1967 273 stuck water pump bolt

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Dana67Dart

Dana67Dart

The parts you don't add don't cause you no trouble
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So I decided to relocate the alternator adjuster bracket to the correct bolt. Figured it would be as easy as remove one bolt, loosen the adjuster bolt on the alt. remove the correct water pump bolt, swap the bracket over, add some anti seize to the threads and reinstall the bolts.

upload_2018-5-23_8-30-20.png


NAAAAA.... looks like someone forgot to add anti seize to the lower bolt last time the water pump was changed in 1998. (by a shop before I owned the car)

Any thoughts on nondestructive removal?

I used a breaker bar and did it not budge it. I tried forward and backward. I am the king of breaking off bolts so I did not put a lot of force on it but enough that it should have come off.

The engine was cold, was thinking of trying hot. I don't really want to pull the entire front cover off if I don't have to at this point.

Speaking of front covers.... the 273 has passenger side timing marks on a metal bracket. The cover also has timing marks cast into it on the drivers side. Did all 273 timing covers come that way or is this a 70 something and up cover. I know it was replaced in 98.
 
Does the bolt go into the block or just into the cover/housing?? If it threads into the cover you can use a propane torch (oxy/acy would be faster) to heat the aluminum around the bolt while using a wet rag to keep the bolt as cool as possible. Once the aluminum is hot it should expand allowing you to turn the bolt?? You have to work fast so that the bolt doesn't soak up much heat so it doesn't expand with the aluminum. Aluminum expands faster than steel so you have one advantage!!

Treblig
 
Dana67Dart said:
Speaking of front covers.... the 273 has passenger side timing marks on a metal bracket. The cover also has timing marks cast into it on the drivers side. Did all 273 timing covers come that way or is this a 70 something and up cover. I know it was replaced in 98.
Click to expand...

Yes...'67 cover should only have the bolt-on timing mark bracket.
 
Dana67Dart said:
So I decided to relocate the alternator adjuster bracket to the correct bolt. Figured it would be as easy as remove one bolt, loosen the adjuster bolt on the alt. remove the correct water pump bolt, swap the bracket over, add some anti seize to the threads and reinstall the bolts.

View attachment 1715178941

NAAAAA.... looks like someone forgot to add anti seize to the lower bolt last time the water pump was changed in 1998. (by a shop before I owned the car)

Any thoughts on nondestructive removal?

I used a breaker bar and did it not budge it. I tried forward and backward. I am the king of breaking off bolts so I did not put a lot of force on it but enough that it should have come off.

The engine was cold, was thinking of trying hot. I don't really want to pull the entire front cover off if I don't have to at this point.

Speaking of front covers.... the 273 has passenger side timing marks on a metal bracket. The cover also has timing marks cast into it on the drivers side. Did all 273 timing covers come that way or is this a 70 something and up cover. I know it was replaced in 98.
Click to expand...

heat the block area around the bolt with propane or oxy-acetylene, then see if you can get it free....
 
krazykuda said:
heat the block area around the bolt with propane
Click to expand...
Ill try that.

if push comes to shove I will cut the head off, remove the cover and work at it on the remaining shaft. I don't need to do it now just looking for a solution that maybe could be done without damage.
 
Dana67Dart said:
It goes into the block.
Click to expand...

Drill it right here in the pump casting just behind the bolt head through to the bolt shaft and soak it with penetrant.
1/32 or so bit. (the hole only needs to be big enough for the penetrant to get in there)

water pump.JPG
 
TrailBeast said:
Drill it right here in the pump casting just behind the bolt head through to the bolt shaft and soak it with penetrant.
Click to expand...

I like that. I also have a sloped driveway that would aid in the penetrating fluid reaching the threads.
Seems like it would not create a water leak as long as the threads have sealant on them.

I know the top bolt is free and the middle bolt is free so I should be able to rotate the alt bracket out of the way.
 
don't forget to smack the head of the bolt a few times with a brass hammer. try ur best to hit it squarely. many times u can get a bolt to break free by smacking it with a little force...but dont over do it.
 
