Ok so I broke one of the bolts to the water pump, it's the bolt at the very bottom below the pulley wheel. It is very difficult to get to because the battery bracket is in the way, making it almost impossible to get a straight shot in there with a drill bit. I am pretty sure I can extract the broken bolt if I were able to pull out the water pump and housing that the pump is bolted into. Looking around it looks like it's just a matter of unbolting a few long bolts and disconnecting a couple hoses. Is removing the water pump housing possible? This is the only way I can see getting that broken bolt out. It is snapped off at the threads just below the surface of the housing. If I had a straight shot I am sure I could get it out, but where it is now I am just going to be screwing it up drilling it at an angle. My other option is to leave it alone and just replace the water pump with a missing bolt. If I seal it well and it doesn't leak, it may be fine, it would just annoy me knowing that there is a broken bolt in there. Not sure what to do. If I took it to a shop they would probably do the same thing I would do, remove the housing and try extracting the bolt. Please help. Very frustrated... I've ordered a new pump, but I am still waiting to order the bolt.

 

Another option is buying the oem water pump that includes the housing for $300, and I wouldn't have to mess with extracting the bolt, but that is a rather expensive option. I think I would rather try to remove the housing, extract the bolt, install a new bolt hopefully and put in the new water pump. I've never installed a water pump though so I am not sure how the belt would go tightly.

 

What type of gasket sealer would I need to re-install the water pump housing? It looks like a metal piece bolts up to the engine block to deliver water to the engine. I know for the water pump gasket you would use blue RTV sealer, but not sure if that is what you would use for the housing attaching to the block.

 

04xtype04, I am not sure how difficult it would be to remove the housing. From the looks of things, it should be pretty straight forward and not too difficult. Your biggest problem I think will be getting the right length extension to get to the bottom bolts. But, even that I don't think is going to be too bad. With the broken bolt you have, if you are going to go after that bolt, removing the housing is going to be ideal. Then if you have something with a drill press, you can extract that bolt without messing anything else up.

As for a gasket sealer, I would recommend a product called "Form-a-Gasket". Your local auto parts store is going to have it (it is made by Permatex). Any time you are messing with the coolant system, use this stuff to seal things together. Not that bad of a product to remove later too. Apply some to one side of the gasket, rest the gasket on to what you are going to apply it to, then apply some more to the other side of the gasket. From there, bolt it together and you will be golden.

 

Thanks thermo. I just spent an hour trying to extract that bolt with a 90 degree drill extension I bought. The bolt would not come out. It's a very hard metal. It broke two of the small bits and finally I just gave up. Didn't seem like I was making any progress. Not sure if removing the housing would help, but at least I would have a straight shot at it and could put pressure down on it while I drilled out the center. Not really sure what to do now. I am pretty stumped. My needs a water pump due to a small leak, but that broken bolt turns it into a really expensive problem if I were to get it fixed. It seems like the water pump can could survive with one less bolt but I would rather fix it. Not sure if it would start leaking down the line then I would have to replace the water pump housing anyway.

 

I have a housing that's brand new along with the new water pump but it needs a gasket. I paid $50.00 for it, still in the box. (Gates is the manufacturer). I was going to return it but if you want it I can send it to you for what I paid plus the shipping.

 

The water pump and housing also has 4 new bolts with it.