5.0 Water Pump Bolts - The Horror! July 02, 2013, 05:15:14 PM Caution: Contains images of sheared bolts from my 88 XR7.I'm certain the electrolysis/corrosion of our water pump bolts have been discussed before but here's my tale of woe. I live in San Antonio and last Saturday's high was a brisk 108F. So unlike our northern brothers and sisters who install block heaters, battery blankets, fuel tank warmers and arctic wiper blades - those of us in the southwest are concerned with 3 or 4 row radiators, heavy duty fan clutch, hi-volume radiator fans, heavy duty water pump, and 180F thermostats. But I digress...It all started when the bearing in my AC compressor clutch went out. I decided it was time to replace everything in the refrigerant arena. So I ordered everything north of the evaporator (condensor, compressor, all new lines, accumulator, etc). I also decided now was the time to order a 3 core radiator, 9 blade fan, severe duty fan clutch, and heavy duty water pump. Everything is going swimmingly until I attempt to back out those top water pump bolts. I could tell they were frozen and gingerly worked them back and forth but to no avail. Three of the little s snapped like celery stalks!I took deep breaths and thought, OK, I've got easy-outs and tap-and-dies so no big deal....until I cracked the timing chain cover while attempting to drill out one of the bolts! %&^$*#@$$#$$!!!!!So...I've ordered a new timing chain cover and went to Late Model Restoration for the water pump/timing cover bolts: http://www.latemodelrestoration.com/item/LRS-8501BHDW/1979-93-Mustang-50L-58L-Water-Pump-Timing-Cover-Studs-Bolts. Yes, $80 bucks for a few bolts was a hard pill to swallow until I saw somebody selling their rusted bolts on ebay for $40! http://www.ebay.com/itm/MUSTANG-Water-Pump-Timing-Cover-Bolts-Studs-Set-OEM-3-8-V6-94-95-96-97-98-BCZ-/261228488901?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item3cd26e68c5&vxp=mtrHere's a few pics:Looks like Christmas morning under the tree! Everything ready to go.Water pump looks original. I assume the "87" is the year of manufacture..And here they are....guilty as charged! Quote Selected
5.0 Water Pump Bolts - The Horror! Reply #1 – July 02, 2013, 05:52:30 PM i hate when that happens so did you get them out ? Quote Selected
5.0 Water Pump Bolts - The Horror! Reply #2 – July 02, 2013, 06:36:55 PM so did you get them out ?[/QUOTE] Yes and no. The top bolts were actually seized in the timing chain cover and remain there. Everything in the block backed out cleanly. The source of the problem is that Ford used a water-pump stud as the main battery ground. From High School chemistry, electrolysis occurs when battery current flows through the water pump cover, and then through all of the bolts. That's why the studs/bolts fuse in that area. People that rebuild 5.0's for a living know very well about all of the broken studs/bolts in the block for the water pump and the "eaten up" water pump covers. Quote Selected
5.0 Water Pump Bolts - The Horror! Reply #3 – July 02, 2013, 08:17:57 PM to bad about the cover but at least they came out of the block Quote Selected
5.0 Water Pump Bolts - The Horror! Reply #4 – July 02, 2013, 10:18:00 PM Hopefully you did not get robbed on the timing chain cover and you were smart enough to get one for reverse rotation. Typically on the cars Ford installed a timing chain cover that was for a water pump with clock wise rotation. The serpentine belts cars rotate in reverse which makes the ports on them 180 degrees out. The Pioneer timing chain cover for a late F-150 solves that problem but I there was some flashing that really needs to be removed. I believe the part number I used was 500302L from a '95 F-150 with a 351W. The stock replacement part number for a '93 Mustang 5.0 is 500302M. If you pull them up on AutoZone you will see the differences between the ports. I can confirm the part number I used when I get back home later this week.Darren Quote Selected
