AquaMetallic94LT1

It looks like the crank seal is leaking on the timing cover. You might want to replace it while the opti and waterpump are out.

GlockLT4

Really??? how can you tell? It doesn't seem like I have any leaks around the crank to me. If I did, how could you see it from those pictures.. the leak would be around the harmonic balancer hub, wouldn't it? Where the hub attaches to the crank?

GlockLT4

I'm not sure if I want to tear it completely apart (optispark), just incase I could use it as a back up in the future if it really wasn't that bad. I will probably take off the "cap" and see what that lets me see.

GlockLT4

Yep, they knew exactly what would happen when the water pump bearings went out and the fluid would leak out that weep hole. But as a mechanic explained to me today, it's better to have it take out the optispark that it would be to have the propeller break out of the water pump and take out the radiator and hood and who knows what else.. that thing would go flying... not sure how it would get out of the water pump housing, but that is what he said he has seen happen before.

88L98

i dont see any oil :confused:

R23HTC

Did you manage to get the opti-crap off without pulling the balancer? Or am I seeing something that's not really there? :confused:

bogus

I would bet the intake manifold is leaking. change that whilst you are in there. and clean the snot out of that motor!!! all that grease will increase the engines operating tempature.

oh, and check out the taylor wires!



[Modified by bogus, 11:53 PM 8/4/2001]

GlockLT4

Yes, I got the opticrap off without removing the balancer... I just backed the balancer bolts off as little as it took to have it come out.

GlockLT4

Well.. First of all, notice the time of this post :crazy: . I just got done washing my hands up really well, and I'm about to take a shower.

I can only go so far right now... so I know I have depressed a few of you, but I didn't change the timing chain, and I don't have time to look around for an intake leak. I have to leave for college friday, and I need it to just run more than anything right now. I'm afraid if I go even deeper into the engine and change the timing chain, then I'm just getting in to more things that could go wrong. I was hoping to have it all finished this afternoon, but it won't be done for at least one more day now :( ... more about this in a second. I do plan on doing a cam in the near future, so when i do that, obviously it would be easy to do the chain since it has to come off anyway.

I went over to a fellow xtreme club members place to pick up the opti and waterpump around 11pm. I got started on what I did around midnight. The hardest thing (well, actually most time consuming thing) that I have had to deal with so far in this experience is backing off the balancer. It's really hard losening bolts that are on a rotating assembly and on top of that, the assembly is round :rolleyes: Those bolts are high torque (60 & 75 ft.lb) and not easy to get to AT ALL. The other hard thing is getting the wires plugged into the optispark on the driver's side. Luckily my hands aren't huge and it's not as bad as I'm sure some people have had.

This is where I am at right now...



MSD 8.5mm wires



The new optispark installed and the balancer all tightened back on.

Now.... the problem.... :( I was nearly finished... hooking up the final radiator hoses, then I noticed.. I had an extra hose for some reason.. but I figured it out pretty quickly (saying multiple curse words rather loudly at the same time)... the waterpump is made for the F-body's :mad: (and B-body's I believe). It doesn't have the outlet (or inlet.. not sure) that goes to the heater core (the one on the bottom left if you know the design of the waterpump).

So.... now I have to find a 'vette waterpump.. and I would like to have it today.. but... it's Sunday... :(, so that probably isn't going to happen.
If anyone in the dallas area has a GM waterpump that is brand new, PLEASE let me know. I might end up buying a generic from O'Rielly's for around $140. The one I have right now which isn't the correct one is brand new (got it for $50), to bad I couldn't use it.

Anyone know if there is a way to modify the coolant system so that I could use this one?

I did start it up for a very few seconds (5-10sec max) to make sure the opti was hooked up and it idled (meaning the new opti is at least not completley busted (if I got a bad one somehow).

Anyway.. I'm going to bed.. I'm exhausted and again got just a very few hours of sleep. I have to be up around 9 tomorrow.. so again no sleep tonight.

