WTF is up with water pump replacement?

[gdc2000]

OK I got a '88 CRX and it is time for a new water pump. It is making a horrible noise. I went out and got a OEM replacement and started the project. I had to remove the valve cover to get the top timing belt cover off and once I got that done the damn alternator belt was in the way of my tools so I loosened the bracket and took the belt off and pushed the alternator back. I found 4 bolts for the lower cover and got them off but the damn thing wont moved. It is almost like the engine mount is in the way if I were to move it up and on the bottom the crank pulley seems to be in the way. I was looking at the service manual and it makes the removal seem easy but it is kicking my a$$.

Do I have to remove the crank pulley to get this joker off? Any help would be appreciated and sorry if this is a total noob post.

 

[gdc2000]

OK after closer inspection it looks like I have to remove the pulley which at this point I cant even do it with my air compressor and breaker bars. The bottom half of the lower timing belt cover loops around it as far as I can tell.

Any suggestions on how to get this thing off. I have read it is a total nightmare. I have tried everything that I could find and still cant get the damn bolt out.

 

[morgan_spydergt]

mmm yaaa ... i did the same thing on my 91 civic HB ... your in for a real f***ing nightmare on that ...

your SUPPOSED to remove the pully on bottum to get the cover off ...
supposed to .. i cheated ... cut the bloody f***ing thing ... its a b***h .....
the pully can be a real pain in the ass to get off , i never could break it so i had to take it to a shop , cost me 20 $ just for them to break that darn bolt ..well worth it though .. yet that was after i cut the plastic cover off ...i used a razor blade , get a dremmel it will save you alot of time and error , also if you do what i did go on ebay and get replacement covers for the darn thing , or go to ur local junk yard and get some more covers , you dont have to put them on instantly , but its just wise ....
put them on next time your working on the car and have free time ..
ow if you do decide to cut the plastic cover off , which im sure im gonna get burned for telling you that , be smart and cut it so that you can reuse it , only cut it enough to bend the plastic to get the thing off , in fact now that i think about it , i dont think you have to remove the lower cover ,
the water pump is up top , well have fun , and be smart , take the car to a local tire shop and have em break the bolt for you , it might take time and energy such as you and a buddy with a truck to tow the darn thing over , but you will enjoy having them break it for you far more than doing it yourself ... plus if your planning on doing any major work on that motor down the road , a bolt once broken is easy-er to take off than ... well you get the idea ..


edit : while doing so be ultra careful , i screwed up and messed up my timing while being frustrated as hell with the cover ... didnt have a timing gun or tdc gauge or a big enough screwdriver so i had to eventually take it to the shop to have them finish it , instead of a 150$ waterpump job at the shop , it cost me 230 for a timing job ...

=(

 

[reikoshea]

honda timing belts/water pumps are a bitch....one of the few things ill pay to have done on my car.

 

[gdc2000]

I finally got it done and you are right, it is a real pain in the ass. I ended up using 2 pieces of a cut up 4x4 with a 4' piece of pipe and a long extension. I started to take it personal and refused to take it somebody lol.

My neighbors where outside laughing at me while I looked like a freaking gorilla jumping up and down on the bar. When it snapped my heart stopped and then I realized it finally came loose.

I pwnd teh pulley. ^_^

 

[TheManRSW]

Awesome job and good for you for pwning the pulley, just make sure you get it back to specs...if it's that hard to break loose it's probably a little tighter than pft for spec. I had my roomate replace mine...but he had the pulley tool for hondas and that made the process go a lot smoother.

 

[FFADW]

lol, i bought a tool to do it but if i didnt find the tool i would have being do that too lol.