Replace distributor cap and water pump?
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 29
Likes: 0
From: Nashville TN
Replace distributor cap and water pump?
I need to replace my cracked distributor cap and since my Corvette is 18 years old I am going to replace the water pump. I don't see any real difficulty but the repair shop where I go when things are beyond my abilities said this job was too much for me. They said I would have to evacuate the air condition. Is there some hidden problem in this repair?
Safety Car
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 4,328
Likes: 15
From: Jacksonville FL
I need to replace my cracked distributor cap and since my Corvette is 18 years old I am going to replace the water pump. I don't see any real difficulty but the repair shop where I go when things are beyond my abilities said this job was too much for me. They said I would have to evacuate the air condition. Is there some hidden problem in this repair?
Good luck!
Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 7,999
Likes: 14
From: Life is just one big track event. Everything before and after is prep and warm-up and cool-down laps
Cruise-In III Veteran
Cruise-In IV Veteran
St. Jude Donor '12
I assume you are talking about a 93 or a 94 with the 18 year old comment.
So you have an LT1 with a bad waterpump.
HAS IT BEEN LEAKING ON THE OPTI???
Yes - plan on changing the opti while you are in there.
The AC does NOT need to be evaced. No where in the factory service manual does it call for the total removal of the AC compressor. I had all the AC lines in my car when I did my opti on the 92 many years ago. I just moved all that stuff out of the way per the FSM.
Changing the opti and waterpump was my first job on the 92. If the darned balancer hub had come off easy it would have been a weekend job.
If you live in the greater Atlanta area I could give you some pointers - If you can take bolts off and put bolts back on you CAN do this job!
So you have an LT1 with a bad waterpump.
HAS IT BEEN LEAKING ON THE OPTI???
Yes - plan on changing the opti while you are in there.
The AC does NOT need to be evaced. No where in the factory service manual does it call for the total removal of the AC compressor. I had all the AC lines in my car when I did my opti on the 92 many years ago. I just moved all that stuff out of the way per the FSM.
Changing the opti and waterpump was my first job on the 92. If the darned balancer hub had come off easy it would have been a weekend job.
If you live in the greater Atlanta area I could give you some pointers - If you can take bolts off and put bolts back on you CAN do this job!
Last edited by jaa1992; Aug 26, 2011 at 08:56 PM.
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 29
Likes: 0
From: Nashville TN
I have a 93. The pump has not leaked but the distributor cap is cracked. I am going to replace the water pump just because of its age since it has to come off for access to the distributor cap. I have been an amateur mechanic for 44 years now. My first project was rebuilding a 283 in a 57 Chevy when I was 14. My wife has restricted my work on my Vette because sometimes I go to unchartered territories in the later model vehicles and get stumped. This deal looks simple and I am almost convinced I can do it myself. Are you sure there are no surprises? Thanks for replying
Last edited by BelmontDogMan; Aug 27, 2011 at 09:52 AM.
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 29
Likes: 0
From: Nashville TN
I assume you are talking about a 93 or a 94 with the 18 year old comment.
So you have an LT1 with a bad waterpump.
HAS IT BEEN LEAKING ON THE OPTI???
Yes - plan on changing the opti while you are in there.
The AC does NOT need to be evaced. No where in the factory service manual does it call for the total removal of the AC compressor. I had all the AC lines in my car when I did my opti on the 92 many years ago. I just moved all that stuff out of the way per the FSM.
Changing the opti and waterpump was my first job on the 92. If the darned balancer hub had come off easy it would have been a weekend job.
If you live in the greater Atlanta area I could give you some pointers - If you can take bolts off and put bolts back on you CAN do this job!
So you have an LT1 with a bad waterpump.
HAS IT BEEN LEAKING ON THE OPTI???
Yes - plan on changing the opti while you are in there.
The AC does NOT need to be evaced. No where in the factory service manual does it call for the total removal of the AC compressor. I had all the AC lines in my car when I did my opti on the 92 many years ago. I just moved all that stuff out of the way per the FSM.
Changing the opti and waterpump was my first job on the 92. If the darned balancer hub had come off easy it would have been a weekend job.
If you live in the greater Atlanta area I could give you some pointers - If you can take bolts off and put bolts back on you CAN do this job!
Safety Car
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 3,793
Likes: 9
From: VA
It's rusted on and difficult to get a puller on.
