I am wondering if I should take out the gear and block all the holes from the water pump impeller gear that I have had so much trouble w/ in the past, or if I should just leave it in there as it wont be running anything w/ the mezziere pump. I found out that my "stock replacement" water pump basically stopped twisting, I can barely twist it w/ my hand. The shop that installed it under warranty said it was not their fault since I had reinstalled the damn thing since they installed it, so once again warranty sticks me in the buttocks.

Don't I need a solid roller for a electric water pump?
Will my LT1 timing set not work w/ it at all?
any advice appreciated.

 

I have the same electric pump as you -- very good pump. Yes, you should remove the gear alltogether. I wouldn't worry about plugging the hole, because the timing cover will prevent any oil from getting out. If your WP gear is hard to turn by hand, then it is robbing HP, especially at higher RPMs. I don't think that removing the gear will affect the timing chain but I could be wrong... Hope this helps.

 

so I can use the LT1 timing set? I have heard in the past that most people switch to heavy duty cloyes solid roller timing sets in the past but I never knew why??

thanks a bunch for the quick reply, going to work now (both work and car work ) so Ill reply when I see a problem...
any more advice appreciated too

ALSO- what do I do about the hole in the timing cover that coincides w/ the hole in the water pump?? Wont water come out that seal? Or is that what the freeze plug is used for?

thanks again

 

Naw, you can leave it in, its just freewheeling. I wouldnt worry about removing it til you have the cover off for some other reason., Just dont let anything hang down and get wraped around it.

 

I think he should remove it especially if its difficult to turn.

About that hole, yeah you should plug it up or oil will come out not water.

 

BTW the gear is held on by two T30 torque screws. After you remove the screws, bang the thing out with a hammer because its in there snug. I did all this with my entire block out of the car so I don't know how hard it will be to reach...

 

I thought he said his water pump was hard to turn, if hes trying to turn the shaft that sticks out of the timing cover then he's trying to turn over the whole engine with his fingers around a gear reduced 3/4 inch shaft.

 

I have removed the gear and welded the cover in that area, one less place to leak. The stock timing set will work, but you’ll be loosing by not switching to double roller timing set, and yes it will work with OBDII cps but will require more work.
I have used the air pump wire with weather-tite connector to connect the water pump motor for a factory like installation.

 

so the gear that drives the waterpump and sticks out of the timing cover doesnt need to come out to install the electric pump? as long as the gear that is actually on the waterpump itself is removed and plugged?

 

Yeah when i put my electric w/p in i just did whatalot of these guys did just (tap w/ ahammer) out that shaft and the gear will come with it and then i found a small freeze plug @ Autozone and took some some jb weld and tapped it in there and let it sit for a night,as well as the timing cover hole just did the same thing, tooka small freeze plug and some jb weld and pressed it in there and let it sit overnight, by doing that it kinda cleans up the final appearance for the electric w/p mod, just my $.02 tho...Good luck!!

 

thanks for all the replies, I am back now and have decided that since I have replaced the gear on the timing set thinking it was the problem and then found out it was the water pump I will keep the gear in there, and just install the WP. I will tell you guys here if there are any problems in the future but thanks for all the help in helping me decide. I meant the shaft on the water pump that was in there was hard to turn, not the newly installed gear. Thus, I had to replace it... even though I had it installed at a dealership 2 years ago.................... w/ full warranty.

ahem... hatin on a home mechanic is lame.

later

 

which way do I tap the gear out? from the side that sits in the gear to the other of course.. but I have tapped it many times using a lot of force and I just hear a pinging noise... anyone who has done it that can confirm that the seal will pop when I hit it? just really hard? I mean really.... hard I have hit it already so please help

 

Remove the front cover and press the shaft out from front to back. I used a nice, heavy punch and the head of a 5 lb sledge hammer when i did mine.

 

I misunderstood you, I didnt realize you had the timing cover off, If you are that far already yeah just take that sucker out.
Its easiest to have the intake off and pop it out with a hammer and a socket the size of the bearing (with the two torx sxrews up front removed and the timing gear off). But if you dont want to take off the intake you can get it out easily with a slide hammer. You can attach the slide hammer by prying the outer plate of the shaft/bearing assemby out about 1/4 of an inch, long enough to get the slide hammers forks in there, then slowly tap out until its firmly behind it, then a few whacks and its out.