Pontiac Repair: how to change a water pump on a 1993 grand am se 3.3V6, hi aaron, water pump

Question
QUESTION: i need to no if i can change the water pump with out taken anything off but the water pump the polly is lose and makes allot of loud noes i just started my job and have not yet got my frist check so i have no money at all so can i tighten the polly up just till i can get a new water pump i had to ask my naber to loan me the money for a new belt and i don't want to brake it it will be 3 weeks till i can get a new water pump and i need to no how to fix this problem today it is my only car and i have to work Friday nov 16 plz plz any help ill be thankfull for

ANSWER: Hi Aaron:

Sorry to tell you the bad news but the pulley being loose means the pump is bad the bearings are shot in the pump cauing the noise and pulley to whobble. putting a new belt on it is not a good fix if it's that bad it will throw off the new belt and damage that one as well. They is no easy way to fix the problem short of replacing the pump. If it's that loose it's more than likely leaking coolant as well which is not good either you don't want to overheat the engine. I have seen these engines have a pump so bad that the inside of the pump actually rubbed a hole in the front timing cover and leaked coolant inside the engine also NOT good. so my best advise to you is not to dive this untill you can get it fixed properly. Sorry I couldn't be of better help and give you the answer you were hoping for.... Good luck :)


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QUESTION: yeah im glad you told me that and it has been making that noise sents i had it but it never leaked till yesterday and i have checked the oil and no coolant is in it thank god but is it hard to put a new pump on it do i have to take the front of the motor off to change the water pump or can i just pull the water pump off i think its 10 bolts

ANSWER: Yes it's not as easy as you make it sound but you have to remove the front engine mount first before you can change the pump. In order to do this you have to support the engine before you remove that mount. A jack with a piece of wood that goes across the entire oil pan would work great to support the engine before you take taht mount off. after that is out of the way the rest of the job is pretty easy. Good luck :)


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QUESTION: this should be my last QUESTION i have taken the mount off and i have the motor on a jack and i have all but 2 bolts out of the water pump and 1 of the bolts has came about half way out and will not come any more all it dose is spin but i can't pull it out what would make it do that? and how can i get it all the way out ?

Answer
One of 2 things it either broke off which is bad or there is a build up of corrosion on the shank of the bolt and it will not come out past the water pump and timing cover. It it is one of the larger head bolts that goes all the way through the pump/timing cover and into the engine block. ther are 4 of them I think. you may want to spray some penetrating oil in the hole and work the bolt back and forth with a pair of pliers back and forth and in and out. use a good oil like liquid wrench or kerol kreeps oil or pb blaster those are different kinds of penetration oil/fluid that should knock off the corrosion so you can get the holst oit past the cover and pump. Hope that helps you out.