If you don't get the freeze plug in too far or not far enough, I believe it will leak through the weep hole. We surrounded our freeze plugs with quick steel to make sure there were no leaks, the supplied plug just didn't look like a good seal to me.

 

What do you think is in the sides of your engine?

 

The "supplied" freeze plug did not convince me of a good seal. I didn't say all freeze plugs, I'm well aware of what seals up the block, thanks tho

 

+1.

 

the freeze plug is installed from the inside of the pump housing. if you install it from the outside of the housing, the weep hole is left uncovered, and will leak.

 

that's why I asked him the question...

 

Off topic a little but I work for a shipping company in the maintenance division. On our ThermoKing reefers, the generator water pumps have an insert with a hose barb that goes into the weep hole on the water pump. I am going to see if it will fit my water pump. That way you could run the hose below the opti.

 

The weep hole is the right size for a 1/4 tap (NC/NF). I did that, screwed a threaded rod in and hose clamped a length of clear tubing to it. Put in a couple loops to hold any leakage and it worked when the 2nd pump went.
Make it long enough and it drips a couple feet behind the opti.

Ps: Clamp it on before installing the pump, room is tight.


'94 M6, now with elec. pump (csr).

 

I’ve read here the water pump isn’t a hard fix, but another professional mechanic told me it’s terrible. He says you practically have to take the engine apart. The worst part is the harmonic balance shaft on the opposite side of the pump from the distributor. He says it wouldn’t be so bad if it were pressed on but it’s bolted on. He said he did one and would never do another.

 

Find a new "professional mechanic" - he's hallucinating.

There is no "harmonic balance shaft" on an LT1 engine. There is a harmonic damper/pulley (not a balancer) bolted to a hub on the crankshaft. Very easy to remove 3 bolts and remove the damper/pulley from the hub, but if it's severely rusted may need a "puller" to break the rust free.

http://shbox.com/ci/balancer_hub.jpg

http://shbox.com/1/pull_pulley.jpg

BUT.... you don't need to remove the harmonic damper to replace the water pump.

The steps, from the factory service manual are:
- unplug coolant temp sensor
- remove fans (can be done without this - but it's tight)
- drain coolant (protect distributor with rags - our advice)
- remove air intake duct
- remove upper and lower radiator hoses
- remove heater hoses
- reposition coil/bracket (not really needed)
- remove AIR pump and bracket
- remove water pump bolts and screws
- remove water pump
- remove gaskets
- remove pump drive shaft coupling and water pump driveshaft seals

Shoebox has a diagram from the factory service manual:

http://shbox.com/ci/water_pump.jpg

Free download of 1996 factory service manual:

https://www.mediafire.com/?40mfgeoe4ctti

Water pump removal is covered on page 6B-19

 

Buy your drugs from this mechanic because he obviously knows how to get the best stuff! Whacko.