:sleep: :sleep: :sleep: :sleep: :sleep:


[Modified by Glock'94, 5:16 AM 8/5/2001]


[Modified by Glock'94, 5:21 AM 8/5/2001]


[Modified by Glock'94, 5:23 AM 8/5/2001]


[Modified by Glock'94, 5:36 AM 8/5/2001]

GlockLT4

I will take apart the opti tomorrow for you guys to see. My guess is it't toast, but it may be fine. But I went ahead and replaced it for $100, so it didn't matter if it was still good or not. If it looks OK inside, i may clean it up really well, and hold on to it as a back up.

R23HTC

Man you working early this morning. It's hard to call it quits when you think you're "almost" done. Then 3 hours later, you're still "almost" done. Been there before. From this pic, you might want to go back and check the upper spark plug wire on the passengers side on the opti. It's not completely seated against the opti which means it may not be locked in good. (been there done that on cyl 5.) If I'm not mistaken there "maybe" a dealers parts dept. open today. (if all else fails) I've never used them, but if you posted in SW maybe someone knows.

SPD DMN

The pump you have sounds like the one for the '92. Best option is to get the rigth pump and resell this one. Even to reroute it like the '92 you would need parts and they are probably not available anywhere but the dealer.

GlockLT4

I checked the boot on the wire and it was snapped on... The top and the second to top were sticking off the opti the same distance. Bad angle on the picture I guess.

Chris, i agree, not going to bother with the bypass kit or whatever it takes to fix that. I don't want to have problems in the future, which is why I also am going to get a new one vs. a used one for really cheap (which several forum members have offered).

What do you think of the ones they sell at O'Rielly or AutoZone? They are about $145 there, but I don't know if they are the same brand and quality. The last thing I want is for another waterpump to go out and take the opti with it again.

GlockLT4

Ok, O'Rielly's has a "Master's" brand waterpump for $149 with a lifetime warranty... do I get it, or do I wait until tomorrow and pay $180 for a Dealer one (which may or may not have a lifetime warranty.. can't remember)?

JasonL

I can vouch for that...I just pulled off my water pump, and the upper driver's side wire and the upper pass side wire both stick out a tiny bit more than the others.

Glock we're doing the same repairs (opti/wires/waterpump) except I'm like a week behind you :D Still gotta pull off my balancer! Aggghhhh....

ChrisB

I scanned through the post and apologize if I missed the answer, but is there a reason you are not considering the electric waterpump? Price should be comparable to a new one from the dealer, and as a bonus you would pick up some hp as well as never have to worry about your pump weep-hole bursting and dripping on the opti (comes with a freeze plug to block it off).

GlockLT4

I thought about it, and I would do it if I wasn't worried about timing, going back to college friday. If I had time to order one and get it all hooked up and everything, I would go for it. I'm just sticking to the basic factory setup right now. Maybe later.

ChrisB

Believe it or not I know the situation you are in My waterpump went out on a friday while I was in Corpus Christi, and had to be back at school (Baylor) on the next tuesday. I had a pump overnighted and went the electric route anyway. It's really not very difficult - you have already done the "hard" part anyway (once at least ). If a vendor has one in stock (I believe we do) I would get it and go for it - it's definitley worth it!

Good luck whichever route you go though - I think the auto-zone pump would work fine, but if it goes out it's not the pump's warranty you have to worry about but the opti-spark replacement that's a PITA (as you found out) - you have to decide what your peace of mind is worth on this.

Jay Axson

Reminds me of the human nose. Why would they put a wet drainy thing like that upsidedown over your mouth? :bb :bb :bb

GlockLT4

Well.. I already have it done and it's running perfect. Very smooth, no misses at any rpm's (even a little past red line). I might go with an electric one in the future when this is no longer my daily driver.


[Modified by Glock'94, 12:04 AM 8/6/2001]