For somebody who's been wrenching on cars for 40 years, opti/wp is about a 1 out of 10 on technical ability scale, and a 6/10 on *&^% that's hard to reach / stuck scale.
Replacing just the cap is false economy. If you don't need to get it back together right away then pull the opti and inspect before deciding to replace just cap or whole thing. Otherwise just replace the whole thing.
Shop quoting A/C removal may be experienced with stuck balancers on 18 year old cars and expects that they'll save you labor hours by pulling the radiator and condenser.
For somebody who's been wrenching on cars for 40 years, opti/wp is about a 1 out of 10 on technical ability scale, and a 6/10 on *&^% that's hard to reach / stuck scale.
Replacing just the cap is false economy. If you don't need to get it back together right away then pull the opti and inspect before deciding to replace just cap or whole thing. Otherwise just replace the whole thing.
Shop quoting A/C removal may be experienced with stuck balancers on 18 year old cars and expects that they'll save you labor hours by pulling the radiator and condenser.
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 29
Likes: 0
From: Nashville TN
It's rusted on and difficult to get a puller on.
For somebody who's been wrenching on cars for 40 years, opti/wp is about a 1 out of 10 on technical ability scale, and a 6/10 on *&^% that's hard to reach / stuck scale.
Replacing just the cap is false economy. If you don't need to get it back together right away then pull the opti and inspect before deciding to replace just cap or whole thing. Otherwise just replace the whole thing.
Shop quoting A/C removal may be experienced with stuck balancers on 18 year old cars and expects that they'll save you labor hours by pulling the radiator and condenser.
For somebody who's been wrenching on cars for 40 years, opti/wp is about a 1 out of 10 on technical ability scale, and a 6/10 on *&^% that's hard to reach / stuck scale.
Replacing just the cap is false economy. If you don't need to get it back together right away then pull the opti and inspect before deciding to replace just cap or whole thing. Otherwise just replace the whole thing.
Shop quoting A/C removal may be experienced with stuck balancers on 18 year old cars and expects that they'll save you labor hours by pulling the radiator and condenser.
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Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 29
Likes: 0
From: Nashville TN
Thanks for the info!!! I have already purchased the cap. I have no intention of ever selling my Vette. They were born the same year I was and I think I wanted one from day one. I decided to buy a '93 in '92 but an injury and being on disability stopped that dream until I recovered. In 1997 I spent some time looking for the one I originally wanted. Do you think I should return the cap and just replace the entire assembly while I am there regardless of the condition. My water pump is fine but I purchased a new one just because if I have it off and it is 18 years old I thought it made sense to replace it. I think I am done with shops that don't work exclusively on Vette's. They all seem to know less than me and always try some tactic like this until they realize I know better and they always overestimate the repair cost.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 7,999
Likes: 14
From: Life is just one big track event. Everything before and after is prep and warm-up and cool-down laps
Cruise-In III Veteran
Cruise-In IV Veteran
St. Jude Donor '12
To remove the balancer hub I had to jack the front end up, remove the three bolts holding it on. Then using a block of wood or metal from the bottom whack the balancer a couple of times. Using the center bolt, rotate the engine 90*. Whack it again. Repeat until it comes off. IIRC it took 2.5 full revolutions for mine to come off.
Once its off use sandpaper to clean the hub and the balancer. When you put them together put a thin coating of anti-sieze.
BTW - purchase a factory service manual. It will pay for itself the first time you use it to fix something.
Once its off use sandpaper to clean the hub and the balancer. When you put them together put a thin coating of anti-sieze.
BTW - purchase a factory service manual. It will pay for itself the first time you use it to fix something.
Racer
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 285
Likes: 1
From: Edmond Oklahoma
I'm not so sure on replacing the Opti...there are too many poor quality units out there on the market. My 92 has the original on it...I opened and inspected it when we did the engine at 116K. Cleaned it, sealed it, and put it back on. Have about 5K on it since. personally, I'd take my chances with an OE Opti before I'd buy an offshore unit. I should mention that I drive mine daily on alternate weeks...and that includes downpour days. I sometimes fret the Opti's reputation, but I see a lot of newer stuff on the side of the road these days. I guess my thinking is that ANY car can take a dump now or then...the Corvette is no different.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 3,286
Likes: 6
From: Palm Beach
