longboard

Novice here. How do you remove the water pump pulley on an 02 LS1?

SoCalZ28

iTrader: (10)

I dont think it comes off. Someone else chime in if im wrong...

longboard

So, if I want to change the pulley, I gotta change the water pump? How crazy is that.

BirdmanLS1

iTrader: (3)

lol, no, there is a belt tensioner... its the thing u can see thats the furthest up where the pulley is. I think u use a 15mm socket wrench and turn it to the right, and that will release tension on the belt, then slide it off the water pump. Should work like a charm, although i dont know if i explained it too well, maybe someone else can give a better explination. The tensioner is located at the top left of the water pump if ur lookin at the engine from the nose of the car.

TheBlurLS1

iTrader: (8)

Follow birdman's advice on removing the belt, then remove the lid/MAF/bellow/plastic piece the lid sits on. You can also remove the throttle body if you want. Then there's 6 10mm bolts holding the water pump on. Remove those and it will come off, though you may have to pry it.

http://ls1howto.com/index.php?article=23

That is the cam swap artical, which includes removing the pump. You won't have to remove the valve covers or any of that crap.

longboard

On my engine, the water pump pulley is a big round cap that doesn't have bolts to remove. I got the belt off. The engine is not in a car at this time. (well it's in the frame, but the body is off) so I have lot's of room to work on o it, but I don't see how to remove the water pump pulley?? Do you pry it off or use a pulley puller?

1999Transamman

iTrader: (18)

The pulley and pump are one unit. Just do like TheBlurLS1 said, 6 10mm bolts and a little prying and it will come right off.

TheBlurLS1

iTrader: (8)

Why would you want to change the pulley? I've never heard of anybody removing one from the pump.

1999Transamman

iTrader: (18)

Im not even sure how the heck you could get that thing off without tearing something up. Any particular reason you just want the pulley itself? A new pump is only like a $150 at autozone.

longboard

I'm dressing up the engine and want to paint the pulleys. I'm still not clear. Must I take off the water pump? The pulley isn't separatable? There are no bolts I can see on the pulley.

twospeed

I read an article in a mag that showed an engine on a dyno that had some type of tall hillborn like stacks for an intake and had a water pump that had a chrome pully on it. I wondered about the same thing but did not want to ask

1999Transamman

iTrader: (18)

I've changed two and I played with the old ones and never could see exactly how the pulley was attached, maybe pressed on, im not sure. You might do better getting an electric, those are pretty dressed up, and give a little performance advantage.

longboard

I think I'll try using a pulley puller. The big black thing is metal, so it shouldn't hurt anything, I think.

Marc 85Z28

iTrader: (8)

Removing the pulley with a puller may work, but how do you plan on getting the pulley back on? There are no threads to pull in back on, and pressing it on will just push the shaft right out of the back of the pump housing, destroying the pump.

97-98 LS1s had pumps with bolt-on pullies, while all later LS1s had the press fit. If you want to customize the water pump pulley, you will need to buy a water pump and pulley for the older 98 F-body LS1.

1999Transamman

iTrader: (18)

Marc is right you might get it off, but your going to destroy it putting it back on, that aluminum cant take alot stress like that. If your die hard about customizing it then you'll be better off just getting that 98 pump that you can take apart.

dirt track racer 81

iTrader: (39)

if you have a shop press you can get them off..i have done them..take the 5 bolts of the back of the pump off and using a press it will come off..dont use a puller it will tear the pully up..

FastKat

iTrader: (10)

Is there a gasket on the door located on the back of the water pump? I was trying to figure out how to get the pulley off and I though of taking that back door off... but then I was afraid it would leak from the back of the pump when I put it back together. Does that rear door hold water in??