5.0 Water Pump Bolts - The Horror! Reply #5 – July 03, 2013, 01:09:28 AM I had a standard pump on my reverse rotation cover for 2 years. Never had any problems out of it. seemed like the gasket fit both the cover and the pump like normal. I had ordered a pump for a 1985 LTD Crown Vic 351w police package. Quote Selected
5.0 Water Pump Bolts - The Horror! Reply #6 – July 03, 2013, 01:22:50 AM dorman sells the specific waterpump bolts.we hit 107 on Saturday (official record was 105) and my single core radiator is doing fine. was 103 today. id junkyard the timing chain cover personally. Quote Selected
5.0 Water Pump Bolts - The Horror! Reply #7 – July 03, 2013, 01:00:46 PM Royal purple has a coolant additive called purple ice, it actually keeps you running cooler and its also a corrosion preventer. I run a bottle in both my trucks. My92 dakota always ran hot, i replaced almost every cooling part hoses tstat radiator it still ran hot. I strongly recommend purple ice.Sucks about the bolts but be glad the ones in the block came out alright Quote Selected
5.0 Water Pump Bolts - The Horror! Reply #8 – July 03, 2013, 05:54:00 PM In most states cars cool just fine but down here in the Gulf Coast with all the humidity and 100+ temps its hard to keep a high hp car cool. In my previous post I also just assumed a person would think to port the backing plate on the water pump to match the opening on the timing chain cover. Some people think that the restrictions in the plate help with retention and not moving the water though the block too fast. Down here its get as much through as you can so that the coolant can pull all the heat it can from the block quickly and back into the radiator to get the heat out. I run an aluminum three core rad, Mark VIII fan with a DCCcontrols, reverse flow timing chain cover, & modded water pump impeller. This has been the only way I could keep my 331 cool and the AC blowing cold down here.Darren Quote Selected
5.0 Water Pump Bolts - The Horror! Reply #9 – July 03, 2013, 10:56:08 PM Just wondering how a magic potion can keep an engine running cooler ??? Quote Selected
5.0 Water Pump Bolts - The Horror! Reply #10 – July 04, 2013, 01:37:18 AM Quote from: Aerocoupe;417917Hopefully you did not get robbed on the timing chain cover and you were smart enough to get one for reverse rotation. Darren I ordered a Edelbrock 4251 cover from Summit for $140. Description claims it's for reverse rotation pumps. Here's the Summit link: http://www.summitracing.com/parts/edl-4251?seid=srese1&gclid=CMixl9qOlbgCFWYV7AodzB4ABgNever heard of porting the pump backing plate but it makes sense. I'll take my Dremel to it. How much did you remove? Quote Selected
5.0 Water Pump Bolts - The Horror! Reply #11 – July 04, 2013, 09:38:25 AM I like your thoughts on the ground lead on the water pump bolt, makes sense actually. Quote Selected
5.0 Water Pump Bolts - The Horror! Reply #12 – July 07, 2013, 05:16:30 AM The fun water pump studs are the ones that break off in the block. Then you have to remove the timing cover to get to the threaded part out of the block. Quote Selected
5.0 Water Pump Bolts - The Horror! Reply #13 – July 07, 2013, 12:18:36 PM Tom,The water additives came about for racing applications where they do not allow antifreeze in the cars as it is very dangerous if an engine overheats and pukes that stuff on a track as it makes the surface very slick versus just water. Redline and Royal Purple both make an additive that is mostly a corrosion inhibitor with some ability to raise the boiling point of the water to aid in cooling. At least that is what I know based on NASA American Iron rules. Not sure about other racing sanctioning bodies.Darren Quote Selected
5.0 Water Pump Bolts - The Horror! Reply #14 – July 07, 2013, 12:21:30 PM Kafer79,I just ported it to match the timing chain cover. I traced the gasket onto the backing plate with a sharpie, used my jig saw, a couple of files, and about fifteen minutes later is was a done deal.Darren Quote Selected
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