the pulley and wheel well.

[far2grumpy]

Originally Posted by brandon12777

F2G, I think that is going to be my next step. I do think there is enough room to get a pullers arms in behind the pulley but not sure if there is enough room between the pulley and wheel well.

I'm with you in spirit partner ... I wasted five hours today changing oil cooler lines on a Chevy pickup. The world would blush if they knew what I'd like to do to the idiot who thought it's no big deal to remove a motor mount to change an oil line.

And they wonder why some DIY mechanics drink?

[stbvue]

They didnt think that it would ever need replacing....Stupid engineers!
My 98 chevy had the oil filter under the front bumper and the crimped lines were always leaking, after $230 for the first replaced line the next one leaked. I took care of that and cut the ends clean then replaced with hose clamps. Just that easy.

[far2grumpy]

Originally Posted by stbvue

They didnt think that it would ever need replacing....Stupid engineers!

My 98 chevy had the oil filter under the front bumper and the crimped lines were always leaking, after $230 for the first replaced line the next one leaked. I took care of that and cut the ends clean then replaced with hose clamps. Just that easy.

Same deal with my 2004 ... leaky crimps ... for whatever reason a set of new tubes is down to around $75. They're fresh off the boat from China so who knows how long they'll last at that price.

I plan to rework the old set per your advice - and I might pay some one to put them on.

[stbvue]

75 for the lines ok but, the garage charged me for the housing to far2grumpy. After i found out it only needed just the new line. Thats why i did the second one myself. only a hose clamp was needed.

[BobbyP]

Originally Posted by stbvue

Stupid engineers!

Watch it... For every bad thing "we" engineers do, there are 1000's of things we do that are brilliant!

[stbvue]

Hope your not an auto engineer......

[BobbyP]

Originally Posted by stbvue

Hope your not an auto engineer......

Not an automotive engineer, but when I see some of the bad designs and decisions on my cars I wished I could have had some input.

When I design a project, I always do it with the intention that one day someone needs to have relatively easy access for servicing. I do this because I started out working with service. If you make servicing your product easy, it's a good chance it will happen.

The sad part is there are many engineers that are "CAD babies" they have never got their hands dirty.

Some companies are so big they are like a runaway train hoping to stay on the tracks. Some companies have engineers with a lot of pride, and are impossible to change their minds.

[stbvue]

Im not knockin you personaly...... I realize cars today are made with cheap parts to keep cost down. But some things are ridiculously thought out, or not!

[brandon12777]

Alright guys sorry for the lack of updates. After being unable to get it off with a night of the PB blaster soaking in and sprayed more and repeated. The next morning I went to autozone and got a claw puller that would work if there wasn't almost not room between the face of the pulley and the body of the vehicle.

Feeling very disheartened at this point I figured I would try prying it again praying that there would be some sort of different result than all my previous prying. With much less effort than I had previously exerted it popped off like it was just toying with me the whole time.

Moral of the story: PB Blaster works! on just about anything, and thank god the pull is only like $15 because it is now deformed due to all the prying.

Thanks for the ideas and help and most important having a place to vent with people that understand. Hope this helps someone with a similar issue in the future.

Thanks,
Brandon