Water Pump swap
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 3,711
Likes: 43
From: San Antonio TX
It's not too complex but you have to be careful you don't flood the optispark with coolant. It's also not a bad idea to change out the plug wires if it has been a while since they can be a bit difficult to get to with the waterpump in place. Really, just a nuts and bolts operation.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 774
Likes: 1
From: Round Rock Texas
It's not too complex but you have to be careful you don't flood the optispark with coolant. It's also not a bad idea to change out the plug wires if it has been a while since they can be a bit difficult to get to with the waterpump in place. Really, just a nuts and bolts operation.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 3,126
Likes: 15
I did it on my sons '96 Trans Am. What worked for me. Raise front of car, drain coolant or remove lower rad. hose. This helps lower water level below water pump so as not to flood Optispark. My want to change thermostat, use sealer on bolt threads. When you refill rad. with coolant you will need to bleed air from upper rad. hose as an LT1 is reverse flow. It seemed to work better for me to bring engine up to about 180 degrees and shut off engine then bleed air. If you do not have screw type bleed ports in hose you can loosen upper hose clamp at thermostat to bleed air. Overall not too bad. Good luck,mds...
Last edited by mds3013; Jan 13, 2010 at 07:00 PM.
Heel & Toe
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 23
Likes: 0
From: Savannah GA
Glad to hear its not too much of a job. I just got rid of my 65 Mustang but I had to pull the radiator first before changing the water pump. The engine in my 77 vette is partially dressed with chrome. So I thought I would put a new chrome pump in. I've seen them for around $85 which isn't too bad.
Warren
Warren
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 774
Likes: 1
From: Round Rock Texas
I did it on my sons '96 Trans Am. What worked for me. Raise front of car, drain coolant or remove lower rad. hose. This helps lower water level below water pump so as not to flood Optispark. My want to change thermostat, use sealer on bolt threads. When you refill rad. with coolant you will need to bleed air from upper rad. hose as an LT1 is reverse flow. It seemed to work better for me to bring engine up to about 180 degrees and shut off engine then bleed air. If you do not have screw type bleed ports in hose you can loosen upper hose clamp at thermostat to bleed air. Overall not too bad. Good luck,mds...
