Water Pump Disaster Bolt Heads Broke Off help?

A number of times through the years I've just drilled out the bolt, retapped, and inserted a new bolt. It works.

 

I use an ATF/acetone mixture (50/50) for penetrating oil substitute.

 

Alright Ive got the 50/50 acetone atf mixed up. Its about 55 deg outside so I warmed up the mixture with the hair dryer. Im going to heat the studs slightly and squirt some of this magic penetrating oil into it and leave it sit for an hour. Then another squirt. Then Ill put a nut over the stud and weld it on good. Then put the 6 point socket on, apply gradual pressure and make a wish.

 

...chart highlights what we know but don't think about much...lower surface tension of liquiids used = better results.

Success with dissimilar metals depends on how much galvanic action has taken place. Aluminum is the sacrificial metal here and threads possibly compromised...a little heat and wrenching...no impact...better odds...

 

The techniques you guys shared worked. I was able to get both bolts out. I feel incredible.

So the first bolt went perfect.

Here is the method I used, a combination of what everyone said.

I cleaned the threads on the stud so it was bright shiny then I chased the threads on an oversized nut till they were bright shiny. I heated the stud for about 3 seconds with propane torch and squirted the 50/50 blend of ATF and Acetone. As soon as i did that the stud just fell right out of the distrbutor housing and I was done. Ok just kidding.

Next I placed the oversized nut (and I think that is key so there is space around the stud to fill in with weld) on the stud and filled in the space around it as deep as I could go. One more squirt around the threads on the stud and out comes the wrench. Slight pressure it just unscrewed like it was finger tight. Nice! This is too easy I said to myself. And this was the really corroded bolt so I was feeling pretty good.

Now filled with confidence I attacked the lower bolt. Not so fast. It still had good threads on it and was 1/2 long so plenty of length. I welded on a nut and did everything the same and when I went to unscrew it with the wrench the bolt broke! So now it was only about 1/4" long so Im still in the game. I noticed the threads were still good so I just threaded on a nut of the same size and thought to myself that i would just weld the nut on and that would be enough because of how easy the first bolt came out. Wrong. That was a mistake. So when I tried to unsccrew it now on my second attmpt the bolt broke again. Now I only have about 1/8" left.


The pressure was on. In the back of my mind I knew if this failed I would have to try to build it up and risk damaging the housing and if that didnt work, the drilling the tapping with crude tools eyeballing the alignment and hoping for the best, and failing that replacing the housing. now more things could go wrong (as they often do when doing routine jobs) (do they even sell those at napa?) junk yard, more time running around whole days going by.... they anxiety increased, take a deep breath..

3rd attempt. I took a bigger nut way oversized pushed it all the way on and filled it with weld trying not to get any on the hex head so my wrench will fit on it. Gave it a shot of special sauce put the wrench on and it came right out.. .... sigh of relief.!!!


So thanks to all who helped out with advise and those who sent me good luck. I really appreciate you all taking time to help a Buick brother out.

Now I hope the distributor housing didnt get warped with the heat from welding. It seems fine. I guess Ill find out when I try to put the new pump on. Funny thing, when I opened the box on the new water pump yesterday before I started this project, I saw four 1/4" studs in a little plastic bag. I got a bad feeling when i saw those. hahahhahhahah

Now Ill clean up the surface use prematex red to stick the gasket on and and use antiseize on the new bolts. Is it recommeded to around the water pump jacket holes with silicone like when you do an intake manifold or not?

Also I want to give a shout out to Lincoln Electric (haha) seriously that MIG welder has paid for itself so many times over. One of the most useful tools I have ever owned.

Here are some pics

 

Kudos for taking bull by horns. Real ego booster when things work out...:TU:

 

I can live with trying and losing. Not trying and wondering if I could have won is much harder for me to do. And yes definitely my ego is huge right now I feel really satsified. haha

Took it for a test drive. and no leaks! Thanks again everybody!

Gary

 

Nice! I'll have to remember that acetone and ATF mixture for the next time I have this problem. The two together probably have zilcho for surface tension.

 

Good job on getting the bolts out. Don't use any RTV on the water pump gasket. It is designed to be used dry. Clean and flat gasket surfaces will guarantee a leak free seal.

 

I used red brush on permatex high tack gasket adhesive on both sides. The instructions said use "appropriate sealer on both sides" but this is all I had so I used it. I wanted to install it dry because it felt right, it was a nice thick gasket and I didnt see why it needed anything else but the instructions indicated to use something so I got kind of fuzzy and just did it. I hope it doesnt start leaking somewhere down the road (literally).

 

If you have to remove that water pump in the future it will probably be a mother, gasket surface cleanup probably will not be fun either. Hope it holds.:TU:

 

You'll need to remove the grille, A/C condenser and radiator, and feed the "come-a-long" cable through the opening to get the water pump off, next time. J/K. I had an old '75 Dodge that stripped the plastic off the cam gear. I put new chain and gears in and put it back together with NO gasket, just #2 Perma-tex. It never did leak. My neighbor across the street was so anal that he used to spend a couple days just getting his x-mas lights (the big C9 bulbs, so purdy!) pointing down just so. He couldn't believe I did that and that it never did leak...:shock:

One of my fellow mechanics (back in the '70s) used to hack on me for using lots of sealants; he called me the "Acka-Pucky King", asking "what happens when it comes back?". My reply was, "If I fix it right, it won't come back!" And it won't be leaking oil or water, either.

 

Thats great now you have a new trick in the old tool box.

 

Indeed. You could (I DID, for instance) buy a clapped-out '65 GTO post car with 389/tri-power/4-speed/4.33 posi rear gears for $400. Damn, that thing was fast. That would have been 1972, when I worked for the Chevy dealer in Van Nuys. I'd rebuilt the engine, and sold it shortly thereafter.

Or, in '70, when I worked for a different Chevy dealer, I drove a '65 Skylark GS with a 340 and a 3-speed on the floor as a loaner while the body shop worked on my '64 Malibu SS. That really was a cool car, too.

The only thing I don't miss from the '70s is being in the US Navy...though the GI Bill helped get my first house and an education (but I worked for a living, as well).

 

I also brushed the red stuff on all the threads of all the bolts, that should keep them from seizing up or leaking out the bolts. Man I cant believe you used ONLY the permatex and NO gasket and it held. Thats amazing. Ya I hope it doesnt come back. That pump lasted 40 years so some quick math will show that yes it is conceivable that I may have to replace it in another 40 years. Sad to think of that.

 

I dont mind, its fixed now so its Miller time. (70s reference) haha