water pump on LT1

[redc4corvette]

The crank pulley does not need to come off just the water pump and the dist.
Yes the dlr will rip you off .
Not because of the price ,just all the extra stuff they break .
Like coolent sensors and wires and lie to you about what happened.
I only take mine in when I am feeling like I want to fight with someone .

 

[94conv.]

Thanks for the information, I have the GM manuals, Ive used them for electical stuff like when my electonic Ac controller was corroded and little stuff like that, I had to have the cd player refurbished right after I got it, Alot of the little stuff seems to have fixed itself, it sits too much, like the window that didnt want to go down then poof, it works, door locks that dont unlock then poof, they work to. This is the third time the optispark has given me problems but the other two time, it dried out and was alright, this time its just shot, I tried the hairdryer trick and the wiredryer spray. But I've smelt the radiator fluid for four years since I bought it. I've put about 9000 miles on it in that time.
Sounds or should I say looks like you do alot to yours from the picture. Once I get digging into it I think I should be alright, especially if that pulley doesnt need to come off, I wonder why it was posted that it did, looking at it from above, it looks like the optispark is above it.

 

[redc4corvette]

As soon as you pull off the water pump the opti is right there.

Just remember the opti gear at the rear of the dist has a nitch in it and that has to line up for the dist to be lined up right and dont forget the pin at the back of the water pump.
The water pump bolts are the longest I have ever seen for a water pump.
If you need help just mail me just about everyone here that has an lt1 ,has replaced atleast one opti.
I got mine wet when I removed the thermostat to install a 160 .
Got it dried out but 2 mths later I was driving to the other side of the island, and we had flash floods and the opti filled up .

 

[94conv.]

Thanks, you may be getting some emails from me, I looked in the manual and it does say that the pulley needs to come off. But I know after you do something a couple of times you figure out you dont need to do all the steps the book calls for. The book even calls to remove the motor mounts and something on the powersteering and jack the engine up so the pulley remover can clear the crossmember. If you've removed the optspark with out removing the pulley, then the jobs getting easier already. What about draining all of the coolant out of the radiator and engine. Ive replaced waterpumps without doing that as well, or is that a step to ensure the new opti stays dry?

Thanks again

 

[Vettelt193]

On my '93, the opti wouldn't come off unless you removed the crank pulley... is it different on '94+? I haven't changed the opti on my current car. My '93 had the crank pulley rusted on, and the opti would not come off no matter what i tried.


To check for the waterpump leaking at the weep hole, just feel underneath it (with the car COLD). if it is wet, you have a problem

 

[94conv.]

Im pretty sure the 94' is the same as 93', how did you get the pully off?

 

[jmccloud]

Water pump, Opti and crank pulley

There are a lot of threads on this, some with very specific instructions. Use the 'Search' tab above. Some threads describe what socket to use (one of the water pump bolts needs a deepwell socket since a normal socket and extension are too long) while other threadss tell how to get the pump and opti off without removing the crank pulley.
If you're going to pull the water pump (a must to get the opti off) you might as well completely drain the block by removing the two knock sensors (located just above the oil pan about mid-way back on each side of the block; pinch the connector to get it off of the knock sendor). Other threads describe filling the block with coolant and 'burping' the air out.
Stuff like this is in the threads and is well worth the time to search.
Good luck, it's not such a bad job.

 

[redc4corvette]

Sorry I have an ATI balancer and all I have to do is losen the tork screws.

The lower right bolt on the opti (as you are looking at the engine front) Is the only one you need access to.
The top two are not that hard to get at.
I drain the coolent.

 

[UB2 SLOW]

ON the 96 you HAVE to take the pully off. Also, the manual does not tell you to take the TB off, but if you do the water pump slides right up allot easier and goes back in easeir. You may need a small rubber mallot when taking the pully off. They tend to get stuck. You will need the mallot to break the bolts loose. If I remember correctly there are three or four of them holding the pully on. You may need to give the pully a couple of wacks also to get it to come off. Make sure you label your wires and the opti plug outlets, because there is not much slack on the drivers side plugs and you dont want to pull everything back off if you put the wrong plug wire in the wrong location. I also found it easier to completely romove the air filter housing and loosing the power sterring bracket and pump.

 

[94conv.]

Thanks, my daughter is here spending the weekend with me so Sunday afternoon I may start to dig into it. Thanks for all the information. Ill post back on Sunday. Thanks again.