The way they used that induction heater doesn't make sense. When you use heat on a frozen bolt you are supposed to heat the metal that "surrounds" the threads of the bolt. The heat will expand the metal around the threads giving you some clearance to rotate the bolt. You're supposed to keep the bolt as cool as possible so that it "doesn't" expand giving you even more clearance. I'm a machinist and have had to deal with these types of problems many, many times, when anyone had a bolt frozen in a hole they brought it to me. Heating the head of the bolt (as in the video) is something I would never do??? It didn't look like the guy was trying to heat the engine head on the motor where the bolt screws into?? You get the bolt too hot and it will twist off because the hotter it gets the softer it becomes. Maybe I'm missing something. maybe I'm just getting old??

treblig
 
Treblig said:
The way they used that induction heater doesn't make sense. When you use heat on a frozen bolt you are supposed to heat the metal that "surrounds" the threads of the bolt. The heat will expand the metal around the threads giving you some clearance to rotate the bolt. You're supposed to keep the bolt as cool as possible so that it "doesn't" expand giving you even more clearance. I'm a machinist and have had to deal with these types of problems many, many times, when anyone had a bolt frozen in a hole they brought it to me. Heating the head of the bolt (as in the video) is something I would never do??? It didn't look like the guy was trying to heat the engine head on the motor where the bolt screws into?? You get the bolt too hot and it will twist off because the hotter it gets the softer it becomes. Maybe I'm missing something. maybe I'm just getting old??

treblig
Click to expand...
It looked like the coil was pressed into the metal around the bold head.


Alan
 
Cuda Al said:
It looked like the coil was pressed into the metal around the bold head.


Alan
Click to expand...
So the bolt was frozen against the hole (straight through) in the water neck and not in the threads that are in the head??

treblig
 
Late to the party. The steel bolt is probably siezed in the aluminum water pump housing. You might be able to "buzz" the bolt head with a air hammer to loosten up the corosion. You might have to remove the radiator but you probably will have it out anyway. This air hammer tool may help. 3/8" Shake'n Break Pneumatic
 
toolmanmike said:
Late to the party. The steel bolt is probably siezed in the aluminum water pump housing. You might be able to "buzz" the bolt head with a air hammer to loosten up the corosion. You might have to remove the radiator but you probably will have it out anyway. This air hammer tool may help. 3/8" Shake'n Break Pneumatic
Click to expand...
This ^^^^^ is true!! But if it is frozen in the housing then a propane torch should do the trick!! Just keep the bolt cool with a wet rag.

Treblig
 
Dana67Dart said:
I like that. I also have a sloped driveway that would aid in the penetrating fluid reaching the threads.
Seems like it would not create a water leak as long as the threads have sealant on them.

I know the top bolt is free and the middle bolt is free so I should be able to rotate the alt bracket out of the way.
Click to expand...

Exactly, ceptin the threads are already sealed and so is the bolt head so actually you will be filling any void between the two with the penetrating fluid, and it should end up coming out.
I also use the hammer tap on the bolt head to break that bond the head might have into the aluminum.

But you might end up having to snap the bolt and pull the timing cover to get the rest of it.
Been there too.:D
 
Air hammer. A gentle rattle. While hammering dribble a stream of water behind head of bolt. The water creates a hydraulic effect breaking up the corrosion.
Have removed rusted bolts many times this way. The shake n break is not effective as it pounds on the housing surrounding the bolt,not the bolt itself.
An example of removing a siezed bolt.
 
I'm with ToolmanMike
You might as well put an ad in the wanted section for a replacement cover. I've been down this road a few times. The ethylene glycol got into that passage and now it will take a nuclear bomb to get it apart
 
toolmanmike said:
Late to the party. The steel bolt is probably siezed in the aluminum water pump housing. You might be able to "buzz" the bolt head with a air hammer to loosten up the corosion. You might have to remove the radiator but you probably will have it out anyway. This air hammer tool may help. 3/8" Shake'n Break Pneumatic
Click to expand...

Exactly this ^^^^^^^. No one ever thinks about the bolt shaft seizing up in the timing cover, but it's very common. You can try some PBlaster and tap the head of the bolt with a hammer.
 
Also should mention, may as well have timing cover gasket set, and go ahead and change it. Its gonna leak.
 
You are telling me, i was drilling them out and it took quite a long time. Thought,why not give it a shot,the water was the ticket.
 
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