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Ahhh Yesss. the Been THERE DONE THAT Syndrome...
A little over 25,000 miles ago I did a head gasket/ H2O pump/Timing belt replacement. Now, fast forward to the past few weeks, I've been getting a leak around the H2O pump upper O-ring and finally got fed up nursing it with refills on a regular basis. I got new gasket/O-rings and decided to "Just Do It"
Sooooo, drained fluids, removed H2O pump, cleaned mating surfaces, installed O-rings (greased with Vasoline to aid slipping) checked all fittings, levered up pump against head to better seat O-ring, tightened it all up, replaced fluids and Bingo Bango....started her up
She promptly leaded out the back of pump at heater hose....(%%@#$#%$)
Now, I sized up the situation and thought....maybe I can move the heater pipe....only took a brief time to realize...FAAAGEEETTAAABBBOOOUUUTTT IT!!
So off comes everything, recheck gaskets, EAAASSSEEEEE Heater pipe into back of H2O pump TAKING CARE NOT PINCH GASKET...reseat H20 pump, gently lever it up...tighten up bolts and nuts in cross rotational pattern gently snugging them up until the last bolt at the bottom lets out a tiny little 'SNAP' and I pull out a ratchet and socket with 1/2 a bolt sticking out of the end.....(^%%^#$#@%^$%) Oh CRAP!!
Now, here is where a story, that has so far twice not show signs of having a happy ending, takes a "TURN" for the better...No that turn for the better didn't take place until well after I'd removed the pump to find that a 1/8-1/4 piece of bolt was sticking out of the head....just enought for my mini vice-grips to grab hold of and gently back it out of the hole. PHEW!!!!
SOOOO, one more day's dealy and I was off to the auto parts store to get the replacement bolts (ALL OF THEM, THIS TIME!!! AND NEW NUTS JUST FOR THE HELL OF IT!!)
And now I've had the wonderful practice and experience of putting the same H20 pump on this car FOUR FRIGGING TIMES!!!!
Ahhhhh, but no more leaks. And I'm certain (without a shaddow of a doubt) that I am now able to R'n R a H20 pump on a 945 in record time!
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