Club 80-90 Forums

I'm trying to remove (and replace) my seized water pump but the lower Allen key bolts are completely stuck.
Has anyone else had this problem (1987 T3 1.9 later water pump) and how did they solve it?

Usually the only allen ones are for the metal coolant pipe that goes behind the crank pulley. If it's those, take the pulley off and remove the pump with pipe attached, then deal with them on the bench/in a vice.

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Wish I had thought about leaving the coolant pipe attached when I changed my water pump a few years back,  I had a heck of a job removing the allen key bolts that secured the pipe to the engine block i mean water pump, even after removing the pulley, I had to shorten the end of an allen key to get it to fit in the bolts, they eventually came undone with some releasing fluid and the adapted key.

I had a problem with the studs holding the pump on. I had to carefully dremmel around them with the smallest drill bit to free them up. They had completely fused onto the housing. The bolts into the metal thermostat housing had also fused and one snapped off. I had to drill it out to remove it.
David.

Give everything a good spray with plusgas and a wire brush. Then try tightening and loosening in very small amounts. Stop if it feels springy.
David.

Thanks for all your tips. I thought it was going to be a simple job but it looks as if I'm going to have to remove the pulley and put the whole lot in the vice. I'll try some more rocking backwards and forwards with Plusgas first.

Hello strangely similar (but technically more accurate) usernamed person!

Are you using an actual allen key, or are you using a hex bit and ratchet, or possibly a slightly smaller splined bit knocked in if your allen bolts are looking a bit tired internally? You might find it easier to do with ratchet if you aren't already using one - alternatively it might just round everything off internally, in which case it wasn't my suggestion! 

Have done as much tightening and loosening of water pump bolts (with loads of PlusGas) as I can without busting either the Allen 
Key or mashing up the bolt. Am resolved to get a quote from a garage. Can anyone recommend a seriously good mechanic for this stupidly awkward job, near Newhaven, East Sussex? t3convert

Can you post a photo of the offending bolts? Do you have room to get one of these sockets on it. I have a set and they are very good.
https://www.screwfix.com/p/erbauer-bolt ... -pcs/6083d
David.

Is this the same thread but from a different person posted earlier this week, which bolts are you having problems with and have you put an extension tube over the end of the allen key for a better purchase, i found this worked for me.