So today I was working on my car for a while. One of my tasks was to replace the thermostat. Well of course I was an idiot and left the opening where the thermostat sits wide open, and while working i managed to drop a screw right into my water pump

I couldn't find the screw and honeslty have no idea what to do. Whats the worst that could happen with a screw floating around my cooling system?

Anyone know what I should do??

 

Get a telescopic magnet tool (collapses like an old fangled radio antenna) and fish around for it....if you still can't fish it out, I'd recommend pulling the pump to shake it out. It could get ugly if it gets in the impeller, pretty risky and potentially costly to leave that in there

 

I have tried a magnet tool but the openings are skinny, i stuck a hose in to see if it would get flused out the bottom but no luck there

 

You are going to have to find it before you fire the car back up. Even if it means pulling the pump. At first I was thinking that you may be able to remove the cover off the pump, but you would not be able to get past the impeller(I think....). So, it's either keep trying to fish it out or pull the pump and dump it out. It's most likely in one of the upper passages on the left or right side, without one in front of me, I'm not sure. I expect if you left it in there that it would get lodged in one of the heads. You don't want that....

 

I'm in the middle of removing the pump, it started raining so i had to stop. is it necessary to replace the actual water pump if I'm pulling it out? or just replace the gaskets and clean it up? and what if the screw isnt in the water pump anymore, then what?

And while wiggling the pump loose some left over coolant and water leaked out the bottom, i really hope my opti is still okay

 

Either way you'll want to locate that screw. If it's old and you have the $$, change the pump. If not, just put it back on . If it isn't in the water pump, I'd think it would have to be at least in close proximity, as you haven't turned the engine over.

 

Hopefully ill get the pump out tomorrow, getting at all the bolts and the fact that they probably havent been touched since when the car was first built, it hasnt been easy.

I couldn't get the radiator hose off of the water pump so i just cut it. This hose also has a smaller hose connected to it that fed into the throttle body. When I go to get a new radiator hose, can i get one without the smaller hose? because I did the throttle body bypass procedure? and then on the left side of the throttle body the hose that came off, can i just remove that and put a vacuum cap over the opening that connects to the hose running from the firewall?

sorry if thats a confusing question. basically im asking if i can completely remove the hoses that would have fed through the throttle body and cap off the opening where coolant would flow through

 

What year is your car? The hoses for the steam pipe from the back of the heads, the throttle body coolant, and the connection to the radiator are different depending on the year of your car.

You need to add a "Signature" with basic info about your car - year, model, engine, trans and any major mods. That way, people will have the info they need to help you more accurately.

 

Its a 94 z28. The hose off the top right of the radiator (facing the car) that connects to the water pump splits and has a smaller hose connected to the throttle. body. In the throttle body bypass mod you remove that and connect it to the other hose on the throttle body. I was wondering if i could get rid of that altogether because i need to replace the larger radiator hose

 

Alright so I finally got the water pump out, it was big pain in the ***. It was my first time ever removing a waterpump along with all the hoses, and everything else i tore apart so it was a learning experience. The friggin screw fell out of the water pump, thankfully. Got it all back together, new gaskets, sealant and threadlocker for the bolts. Let it dry for an hour and put everything else back together.. then refilled the radiator and started it back up. It fired up right away and ran fine surprisingly although driving down the road pretty sure i heard it backfire once or twice when i rev'd it up

 

other things i did this weekend were an oil change, tranny fluid change, 4.7k ohm resistor mod, TB air foil mod, TB coolant bypass, 160 t stat, heater core flush (got the heat to work!), seafomed the engine, oil and fuel

 

I assume you installed the 4.7 kOhm resistor in place of your inlet air temp sensor. Doesn't really do much on the LT1. It was popular on the 3rd Gens in the belief it richened the A/F mixture. But it won't do that on your 94. The 94 is already programmed to rich for WOT.

You would get more meaningful results by relocating the IAT sensor to a location where it won't heat soak.

Just a thought.

 

Yea i figured i would try it for a buck, see if I would get better throttle response