Re: steps to replace a failed water pump (spider)LONG REPLY

["Leslie J. Singh" <Les.Singh@domain.elided>]

Tess

I first posted this to the digest about 10 years ago, in the bad old days
when Olga reigned supreme (where is Olga now?) ... you do have a short
memory!?  ...  :-).  I have only just - literally - completed replacing the
water pump on "The Green GTV" and can run you through the process. Its no
big deal and can be done in a couple of hours but, as usual with us Alfa
nuts, you'll find that you want to do a whole lot of other things as well
mainly cleaning up those hard to get at bits at the front of the car so
allow the best part of a day. This job is the 3rd thing I've had to do
recently; the others were alternator and engine mount - exhaust side as
usual. It is possible to replace the water pump without doing all of the
things listed but in the long term going through the steps given will make
the job easier and may be even faster. I also remove the grille for easier
access to the water pump once the radiator is removed. The water pump is
the thingo bolted to the front of the engine with a whole lot of 10 mm
nuts. It is belt-driven from the crank pulley. The fan belt goes around
these two pulleys and the alternator pulley: here endeth the 1st lesson on
water pumps  :-)

To remove water pump:
	1. disconnect and remove battery if its in the engine compartment. If its
not, take the ground terminal off the battery.
	2. remove alternator top mount (13 mm nuts), undo the 19 mm nuts, remove
bottom bolt, slip off the fan belt and move the alternator out of the way
behind the oil filter - no need to take off the wires.
	3. remove the 10 mm Nylocs holding on the fan shroud and move the shroud
back against the engine for now. Remove it after taking out the radiator
(steps 4, 5)
	4. slacken off the bottom hose clamp (radiator to water pump) and push it
off the water pump - coolant will gush out - but  sounds as if yours is
gone already. Similarly remove clamp off top hose and the thin tube to the
header tank to free the radiator. Also take off the other 2 hoses at the
water pump end (heater hose and thermostat bypass hose)
	5. take off the two 13 mm bolts holding the radiator to the car - 2 at the
top in special insulated mounts - don't lose the washers - and lift the
radiator out of the engine compartment.
	6. If you have the nylon mechanical fan you can now remove that by undoing
the 10 mm bolts that hold it to the water pump. 	If you have an electric
fan then you'll see where you need to disconnect it before removing the
radiator.
	7. remove the tacho drive cable, which comes out at an angle from the
bottom of the water pump towards the alternator.This is done easily by
carefully rotating the knurled bit with a large blade screwdriver
positioned in a groove and tapping the end of the handle to unscrew the
thing. That part is aluminium so can be damaged.
	8. remove the tacho drive off the water pump - two 10 mm nuts - the timing
reference plate will come off. The tacho drive is a slip fit in the water
pump and will pull out but may need some persuasion with a screwdriver.
	9. now .. at last! .. you can take off the 10 mm nuts holding the water
pump except for the bottom one on the alternator side: just slacken that
off a bit and wind on another nut (one you've taken off from somewhere
else) against that nut - that is - double nut the stud. Use two 10 mm
open-enders or whatever wrenches you have and tighten the nuts against each
other so they're locked together. If you've done this properly, you will
find that you can now remove the stud with a wrench on the bottom nut.
	10. The water pump can now be taken off - free it at the top first then
rotate it to clear the crank pulley at the bottom - IT WILL COME OFF!

As they say in all the manuals - installation is a reversal of the removal
procedure. The next step after you've got everything buttoned up is
refilling and bleeding the system. Make certain heater control is at
full-hot position. The water pump should have a 10 mm bleed screw on it and
that should be really loose while filling and tightened only after coolant
flows there without burps. (Some pumps don't have this screw). The other
bleed screw is on the inlet manifold - 14 mm brass plug easily damaged, use
a hex socket if its really tight instead of the 12-sided ones. bleed here
as well, refill the header tank run the engine to test for leaks and you're
done.

Have fun.

Les in Wellington, New Zealand

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