Trying to remove water pump

[RyanOwens]

Hello everyone.

I am trying to remove and replace my water pump in my 1972 bronco. I removed all the hoses, removed the radiator, removed belts (had to adjust alternator and power steering pump to get all the belts off) removed the fan and alternator.

Now I am realizing that there is a metal bracket in the way of the last water pump bolt. The bracket seems to hold the pulley and Ac compressor and power steering pump (I guess, I am still new at this)

Anyway, would I need to remove the power steering and Ac parts tom remove the bracket to get to the last water pump bolt? Or am I going at it wrong?

 

[blubuckaroo]

Best to get all that stuff out of the way. Remove the alternator and PS brackets. Leave the hoses on the PS pump and just set it out of the way. It takes me the better part of a day to replace the water pump with A/C on the Bronco.

 

[broncnaz]

Usually you have to remove what ever is in the way to get to the WP so that bracket needs to come off. Usaully dont have to pull the radiator but it does help.

 

[DirtDonk]

yeah, what he said. I used to do it with the radiator still in the way, but realized that for five extra minutes of work to remove the radiator, you could conceivably save yourself an hour and a lot of grief by just getting it the heck out of your way.
And no bent fins that way either!

Paul

 

[RyanOwens]

I moved the Ac bracket and got the rest of the water pump bolts off but the pump doesn't seem to want to move. Might just be from the grime all around it but I didn't want to pull too hard before asking.

Should it come off easily? Slide it forward, pull it up......

Thanks guys, just hope I can put it all back together

 

[DirtDonk]

Two things.
One is the possibility that there is a bolt you missed. It's not hard to do with so many in use up there. Even if you've checked and re-checked already. Triple-check it just to make sure.
And two, it could just be stuck from years of being there and sealant acting like glue.

The second is easy to over come by GENTLY prying up with a fine screwdriver or something. Find a good spot though, that will be the least likely to bugger the mating surface of the front cover.
It's been a LONG time since I've done one that was not part of an Explorer serp setup, so I'm a bit rusty on the subject. But that's what I remember as possibilities.

Good luck. Keep pokin' around in there and see what's up. The pump is self-contained, so there is no shaft or engagement that you have to overcome. Just one flat surface against another.

Paul

 

[blubuckaroo]

There are two small bolts toward the center of the face of the water pump that cab be missed. Mine took a 7/16" wrench.