PITA!

Ron

 

Yes it is, but easier than doing a water pump on an 88 5.2 with V belts.

 

Ill take a 60's, 70's, 80's small block Chevy ANY DAY!

And just who is the brain surgeon that mounted the AC Compressor and the Alternator directly over the top of the bypass hose. He personally needs to meet me in a dark alley, I need to install something in his posterior.

So, I have been unemployed for about 2 months, not my doing mind you, but unemployed just the same. I needed to drive 45 mins to pick up my per diem for training 2 hours away. I make it to the 2nd stop sign and the pump bearing gives up the ghost. Limp into the house and pull up AllData. 1.5 hours it says. Should be a piece of cake. I have owned at least 2 Hot Rods, and regularly turned my own wrenches. So AD says wedge a screw driver in the Water Pump pulley bolts and back the big nut off the fan....err Houston we have an issue. NO BOLTS ON THE PULLEY. So not knowing what else to do, I whack the crap out of the wrench and the nut turns! Thank God someone was watching out for me.
Out comes the shroud and the fan, and while I wanted to throw the things, I carefully stood the fan upright and secure.
No one in town has the pump with the tube attached, so I carefully wiggle the thing free and set it aside for later use.
Did I mention that I want a date with the butt-wipe engineer that put the Alt and Comp directly over the Water Pump? Cant get to the gasket surface with a putty knife, cant get to it with a wire brush either. Finally get a razor blade in and clean everything up (I think, I cant see it!). Did I mention that the top water pump bolt, you cant put a socket on? Thank the stars it was a short one, and not one of the longer bolts.
Get the Water Pump in place and then fight the bypass hose for the next 20 mins to get it to line back up.
3 hours and a world of knowledge later, I head for my per diem 45 mins away. My wife says Im crazy, but I figure i want to know now if the thing is going to hold, rather than 2 hours down the road tomorrow.

Some one remind me why do I like the PITA POS?
Ron

 

You don't like it...you LOVE it. You have a bad case of the solid axle fever my friend. No vehicle with IFS will ever feel as cool as your Grand Cherokee. You tame a wild beast every time you drive it, you're more macho than the Marlboro man and Rambo rolled into one!