Water Pump

97 5.0 4x4
Seems to be leaking & going to replace on Sat. I researched
the job & I think I'll be OK. Few things Though:
Do I loosen the nut in between the fan & pulley then
the 4 bolts on the pulley?
Do the gaskets go on dry?
Is 30 lbs torque for the pump bolts correct?
I've seen conflicting #'s.
My lower hose looks like it been swelling so I'll
replace that and my belt that has cracks all throughout.
Those are all the parts I can afford now so I'm hoping
the tensioner will be OK.
I appreciate your help - I need the job to go smoothly.
Thanks

97 5.0 4x4
Seems to be leaking & going to replace on Sat. I researched
the job & I think I'll be OK. Few things Though:
Do I loosen the nut in between the fan & pulley then
the 4 bolts on the pulley?
Do the gaskets go on dry?
Is 30 lbs torque for the pump bolts correct?
I've seen conflicting #'s.
My lower hose looks like it been swelling so I'll
replace that and my belt that has cracks all throughout.
Those are all the parts I can afford now so I'm hoping
the tensioner will be OK.
I appreciate your help - I need the job to go smoothly.
Thanks

I just did this on my 90 but I am not 100% sure the 97 is exactly the same.
1. The 4 bolts hold the fan on my 90.
2. I always use gasket sealers on water pump gaskets. Thet even make some specifically for water pump/tstat gaskets.
3. 30 lbs is what the 90 factory manuals specifies.

//2000CAYukon

Forgot to add that you should loosen the 4 bolts holding the fan before removing the belt. It is a lot easier this way.

//2000CAYukon

Thanks alot
also strange, when I got home from
work yesterday the lower hose felt cool
and the top was hot. not sure if that
means anything.

Thanks alot
also strange, when I got home from
work yesterday the lower hose felt cool
and the top was hot. not sure if that
means anything.

Top hose is coolant coming from the engine going to the rad so it should be hot once tstat opens.

Lower hose is coolant that has gone thru the rad and should be cooler than upper hose. Depending on outside air temp, this can be much cooler than upper hose.

//2000CAYukon

I had an AC mechanic tell me that he NEVER uses anything other than a Gates belt. He has had too much trouble with other brands.

Personally I don't know anything about it but the mechanic has long and excellent reputation so I bought Gates. When I took off the Goodyear Gatorback belt, my problem stopped.

James

97 5.0 4x4
Seems to be leaking & going to replace on Sat. I researched
the job & I think I'll be OK. Few things Though:
Do I loosen the nut in between the fan & pulley then
the 4 bolts on the pulley?
Do the gaskets go on dry?
Is 30 lbs torque for the pump bolts correct?
I've seen conflicting #'s.
My lower hose looks like it been swelling so I'll
replace that and my belt that has cracks all throughout.
Those are all the parts I can afford now so I'm hoping
the tensioner will be OK.
I appreciate your help - I need the job to go smoothly.
Thanks

I think on a 97 you have the standard fan clutch setup.

remove the top half of the radiator shroud. (Engine Cold) drain the engine coolant. Remove the four nuts that hold the fan clutch to the water pump pulley, remove fan clutch assembly, adjust fan belt tensioner and remove fan bett, then remove the water pump pulley, disconnect radiator hose to water pump, remove 4 bolts that hold water pump to engine, clean gasket surface of engine block (razor blade works good)... get some fast tack (fel pro makes some) small container with paitable red colored stuff.... Anyway apply to water pump gasket surface, stick gaskets to water pump, apply fast tack to engine water pump gasket surface..... re-assemble and make sure not to displace gaskets. I've never torqured water pump bolts on a 350 or other GM product, USe a hand ratchet and put some moderate force on the bolts and you'll be fine. You might as well change your thermostat too. Be careful with the water neck bolts, only change the thermostate when the engine is totally cold, because its really going to be a bad day if the bolts break off in the intake. Water pumps on chevy 350 fairly easy to to.

1996 and up do not have four nuts holding the fan on,it is a bug one holding it on and it is a left hand thread I believe.You need a special tool to get the fan off that is a waste of money to use,the tool is too thin.

Thanks all.
So, I need to loosen the big nut in the middle
by turning to the right? Can anyone confirm?
I can see myself twisting this thing right off.
All the instr. I've found simply say "remove
fan, clutch & assembly"

Thanks all.
So, I need to loosen the big nut in the middle
by turning to the right? Can anyone confirm?
I can see myself twisting this thing right off.
All the instr. I've found simply say "remove
fan, clutch & assembly"

15 in cresent works on the nut.

Looking at the motor turn the wrench counterclockwise. If it hasn't been removed before it may be pretty tight. Good luck. If you twist off that stub then you are the man.:rofl:

So the nut is standard (right handed) thread?
Sorry to sound so dumb on this but it seems the
the only issue that would keep me from smooth sailing.
I've been trying to research on the web but so far all
I found is it's reversed on a BMW.
Thanks Again

I think on a 97 you have the standard fan clutch setup.

remove the top half of the radiator shroud. (Engine Cold) drain the engine coolant. Remove the four nuts that hold the fan clutch to the water pump pulley, remove fan clutch assembly, adjust fan belt tensioner and remove fan bett, then remove the water pump pulley, disconnect radiator hose to water pump, remove 4 bolts that hold water pump to engine, clean gasket surface of engine block (razor blade works good)... get some fast tack (fel pro makes some) small container with paitable red colored stuff.... Anyway apply to water pump gasket surface, stick gaskets to water pump, apply fast tack to engine water pump gasket surface..... re-assemble and make sure not to displace gaskets. I've never torqured water pump bolts on a 350 or other GM product, USe a hand ratchet and put some moderate force on the bolts and you'll be fine. You might as well change your thermostat too. Be careful with the water neck bolts, only change the thermostate when the engine is totally cold, because its really going to be a bad day if the bolts break off in the intake. Water pumps on chevy 350 fairly easy to to.

Ok if you don't have the four bolts that connect the fan cluth to the waterpump pulley, I stand corrected. forget about that part of the above then. The other part of the instructions above should give you a good idea.
I knew a 98 had the single large fan clutch "nut" in place of the old style four bolt setup. Anyone know why they changed this? Sorry for the mis-information.

Mission complete. Thanks all.
The threads are not reversed. I used a strap wrench to
hold the pulley and just a couple taps on a cresent wrench
on the nut popped it. Wasn't too bad of a job, just alot
of busy work. Getting the pump on without messing up
the gaskets took some patience and I was wrestling those
hose clamps a good while.