Hi, I'm thinking of getting this 64 skylark wagon with a 300 ci. The only problem is that I would have to change the water pump since the owner says that it was slowly getting hot the last time he drove it 20 miles. I'm not the most "mechanically inclined" (lack of experience) person so I was wondering if anyone could tell me the exact procedure involved? How do I loosen the belt (is it the same belt that goes to the AC compressor)? What order should I loosen and remove items (fan, fan shroud, loosen belt)? What tools do I need? Where could I get a good water pump and how much are they? I'm also thinking of going to the local pick-n-pull to do a little practice. Would an 80's v8 Olds be a similar proceedure? Any input is appreciated. Thanks, Wayne
WELL changing a water pump can be easy, hard, or a real bitch and you cant tell untill you start .... here is why some of the bolts go thru the pump and the timing chain cover ,,,,if any one of those bolt break IT BECOMES A BIT-- so go for it but be careful and be prepared for a bigger job if the wrench gods are mad at you LOL frist drain water ... remove upper hose ..... remove all belts,,,, you may want to loosed the 4 fan bolts before the belts ...then remove the far and the shroud together......then get the new pump see what bolts have to be removed by checking the new pump against the old remove the bolts slowly... take it easy it could save you a lot more work then after all bolts are out tap it with a small hammer and it will come off there is a torque on the bolts so check and use a torque wrench going back together luck
Slowly getting hot may not be the water pump. Check the drive belt, make sure the car has a thermostat in it, and flush the cooling system before you replace the water pump...I've replaced parts for no reason and wasted my money...try the basic stuff first!
If the car has the original Buick 300 in it, it may have a larger problem than you may think. In 64, the 300 had aluminum heads. If the previous owners have not maintained the correct level of antifreeze in the engine, the heads may have corroded from the inside with the residue settling in the radiator and other places in the block. Also, there's a couple of openings in the deck of the block. Corrosion can eat a cavity in the surface of the head. I've seen quite a few 64 heads that have that problem. So, if you're getting the car, it may be a bit more than just changing the water pump. Greg
just FYI, the 300 is not a Nailhead. it's a member of the Buick small block family. you might confuse a parts monkey calling it a 300 ci Nailhead. http://www.taperformance.com/newpage1.htm
Thanks for all the input everyone! :TU: I have been thinking that it might not be the water pump. Would a bad thermostat cause the same symptoms? If the heads were bad, there would be coolant loss? Last Saturday, I went to the 'University of Pick-N-Pull' and "learned" how to remove a water pump out of a 69 Skylark (first time I'd seen a Skylark that old in that yard!-A good sign I guess.). The pulleys, belts and hoses came off easy. Even all the water pump bolts loosened nicely EXCEPT for one little bolt on the top that wouldn't budge. I ended up literally ripping the pump out since I wanted a peak at the insides (for educational purposes). So my question is how can I get stubborn bolts out? What kind of penetrating oil would work best? From experience, I doubt WD-40 is cut out for the task.
