it dropped and broken into pieces before i put my new waterpump in....do i really need it though??

 

thats the spacer for the pump to keep the cam from "walking" replace it now or pay for it later

 

the water pump connects to the CAM?? i though the opti is the one that connects to the cam?? i've heard of oil leak, but not a walking camshaft?

 

the cam also drives the waterpump you should be able to see that. Thats why there is no belt going to the waterpump

 

can it hold on untill about a week?? how much is one of that little ring cost?? thanks

 

While I am not sure exactly the part that he is refering to, I am under the asumption that the cam retaining plate that bolts to the block is responsible for limiting cam "walk". I have never heard of part of the waterpump drive system being responsible for this. Of course as always I may be missing something here.

 

There is no 'spacer' involved in the water pump drive...
Also it doesn't run DIRECTLY off the cam.. there's a 'drive gear'[inside the block, runs off the cam, located above it] that has a shaft that protrudes thru the timing cover...
That drive shaft, and also the water pump shaft [both'male'] have O'ring seals that go in a groove cut in the splined portion...
Then there's the 'water pump coupling' that connects the two..
There is no spacer in there...
I think you are talking about one of the 'O'rings' [that tend to harden, become brittle, and break/fall off?]
Also, I believe the purpose of them to be to keep the drive coupling stable to help prevent it from tearing up the seals...
Can you run without it?
I would say it's OK for a while, but I would get new ones in there soon..[there are 2 as explained above] GM p/n 12553792....


Cost? pennies really, but of course you have to remove that water pump to DO em..

 

While we are on the subject of w/p drives. I am instaling a CSI pump here shortly & was planning on leaving the drive system in place, just remove the coupling, for now until I change cams here in a few weeks. Then I am going to disguard the whole w/p drive system & seal the hole in the timing cover. I am assuming that this will cause no problems, am I correct?

 

that's the ring behind the waterpump sleeve. is that the one. i got no problem taking the waterpump out. i took off my waterpump 4 times in a week

 

Far as I know there is NO 'ring' BEHIND the wp coupling[the 2 I describe above are INSIDE that coupling, they go on the ends of the male shafts the 'coupling connects?
Maybe it's a piece of your timing cover water pump drive shaft seal going bad?
That's all I can think of?
I may have a pic I can email you of that area?[water pump drive shaft/timing cover]
Charlie

EDIT OK .. I looked at pic.. while it doesn't go at the END of the shafts, they're still inside [the ends of the coupling] when assembled...

 

hmmm. because in my case. as soon as i opened my old waterpump, there was a ring hanging on to the timing cover shaft. is that the one, mind you that this ring size can barely fit your pinky finger....thanks

 

I'd say that's a piece of the WP timing cover seal?
When the 'O'rings' get brittle they break into pieces[in other words you wouldn't GET them off to put onto your finger? They break in pieces like brittle plastic when they dry out..]
Also see above edit re: location of 'O'rings'

OK the key would be is the diameter of what you are talking of the diameter of the WP COUPLING[the outer dia? that would be a piece of the TC seal failing] or the smaller diameter WP drive shaft 'grooves'[that would be the 'Orings']

 

i think we are talking about the orings here...where can i get them? are they expensive?? thanks a lot man

 

[there are 2 as explained above]
GM p/n 12553792.... from a GM dealer

CHEAP[like less than a buk each, probably a buk for the 2]

 

thanks man. you help a lot