67 Deville water pump replacement problems

[jims427400]

Hi all,
My first of many posts I'm sure..
My wife has a 67 DeVille, 30K original miles that the water pump began to squeal. I'm also a vette guy so I've done a lot of work on 60s big block cars. I started to remove water pump bolts and 2 short bolts that thread into the timing cover sheared off and 1 long bolt that goes through the timing cover then into the block won't turn at all and I'm worried it's going to break as well. Has anyone dealt with broken bolts in this area and is it difficult to get the timing cover off to get these studs out?
The car is a 429 w/AC and has never been rebuilt.
Thanks all,
Jim

[cadillactim]

The short bolts that shear off is common. If there is enough of the bolt sticking up I take a torch and heat the aluminum cover a little around the bolt, attach vise grips to the bolt and it unscrews right out. If they break off flush, then you have to drill them out.

The long bolt may be a bigger problem. What likely has happened is the steel bolt is corroded in the aluminum cover. Not only may the bolt break off, you will like damage the cover trying to pry it off. You can try heating the cover and the block where the bolt goes in and then see if the bolt wants to turn.

You are at the "committed" point now, and worst case scenario us having the break the front cover around the seized bolt. Just be careful with that bolt, as you don't want it breaking off flush with the block.

Be prepared to get a new cover, and then be sure to put anti-seize on the bolts.

Tim

[35-709]

Try watching some of these videos about removing rusted nuts and bolts with a MAPP torch and candle wax.  Pretty amazing, be careful with that aluminum.
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=loosening+bolts+with+candle+wax 

@Tim Groves --- thank you very much again for your assistance over the phone yesterday concerning my NSS.
Geoff N.

[jims427400]

Thank you Tim and Geoff.. I guess I'll through a little heat on it and cross my fingers. Having to drill out the aluminum cover, I'm not sure I have enough room between the cover and radiator. I really don't want to think about having to pull the engine out to get access to remove the aluminum cover and drill out the studs.
Thoughts?

Jim

[Mike Josephic CLC #3877]

If worse comes to worse, pull the radiator out.  That's
much easier than pulling the engine and will give you
sufficient room to work.

Mike

[35-709]

Agreed.  That's what I did on the '66 I used to own when I replaced the water pump and timing chain about 20 years ago.

[jims427400]

Great idea Mike, does anyone recommend changing the timing chain while I'm there? Car only has 30,000 miles.

["Cadillac Kid" Greg Surfas 15364]

Jim,
This is what it will look like under the cover.  Pull the radiator, pull the front damper and crankshaft hub pull the distributor and fuel pump and then unbolt the timing cover,  With the cover off you can survey the "damage" and while you have got the cover off a new timing chain is easy.
Greg Surfas

[jims427400]

Well Greg you make it look easy.. Can I ask you how hard it was to remove the radiators?

Jim

["Cadillac Kid" Greg Surfas 15364]

Jim
The radiator just needs the hoses disconnected the shroud top piece removed and when you disconnect the trans cooler and unbolt the upper radiator support brackets it should slide right out. This will give you the clearance you need to work easily.

Greg Surfas

[35-709]

Jim, you really should have the Cadillac Shop Manual for your car, readily available on eBay and cheap at twice the price.  Here is a link to just one of many available ---
https://www.ebay.com/itm/1967-Cadillac-OEM-Factory-Shop-Manual/262750598080?hash=item3d2d27f3c0%3Ag%3AKLIAAOSw2xRYRjX0&_sacat=6000&_nkw=1967+Cadillac+Shop+Manual&_from=R40&rt=nc&_trksid=m570.l1313

Get this one too while you are at it ---
https://www.ebay.com/itm/1967-PONTIAC-OLDSMOBILE-BUICK-CADILLAC-GM-Fisher-Body-Shop-Manual-67/230924721889?hash=item35c42f9ee1%3Ag%3AIVUAAOSwHYVaU6WS&_sacat=6000&_nkw=1967+Cadillac+Shop+Manual&_from=R40&rt=nc&_trksid=m570.l1313

If you are going to keep and be working on the car, these books are invaluable.

[jims427400]

I do have the shop manual. It has come in handy in the past.

[35-709]

Good deal.  You will find that Fisher Body Manual very useful from time to time also.

[jims427400]

Update..
With a little heat from the torch I was able to remove the last bolt from the WP. And the 2 broken studs came out easily with the candle wax trick suggested to me earlier.
Pictured is the old water pump and can someone tell me if it looks like the original WP? It looks like it has some original looking GM markings. I have purchased a generic pump from cadillac parts store.

Thanks for all the help,

Jim

[Chuck Swanson]

Yes, looks original.  Save it as it does not have the extra outlet like the repros.  You may even want to just get yours rebuilt, but don't throw it out .  Hard to find so don't return as core either .  Also, a guy on ebay sells replacement bolts.   Use two o-rings on the top of pump for the crossover.  Chuck

[jims427400]

Chuck,
I believe my WP kit only has 1 O ring but I'll check. As far as the original WP I've seen rebuild kits for mine. Is that hard to do or I should find someone to send it to?
This is a pic of my new WP..
Jim

[35-709]

"I believe my WP kit only has 1 O ring but I'll check"

Save the old "O" ring and reuse it along with the new one, been there done that with 429 pumps.

[jims427400]

Nice.. I like that idea..