I'm beginning the disassembly of my '86 TPI engine....got all the wiring off; got the "octopus" arms off; got the fuel rail off.

How do I get the water pump off? It appears that I hasve to remove the entire intake first...????

 

Autoist,
To remove the water pump you do not have to remove the intake manifold at all.
"DUB"

 

Unless you were planning on doing so...the fuel rails did not need to be removed for the water pump removal. I have done so many of these engines I can do them in my sleep. When re-assembling the components...it would be wise for you to preform an "injector balance test" before you re-assemble the intake plenum /runners. Fuel injectors are usually good for about 60,000-70,000 miles. I can help you with this but it does take two tools to preform this test. One is a fuel poressure guage.....the other is one that will pulse your injector...so you can take the reading of the before and after fuel pressure readings. The difference in these reading will let you know if you have bad injectors or not. IT IS AN IMPORTANT TEST. The test doesn't take that long...but is very helpful ...so you do not try to chase down a "gremlin" that is haunting you when the engine is running crappy. many other things to be watchful of also. And whatever you do...do not grind away any gasket material that has stuck to you intake manifold, plenum or runners. The machined surfaces need to stay that way...and it requires careful soaking and VERY LIGHT scraping away of the old gaskete material.. DO NOT USE scotch-brite roll-lok pads, or the 3M rubber coated wire rol-lok pads. These damage the surface...and can cause for a vacuum leak.,,,IF YOU ARE NOT BEING WATCHFUL OF THE SURFACE. I have a 5 gallon bucket of carb cleaner that I soak these parts in for a few days and the gasket material comes off pretty easily. IF I am in a hurry, and can't wait, I very carefully use a razor blade and gently remove the gasket material and then use a solvent to get the rest off.
"DUB"

 

DUB, you da man!

My engine supposedly has 50,000 + a few miles on it.....I've opened the oil pan and everything looks like its new....I pulled the plentum (or whatever that octopus armed thing is) for 2 reasons:

1) I'm going to glass bead all the natural parts on top of the engine, polish them & then clear coat them, and

2) to get to the injectors so I can have them checked out (I'll send them to a friend who does them profesionally).....so, I figured while I was where I am, I'd replace the water pump....took the 4 obvious bolts out & when it wouldn't move, I noticed at least 4 small blots that appear to come into it from the rear.

So, how do I get to those small bolts? & how many are there?




Oh, I've replaced the '86 computer with a '90-'92 Camero computer...we're gonna make it think it's a '90-'92 Corvette.....that'll let me get rid of lots of sensors & be able to bolt a K&N air filter right to the plentum.

 

The four bolts that hold the water pump to the engine is all that hold it on. The two on the driverside of the pump...and the two "stud-bolts" that are longer that hold the AC mounting bracket and muffler for the emissions to the right side. There is one bolt that holds the tube that runs across the top of the water pump. Other than that is just may be stuck and may need a little "help". The bolts on the back mean nothing in regards to the pump being removed.

If you injectors are shot...and you are not able to get ones for it...call me. I use ones that are slightly more pound per hour than original...but for the cost they work fine. I believe that teh factory injectors are 22lb/hr and teh ones I use are 24 lb/hr. In LONG, EXTENDED idling times...like in drive throughs or stuck in traffic jambs...the engine will begin to slightly "load -up" ...but...revving the engine and getting it up in rpm's clears things out. I have used these for years with no problems...other than that issue if the engine is idling for a long time. The loading-up isn't bad...it is something that I can notice slightly. And really how many times are you going to let your engine idle for 15-20 minutes without increasing the rpm...in a NORMAL driving situation.
"DUB"

 

Yeah, I'm a dummy! Visited with my friend & neighbor Henry Younger & he told me the same thing....but I just had to put a big screwdriver behind the pump & give it a jolt.....thanks

As for the injectors...I'm not going to worry about them, I'm just going to replace all 8 of them.