Got a problem with the water pump/front cover

[ed_crouch]

Mines got power steering (so there).

The (big, HEAVY) bracket that holds the pump on is attached to the engine in 4 places.

It looks rusty and crap. I want to paint it up and carry on smartening up the engine bay.

Theres two bolts that hold the bracket to the front of the passenger side cyl head. These came out fine.

Theres two more bolts which hold the bracket to the front of the waterpump housing. I THINK that those two bolts are long'uns and go through at least into the front cover if not the block.

The buggers wont come out, and I think Im going to twist them off if I give it any more grunt.

Does anyone know anything about these - Galvanic corrosion spoiling the day?

Perhaps a query for the RV8 gurus?

I hate things like this (2 seconds to apply some coper grease upon assembly would stop this happening!!!). It also means that if the waterpump goes west, im well stuck unless I can use some trickery to get the bolts out. Sometimes getting a bar on it, tweaking as hard as one dares and whacking the bar knuckle with a hammer sends enough shock into the bolt to shake it loose, but theres no damn room to swing the hammer...

Can anyone help?

Thanks!

Ed.

Edited by ed_crouch on Friday 13th June 19:29

[adam quantrill]

I suggest you leave it alone - these bolts often corrode themselvees in and can easily snap off.

Unless you need to get the water pump off, don't do it!

[Barkychoc]

Allow me to demonstrate

[ed_crouch]

Barky - how'd you get out of that one!!! Did the timing cover come off OK??

I am going to heed your sage advice - that bracket can stay rusty for now.

What I will do (because I hate half measures with a passion), is plan to pull the engine probably this autumn/winter and get it sorted. Break the bolt if I have to, strip the engine and get the block helicoiled.

I could do with sticking another couple of head gaskets on it anyway. Its probably got 3rd-row-of-head-bolts-jacks-the-head-up-on-the-piss-itis anyway...

Ed.

[ed_crouch]

FIIIIIIIXXXED!!!

I managed to get the bolts out today - I noticed that the bracket wasnt as tight against the waterpump as it might have been - led me to believe that the 1/4 turn I gave each of the bolts yesterday might very well have been them turning rather than twisting off.

I was right!

Yessssssss.

Ed.

[TVRleigh_BBWR]

May sound stupid, but sometimes if a bolt is stuck it can help to try and tighten it a bit 1st.

[ed_crouch]

I've now got a shiny crackle-finish PAS pump bracket. Shame the pump's covered in cack.

Oh, well, that the next job, awell as getting new PAS pipes made (theyre cracking and 1000PSI of fluid spraying round the engine bay isnt somewhere I want to go) and putting new fluid in.

Ed.