Old cars are fun. Went to tighten the belt on the Formula, broke the head off the alternator adjustment bolt.

No real loss there, the voltage regulator was dying. Then I notice the water pump is seeping coolant. Not a lot, but enough to make a wet mess on the side of the block. Great. Well, removing and reapplying torque on the bearings in the waterpump seem to make these things go, so I guess it's time for another waterpump. *sigh*

Ok, so I have to drain the coolant. I know I need to pull the drain plugs on the coolant tubes and drain it. The question is - how do I do that and not make an unholy mess? How much coolant is in the system, and what did you use to catch it?

And while we're talking water pump replacement, any tips on making a good seal against the block?

Buy a hanes manual the procedure for draining coolent is in there and all fluid capacities are listed. They are like 12 dollars at discount auto parts stores. Best investment you'll ever make. YOu have to do it a special way to avoid damage or something like that. I'd list info from mine, but its at my shop so not accessible at the moment.

Seal against the block should be the same as the old one. Look when you take it out. Probably a gasket and orange rtv sealant. I've also seen just a rubber seal. Never replaced water pump on my fiero so don't know. I always just pay attention and put it back the way it was when i took the old one out. Hanes manual might also tell you what to use. Water pump removal is listed step by step like everything else you would ever need to replace on a stock fiero.

good luck

There is 13 quarts of coolant. You shouldn't need to drain all of it though. Just enough to get below the water pp. The Haynes manual is helpful , but I'd get a hold of Archie at www.v8archie.com and he has a method that guarantees no air pockets trapped in the engine.

Just to warn you: the aftermarket water pps have an "ear" near the top where one of the bolts go through it. There will be no material between this ear and the block. There may or may not be a piece of paper in the box that will tell you the lower torque value of this bolt to keep from breaking this ear off. I learned this the hard way. The second pp that I put in, I cut a spacer to put between this ear and the block, so I could torque that bolt down same as the others, and have the optimum sealing force. Good luck.

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86 Fiero GT
-Stage eleventy billion...

04 Mustang Cobra
-K&N FIPK (first mod, woo-hoo!)

I'd thought about just draining it enough to get below the water pump, but if I can, I figure it's worth doing. Though the car hasn't been driven much in the last 10 years (3000 mi maybe), the fluid hasn't been changed in that time. Probably good pm at this point.

Looks like a Fiero weekend - water pump, alternator, maybe I'll feel inspired and do the distributor while I'm at it.

Thanks all.

Main coolant pipes on each side have a small drain plug in each one (allen key).

Pulling the passenger side one will get MOST of the coolant in the system, then the drivers side one will get the last bit (excluding what's in the bottom of the block - you can only get that pulling the block drains, but that's not really required here). Take the T-stat housing cap off first, or you'll get an air lock.

Make sure you get a pick tool in there, and clean the crud out of the allen head hole before you try to remove the plugs, or there's a good chance you'll strip them out.

After draining and flushing, since you won't be able to get all the plain water out, just add half of the coolant capacity in antifreeze then top off with water, that'll get you near perfect on your mix ratio.

JazzMan

Good tip JazzMan. Thanks!

The listed capactity is 14 quarts +/- a bit in all the documents I have. That is for the L4 and V6. I'm not sure if the overflow tank is counted in that.

What Jazz said is the only way to reload any system after flushing. Even if you think the system is bone dry it's the best way.

I dump 2 gallons in a Fiero after flushing and just add water to the rest and the overflow. If it's cold weather or likely to be in the next few days, I hold back a quart for the overflow tank so that won't freeze before the coolant mix evens itself out.

Being a little over 50/50 with the antifreeze won't hurt anything. (In cold climates you can run 60-70% antifreeze.) Weak coolant, more than half water, can and will bite you. Weak coolant is the main cause of cooling system problems.

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Dr. Ian Malcolm: Yeah, but your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didn't stop to think if they should.
(Jurasic Park)

The Ogre's Fiero Cave (It's also at the top of every forum page...)

Thanks Ogre.

The car was taken out of daily service and only sees nice, sunny days, and shall forever more. Coldest it gets is about 55 F in a fairly well insulated garage.

But I'm definitely going to print all of these tips for when I'm busting my knuckles and cursing at the car this weekend.

Don't forget that the antifreeze serves more than cold protection, it also lubricates water pump seals, prevents corrosion of the aluminum parts particularly, and increases water boiling temperature, important to keep steam bubbles from forming in the cylinder heads.

JazzMan

Yeah, that's why I figure I might as well replace the coolant instead of just lowering it to the point where I can do the water pump. Better safe than sorry.

I do so hate doing waterpumps. >

None of the freaking pumps are any fun on these cars...

I have to do my L4... I said the hell with it and dug up a low priced pulley tool set at a local tool store. Just to save running around or borrowing tools from Autozone and messing with their deposites and return was worth the $25 even if I only use it once or twice. Seeing how I just bought another one of these bloody cars I'm sure it will get used... looks like the new one could have a leak but I won't know where untill the weekend.