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[V6 CDX-er]

Yes, me again. Another day, another problem 

Trying to change my cam-belt, (facelift V6 Omega), which requires removal of the water pump pulley.

Should be easy, but isn't 

PAS pulley came off no probs. Water pump however is stuck fast.

I haven't got a pulley pulling tool, but looking at how small the gap is between the plastic cambelt casing and the water pump pulley, I'm not sure that I could get the teeth of the pulley pulling tool in there anyway.

Over the last couple of days I've been nipping into the garage and spraying the pulley with TT penitrating fluid, and trying to give it a little jiggle, but it's still stuck fast.

I've tried gently tapping it with a rubber hammer, and prying at it with a pry-bar, but I don't want to damage the pulley or break the cambelt casing, (which I will do if I put much more effort into getting it off).


Any suggestions please chaps?

[Gaffers]

A few taps from sammy on the edges?  Always worked for me  :-/

[V6 CDX-er]

It's off, (eventually!)

Had to use lots of TT and my longest pry-bar, carefully giving it a moderate, but constant jiggle. After a good couple of hours it just pinged off, much to my suprise.

[V6 CDX-er]

A few taps from sammy on the edges?  Always worked for me  :-/

Sammy?

The sledgehammer? (or lump hammer)

[Andy B]

It's off, (eventually!) .....

It'll have rusted between the bore of the pulley & the boss of the water pump. When you rebuild it, clean both mating surfaces with a strip of emery cloth or gentle use of a file and then use Chris's favourite copper based grease between the two parts. 

[V6 CDX-er]

It's off, (eventually!) .....

It'll have rusted between the bore of the pulley & the boss of the water pump. When you rebuild it, clean both mating surfaces with a strip of emery cloth or gentle use of a file and then use Chris's favourite copper based grease between the two parts. 

Thanks for the tip Andy, and yes, it did look a little rusted.

Anyhoo, timing now absolutley spot-on, (it was a mile out on all four banks), and cambelt off. My first one ever 

A huge thanks to the two guys who did the V6 omega cambelt DVD. Whoever they are, I reckon I owe them a pint. 

[albitz]

Iirc it was robin Hood on the camera and Markdtm on the spanners.

[Evo]

Sounds if your water pump got a bit of a mauling. Might be wise to check your coolant level over the next few days to see if the seal is still ok (unless you replaced the pump). Anyway well done!

[V6 CDX-er]

Sounds if your water pump got a bit of a mauling. Might be wise to check your coolant level over the next few days to see if the seal is still ok (unless you replaced the pump). Anyway well done!

Thanks Evo.

Even though my water pump bearing was quiet as a mouse, with no tide marks from leaks visible, I changed it, (and gasket), anyway as there is no service history to say it has been done in 7 years and 94'000 miles.

[PxMetro]

Even though my water pump bearing was quiet as a mouse, with no tide marks from leaks visible, I changed it, (and gasket), anyway as there is no service history to say it has been done in 7 years and 94'000 miles.

I did exactly the same thing on my old 2.6 thinking that changing the water pump while all the other stuff was removed was the right thing to do, and it still  probably was, apart from the fact I used a pattern part instead of a GM sourced item. After about a thousand miles or so it started leaking a significant quantity of coolant from the pressed in core plug, which was a bit of a bummer when you consider the original was working perfectly fine. I eventually bit the bullet and took it all apart again and fitted a GM sourced pump which never leaked a drop. So saving a few quid on pattern parts aint always the best way to go.

[Andy B]

....
I did exactly the same thing on my old 2.6 thinking that changing the water pump while all the other stuff was removed was the right thing to do, and it still  probably was, apart from the fact I used a pattern part instead of a GM sourced item. After about a thousand miles or so it started leaking a significant quantity of coolant from the pressed in core plug, which was a bit of a bummer when you consider the original was working perfectly fine. I eventually bit the bullet and took it all apart again and fitted a GM sourced pump which never leaked a drop. So saving a few quid on pattern parts aint always the best way to go.

So, you initially fixed something that wasn't broke!     

[PxMetro]

....
I did exactly the same thing on my old 2.6 thinking that changing the water pump while all the other stuff was removed was the right thing to do, and it still  probably was, apart from the fact I used a pattern part instead of a GM sourced item. After about a thousand miles or so it started leaking a significant quantity of coolant from the pressed in core plug, which was a bit of a bummer when you consider the original was working perfectly fine. I eventually bit the bullet and took it all apart again and fitted a GM sourced pump which never leaked a drop. So saving a few quid on pattern parts aint always the best way to go.

So, you initially fixed something that wasn't broke!     

Yep! Seemed like a good idea at the time.