Water Pump inlet Pipe

[Vinny]

Has anyone changed the wate pump inlet pipe? The one that runs fom the Lower radiator hose to the water pump. I hear its a royal bitch to do. Mine has a broken nipple on it and is kinda ghetto rigged. Its wasn't leaking tooo badly but it started pissing after I changed the tranny. I guess having the engine sag after I unbolted the tranny and the torque arm finished it off.. I ordered the new coolant line and all the hoses that come off it. The dealership wants 63 bucks to change it so I may just hand it over to them. I'd rather do it myself so if anyone shanged one before let me know any tricks to getting it out.

[TINBOAT]

Just a bolt that holds it to the block, might be easier to remove the oil filter to get to it...hit it with some WD-40 (or something similar), and twist and pull. It has an 'O' ring to seal it, and once you get it moving, should come out pretty easy....take an hour or so and DIY, save the 63 bucks fer beer when I come up there and visit !!!

[Vinny]

LOL I didn't know you were comming up to visit tin. I just wondered how hard it will be to manuever the pipe out with all the BS in the way(breather to PCV tubing, Torque arm, and whatever else) It looks like it will be tooo long to pull from the side, it looks like it would hit on the side strut tower. I'll look at it some more later. I may just do it on the lift and see how it goes. The parts ran me 126 bucks but thats for the pipe ALL the hoses including heater hoses and a new water valve. I need to het this thing back on the road so I can get the front end tweaked and start making some road trips

[smufguy]

you can also take out the intake manifold and get to it from top and its much easier than finding ur way thru from under the car. I have done it three times and it was much easier getting that way. You might need a new gasket like he mentioned for the flanged end in the pump inlet, but u might be able to righ ur own if ur good. Intake manifold gasket it like 7 bucks and once u remove the manifold u will see two 10mm bolts holding the black metal pipe to the block.

You might need a hair dryer or a heat gun to heat the hose ends on the black pipe to get em off cause they are gummed shut to the metal due to age and shit.

Well to sum it up, ur smart and u can do it

[Vinny]

I thought you'd done it b4 Praveen. I was gonna just PM you and ask but oh well. I'm not worried about the hoses since I ordered new ones I'll just cut the old ones off. I ordered a new o ring so that won't be a broblem either. I may try taking the intake off to do it. Does it make it alot easier or does it come out about the same after you figure the time involved to take the intake off?

[smufguy]

Yeah i have done it before, i had to do it for my efi conversion. after you remove the 12mm bolts on the intake manifold, and the top torque rod, the manifold just slides out with ease, the easiest way to get to the pipe i would say.

I removed the torque rod because it was kinda hindering the space on the intake manifold so it was easier that way, i learn it on my second removal.

This also gives u a good time to clean out ur manifold runners and ur valves look cool black

Also, the Felpro gasket set which is like $12 bucks comes with two gaskets, one for ur intake manifold and the block and the other one is for our dual stage manifold.

I did not bother to clean mine cause i was in a hurry to get it done, but yeah its a good time to do them both.

I just used the supertech Carb cleaner from Walmart ($0.75 ea) and they really do a good job like any other expensive one. I just get like 4 for 2 bucks or so and get my job done. They also good for desolving built up oil like u know and they do come handy.

if u have any other questions, do let me know ill be more than happy to help you Vinny.

[Vinny]

Well I picked up the parts and changed it out last night. Didn't take the intake off to do it though. I took my cai out and moved the fuse box to get some extra room. It came out without a problem and getting it in wasn't bad either. I think it took me about 1 1/2 to 2 hrs to do it including smoke and beer breaks. I also decided to install new hoses comming off the pipe as well as new hose clamps. Oh and the ghetto fix on the old pipe someone had done, they put a 3/8 deep SK socket in the tube where the nipple was broken and then siliconed it up. Some peoples fucking kids

[TINBOAT]

Congrats Vinny...glad you din hafta pull the intake (those nuts on the bottom are a real bitch to get at)