HELP! LT1 Water Pump Drive Seal / Shaft
 

The seal is leaking, I got it out, and noticed that the water pump drive shaft can be moved a bit side-side. The drive assy and bearing is new 25k miles ago when the engine was rebuilt. Is the water pump and sleeve actually the front support for the water pump drive gear? If so, is a little wobble on the front of the shaft OK? I don't really want to take the TC cover off unless I have to, thanks. Much appreciate the help on this one.

- Bill

DANGER !!:eek: DANGER!! MINE DID THE SAME THING ...THE BEARING CAME APART AND GROUND ALL THE TEETH OF THE CAM GEAR DO NOT START THE CAR!!! UNTILL YOU GET THIS CHECKED OUT...IT COULD BE FATAL AS IT WAS IN MY CASE BETTER SAFE THAN SORRY......

Once the water pump is installed, the wobble should go away.

:iagree:

Correct.

Just Checking...
 

I just want to check to see how much freeplay is acceptable - I can move the shaft side-side maybe 1/16" total, up-down a little more. If I turn the shaft back and forth, it seems tight, no slop in the gears. Thanks!

Also, since I have this apart, is a new coupler/sleeve recommended? Also, who is the idiot who invented the seals with the hard lip on them for the water pump drive and the distributor? What's that all about? Why not a standard rubber seal?

Thanks.

Be sure the lip of the deal doesn't roll over on the reinstall onto the shaft. It will be a guarented leak.

Ok! But Dont Come Cryin'... Mine Was A Brand New Motor Too....

Mine did the same thing. Here's the thread:
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show....php?t=1337512


Installing the new oil seal is a complete PITA:
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show....php?t=1340270

Yea, the waterpump when installed gives 90% of the support.....my bran new one was wobbley;)

There is a special tool that should be used to prevent the double-lipped seal from having the inside lip "flip" over on installation.
It is very difficult to install the front cover without flipping the inner lip over. And, it is even more difficult to tell if you got it correctly.

I, personally, will never put the seal or cover over the water pump drive shaft without the special Kent-Moore tool. It isn't worth the aggrevation. The tool is about $20 from Kent-Moore. It is nothing but a cone shaped piece of plastic that keeps the seal from turning inside out.

Tom Piper

Here is a shot of my water pump I replaced with a Meziere electric pump.

http://images1.snapfish.com/346%3A36...67%3B653ot1lsi

This shows the seal and supporting points.

This next one shows it apart:

http://images1.snapfish.com/346%3A36...58%3B974nu0mrj

So the answer to your question is once you have it all together there should be no noticeable play. With the pump assmbly off, the shaft coming out of the timing cover will have play.

It is not hard to install the seal here are the steps
1.Deburr the connecting shaft
2.Oil the shaft and seal and slide it onto the shaft.
3.Install the shaft onto the gear
4.Find a socket that is just bigger than the coupling shaft.
5.Push the seal to the end of the shaft and give it a good tap to seat it with a hammer.
6.Get a Good flashlight and inspect the seal for rollover or tears if it looks good install the pump and start it up.

Don't worry about what our junior member said there is play in the gear that will go away with the pump installed.It is normal.What ever happened to his car(I suspect he had the dreaded HD chain set failure) was not caused by the play.

Tom
Is the black seal on the water pump seal supposed to angle towards the block and the yellow seal supposed to angle towards the WP? I keep seeing posts about the seal turning over and it looks like that would mean the black seal would be facing the water pump if turned over. I'm waiting for the tool to come from Kent-Moore. So... when I put the timing cover on my 94 LT1 the tool should be on the WP gear and lubed up real well, right? The seal is facing the engine and it shouldn't flip over, correct? It seems like lubricating the tool and shaft is essential. The yellow seal will end up facing the WP. My WP gear shaft has two shiny spots on it. Do you polish the shaft with some 1000 grit paper? I’m ready to start the assembly of the cover, new pump, vented opti and new hoses. BTW, I have a boatload of pictures if anyone ever needs a reference shot of the engine.