95 C4 Water Pump Drive Shaft Wobble

[compyelc4]

Hello guys. I have not posted in a very long time. I need some help. I was getting ready to replace all 3 timing cover seals/gaskets (including the oil pan seal) on the old gal (only 54,000 miles). Just after removing the water pump seal I noticed that the splined output shaft has a definite wobble to it. Obviously that took out the seal prematurely. My question is do I need to just get a new cam cover with integral sleeve bearing for the front of the shaft or do I need to replace both the cam cover and the water pump output shaft assy.? If the sleeve bearing in the cam cover is shot I don't see how the rear bearing for this assy. would not be shot too.

Does anyone have experience with this?

Thank you,

 

[compyelc4]

Hello guys. I have not posted in a very long time. I need some help. I was getting ready to replace all 3 timing cover seals/gaskets (including the oil pan seal) on the old gal (only 54,000 miles). Just after removing the water pump seal I noticed that the splined output shaft has a definite wobble to it. Obviously that took out the seal prematurely. My question is do I need to just get a new cam cover with integral sleeve bearing for the front of the shaft or do I need to replace both the cam cover and the water pump output shaft assy.? If the sleeve bearing in the cam cover is shot I don't see how the rear bearing for this assy. would not be shot too.

Does anyone have experience with this?

Thank you,

Well, I did a little deeper research and it seems the cam output shaft has ball bearings on the end of the cam shaft and must rely on the cam output shaft-to-water pump input shaft coupler to support the front end. Without this bit of play at the coupler union it would be a mutha getting the water pump to align with the cam output shaft AND the water pump bolts.