HELP! stripped bolt invovling power steering and water pump

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J

Judge Mills

1971 Plymouth Duster
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It's always one thing after another....:munky2:

SO, I finally got all the necessary things in order to put the new (to me) saginaw power steering pump in the Duster... I started to tighten the bolt for the adjustment area of the power steering bracket.... it never tightens... it's just spinning... GREAT!!!

I pull the bolt out and notice that this hole in the water pump is threaded, yet, to my knowledge, no other holes in the water pump are threaded... Does this mean I can use a short bolt instead of the long one ? I already figure I have to buy a new pump, as the threads HAVE to be shot in the pump... hopefully there aren't threads in the block as well, as they would have to match up, and that seems complicated....

here's a picture that I stole from this site.... i circled the bolt in question.. any help would be great ! :cheers:

bolt in question.JPG
 
on mine that hole in the pump is not threaded. just the block is, so you have a long bolt that goes all the way through.
 
camd64 said:
on mine that hole in the pump is not threaded. just the block is, so you have a long bolt that goes all the way through.
Click to expand...

True. Maybe your water pump just LOOKS threaded because the bolt was not going in straight. Loosen all the bolts holding the PS pump in place and get a long water pump bolt in there. All those long water pump holes go into water jackets, so put some sealer on the threads.
 
That hole is not threaded into the casting on the water pump. Are you sure that your bolt is long enough? I believe it should be a 5/16" bolt.
 
Remove that bolt and replace it with the bolt just above it and see if it tightens up also note the length while you have it out so you can get the correct bolt if it works.
 
Believe it or not, there are 3 different lengths on the bolts (the long ones) that the water pump and alternator use. And it matters. after a r&r of my timing cover last week; I remembered that, the long and hard way. And use pipe dope on it.
 
BAHHHH... great..... I was using a long bolt, but I'm thinking the one I was using may not be long enough? The bolt worked fine when the engine was in a car without power steering, but now with a bracket, it may have made the bolt too short... I'm just hoping I messed up the bolt and not the block... I'm pretty sure it's just the bolt that is messed up... Does anyone know what length I should purchase? Or is there an easy cheesy kit?

I wonder why it looks like threads in my water pump? must be flash rust in the pattern of threads... I shined a flashlight in there and i swear I saw threads, which confused the heck out of me... I'll try to take a picture of it sometime soon...
 
Thanks for the measurement, Badart!! Saving my life, one post at a time :D

The bolt I was using measures 5 1/4" long... BUT,, I think I have have had too many washers on there, so I was probably only getting a few threads in.. I'll switch to a 5 1/2"


Here is the picture of the pump.. it LOOKS threaded, but maybe it's chewed up?

hole.JPG
 
the bolt is a 3/8-16. grab a grade 8 or stainless and as said above some sealer since it goes into the coolant.
 
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