Need help with my 98 Chevy Blazer 4.3

[Renthorin]

Water pump went out on me. So I have it off the truck and a replacement eagerly waiting to take its place but HOW in the HECK do you get the fan/clutch off the waterpump?

There are 4 small screws that hold the pulley for the belt in place but the shaft the fan/clutch is on seems to be threaded onto the water pump.

There is a HUGE nut/bolt on the shaft but for the life of me I can't turn it. It is hard enough to keep the water pump from spinning but it just won't budge.

Suggestions?

 

[David65]

You needed one of these to loosen that huge nut that's part of the fan clutch. http://www.toolweb.com/pics/SCH61500.jpg Probably would've been easier while it was on the truck. You got the pump off without removing the fan/clutch first? Wow... The wrench has a couple of raised places that fit into 2 of the 4 holes in the front of the pulley. Hold that while turning the large nut to the left, it'll spin right off. I used a large crescent wrench on the nut. Instead of one of those wrenches, I took out 1 of the 4 pulley bolts and put a long flat piece of metal under the bolt to hold it. Worked fine. Funny, I just did my pump a couple months ago. Make sure to put sealer on the 4 water pump bolts when installing. When putting the fan/clutch back on the new pump, I don't think that huge nut has to be super tight as it tightens as the motor is running.

David

<edit> Might try Autozone for a loaner tool...

 

[Renthorin]

Hey David...thanks for the help. I am using a set of vice grips to hold the impeller wheel in place but for the life of me I can not get the nut to budge. I am using channel locks and I am off to the hardware store to get a wrench in that size so I can really get some leverage.

 

[Renthorin]

Ok....got a HUGE wrench, the type that is probably used for removing the lugs from school bus wheels

Nut came off pretty easily with that kind of torque.

Water pump is going back on. Thanks for the help :biggrin: