Can I get a little moral support?? '79 Sports Sedan

1802 Views 10 Replies 9 Participants Last post by onelunger61, Jul 4, 2015

onelunger61

Discussion Starter · Jul 2, 2015

So I started this "simple" task with the intention of replacing the water pump in my formerly abused '79 Sports sedan. No, no, the crank pulley must be removed first...so taking tips from you good people, I attempted all of the pulley removal methods save one...jamming the flywheel teeth with a cold chisel and using a whammy bar to turn the big bolt on the pulley. But wait, first the starter must be removed to expose the flywheel, and there I stalled out. I have successfully removed two of the three starter bolts, but the top-most bolt has almost no access from behind to hold the nut still. So here I sit, nothing but tears and grease. Considering pulling the solenoid off of the top of the starter to gain access but can't hold that nut still either. Sympathy cards accepted...

Save

1 - 11 of 11 Posts

four90s

· #2 · Jul 2, 2015

onelunger61 said:
So I started this "simple" task with the intention of replacing the water pump in my formerly abused '79 Sports sedan. No, no, the crank pulley must be removed first...so taking tips from you good people, I attempted all of the pulley removal methods save one...jamming the flywheel teeth with a cold chisel and using a whammy bar to turn the big bolt on the pulley. But wait, first the starter must be removed to expose the flywheel, and there I stalled out. I have successfully removed two of the three starter bolts, but the top-most bolt has almost no access from behind to hold the nut still. So here I sit, nothing but tears and grease. Considering pulling the solenoid off of the top of the starter to gain access but can't hold that nut still either. Sympathy cards accepted...

With your crank socket, turn the engine so #1 is not at TDC, take out the plug and stuff in some nylon rope. I use some old 1/4" stuff I have lying around.

Turn the engine with the crank socket until it locks up and using a long bar carefully apply pressure until crank pulley nut comes undone. Remove nut and pully should slide right off crank.

Steve
Adelaide
Australia

Save

jc96

· #3 · Jul 2, 2015

I'm sure your hair looks nice.... ciao jc

Save

alfaloco

· #4 · Jul 2, 2015

You've probably done the usual things like spray on penetrating oil, and banging on the nut with a chisel first, but I've found there's no substitute for a long.. and I mean LONG piece of pipe on your breaker bar. I had a problem once with a Nissan pickup crank nut, and I blocked the tires with concrete blocks, put a four or five foot long pipe on the 3/4" breaker bar, and that %@#*$ nut broke loose!

Heat the nut, then spray on penetrating oil, put a drift or chisel on the face of the nut, and hit it hard three or four times, then attack it with a long steel pipe. It will break loose, believe me.

Save

AlfafaninNY

· #5 · Jul 2, 2015

I agree with above, however I would avoid heat, unless its a last resort. The crank seal could be damaged... amongst other issues.

Save

lewong

· #6 · Jul 2, 2015

I replaced my water pump a long time ago and I think there is a method of double nutting the studs that hold the pump in and then removing the studs. This way, you can clear the crank pulley and you don't have to remove the pulley.

Also, I have removed the crank pulley by putting the socket on the nut, bracing a breaker bar on the frame and activating the starter motor for just a second. Be sure that the ignition coil wire is disconnected so the engine doesn't start!

This is from my Alfa Digest notes:

Date: Wed, 17 Oct 2001 10:02:31 +1300
From: "Leslie J. Singh" <[email protected]>
Subject: Re: steps to replace a failed water pump (spider)LONG REPLY

Tess

I first posted this to the digest about 10 years ago, in the bad old days when Olga reigned supreme (where is Olga now?) ... you do have a short memory!? ... . I have only just - literally - completed replacing the water pump on "The Green GTV" and can run you through the process. Its no big deal and can be done in a couple of hours but, as usual with us Alfa nuts, you'll find that you want to do a whole lot of other things as well mainly cleaning up those hard to get at bits at the front of the car so allow the best part of a day. This job is the 3rd thing I've had to do recently; the others were alternator and engine mount - exhaust side as usual. It is possible to replace the water pump without doing all of the things listed but in the long term going through the steps given will make the job easier and may be even faster. I also remove the grille for easier access to the water pump once the radiator is removed. The water pump is the thingo bolted to the front of the engine with a whole lot of 10 mm nuts. It is belt-driven from the crank pulley. The fan belt goes around these two pulleys and the alternator pulley: here endeth the 1st lesson on water pumps

To remove water pump:
1. disconnect and remove battery if its in the engine compartment. If its not, take the ground terminal off the battery.
2. remove alternator top mount (13 mm nuts), undo the 19 mm nuts, remove bottom bolt, slip off the fan belt and move the alternator out of the way behind the oil filter - no need to take off the wires.
3. remove the 10 mm Nylocs holding on the fan shroud and move the shroud back against the engine for now. Remove it after taking out the radiator (steps 4, 5)
4. slacken off the bottom hose clamp (radiator to water pump) and push it off the water pump - coolant will gush out - but sounds as if yours is gone already. Similarly remove clamp off top hose and the thin tube to the header tank to free the radiator. Also take off the other 2 hoses at the water pump end (heater hose and thermostat bypass hose)
5. take off the two 13 mm bolts holding the radiator to the car - 2 at the top in special insulated mounts - don't lose the washers - and lift the radiator out of the engine compartment.
6. If you have the nylon mechanical fan you can now remove that by undoing
the 10 mm bolts that hold it to the water pump. If you have an electric
fan then you'll see where you need to disconnect it before removing the radiator.
7. remove the tacho drive cable, which comes out at an angle from the bottom of the water pump towards the alternator.This is done easily by carefully rotating the knurled bit with a large blade screwdriver positioned in a groove and tapping the end of the handle to unscrew the thing. That part is aluminium so can be damaged.
8. remove the tacho drive off the water pump - two 10 mm nuts - the timing reference plate will come off. The tacho drive is a slip fit in the water pump and will pull out but may need some persuasion with a screwdriver.
9. now .. at last! .. you can take off the 10 mm nuts holding the water pump except for the bottom one on the alternator side: just slacken that off a bit and wind on another nut (one you've taken off from somewhere
else) against that nut - that is - double nut the stud. Use two 10 mm open-enders or whatever wrenches you have and tighten the nuts against each other so they're locked together. If you've done this properly, you will find that you can now remove the stud with a wrench on the bottom nut.
10. The water pump can now be taken off - free it at the top first then rotate it to clear the crank pulley at the bottom - IT WILL COME OFF!

Leslie Wong
Oakland, CA
1979 Alfetta Sprint Veloce

See less See more

Save

italcarnut

· #7 · Jul 2, 2015

To remove the pulley I just attatch the ratchet to the correct socket and put it on the nut with the ratchet laying on it's side on the driver's side. Go in the car and crank the engine a few seconds. The ratchet follows the pulley and smacks the right side to loosen the nut. Beer time.

Save

ckeen74

· #8 · Jul 3, 2015

I'll second the double-nut the studs method suggested by lewong above - I've done it both on my Alfetta and spider, and I think it was recommended to me by one of the grizzled old Alfa nuts on the Alfa digest way back when....

Save

PSk

· #9 · Jul 3, 2015

I've had absolutely no trouble undoing the crank nut. My procedure is:
1. Do not turn engine for 20 years and allow to sieze.
2. Borrow correct sized socket and undo, simple

Hope this helps

Pete

Save

onelunger61

Discussion Starter · #10 · Jul 3, 2015

Thanks for the wisdom, I was able to finally pull the starter and once the flywheel is "blocked" I will use my new cheater/whammy bar on the socket wrench. The double-nut method sounded great, but when I attempted it the studs in the block seemed much harder than the nuts (probably non-originals) and the nuts began to strip out. I will try again using hardened nuts if the cheater bar fails. again, thanks to everyone who responded, especially PSk...

Save

onelunger61

Discussion Starter · #11 · Jul 4, 2015

Success!!

Do you smell it? No, not that! SUCCESS! Crank pulley is off, water pump off, starter off! The breaker bar finally did the trick. Now to swap the Spica pulley for a California correct pulley, remount the smog garbage, and I'm off to the races! (not really the races, just the street) Thanks again!
Nick:grin2:

Save

1 - 11 of 11 Posts

This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.

Top Contributors this Month