I'm changing the water pump on my 1987 Fiero L4 Iron Duke. I used the Harbor Freight tool to pull the pulley while the water pump was on the car, worked great and made removing the bolts easy (there were only six, I thought there were supposed to be seven.) I want to put the water pump back on the car without the pulley and press it on afterwards; it's easier and I think I can get a nice gasket seal that way. Question is once the water pump is back on how do I press the pulley on. I'm pretty sure I read a thread were someone did this, there was a picture of the completed job nut no mention on how it was done. Any thought would be much appreciated.

Thank you, Bernie

Never worked on the 4 water pump but if it's the replacement pump you have to press back on you really need to do it before install so you can support the impeller end of the shaft while pressing. To do so otherwise could damage the bearings and seal in the pump.
My 2 cents anyway.

[This message has been edited by Dodgerunner (edited 10-12-2013).]

Ditto. The shaft end has to be supported when pressing on the pulley. The bearing can move in the housing and cause the impeller to hit the back of the pump. I've rebuilt thousands of water pumps in my life and have screwed them just about every way possible.

I owned a machine shop in the 80's but I don't remember every pressing a pulley. What are your contact points, it can't be the impeller.

Is the end threaded? if so you just need a long bolt a nut and a washer, that's how power steering pumps work.

It is and it would be a perfect way to press the pulley back on. The problem I see is the impeller shaft spinning rather then the bearing pressing on. Greasing the shaft would certainly help. Am I missing something?

Press support the shaft above is wrong.

You need same press as PS pump. You press the pulley on or off the car.

Is awkward on the car but can be done. Awkward because tool often fits under battery tray. Is hard to get at the end to stop screw from turning.
If you have bad motor mount, need to carefully jack motor so tool has enough room.
Do Not you air tools to press on the pulley.

You can try to remove other parts to get access to the press... Watch heater hose to intake manifold that's easy to damage. See my Cave, Heater

Google: power steering pulley removal

Example tool (HF)

Tip... Pulley stuck to remove? warm the pulley hub only. Warm to your hand is all. Warming the hub can "break" rust etc.
Just use WD40 etc to push the pulley on the WP.

------------------
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.
(Jurassic Park)

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

Thank you, your website is awesome.

The pulley is off, not a big problem. The old battery tray was all rusted, I built a new one and just unbolted it so I have plenty of room in that area.

What I'm trying to do is mount the new water pump without the pulley, much easier to get to the bolts and I'll get a good gasket seal. Then, with the water pump on, I want to press the pulley back on. Any suggestions would be very much welcome.

Quick question, I only took 6 bolts out of the water pump, aren't there supposed to be 7.

Thank you.

I remove/push the pulley on the car.

# of bolt, 7 short, 1 bigger and long for AC bracket

Sorry to be dense, "push" the pulley on the car in what way.

Well, the water pump was missing a bolt, it only had 6. I never payed attention to the air conditioning, it never worked, not that hot up here. My density kicked in again, it was easy to remove the a.c. bracket, no compressor.

Push

push on/installed the pulley in the car w/ press kit.

Dead A/C the use none A/C belt.

[This message has been edited by theogre (edited 10-12-2013).]

The pumps I rebuilt did not have threaded shafts. Therefore the pulley had to be pressed on by supporting the shaft.

Good to know. I didn't buy a new water pump yet. The one that came off the car does have a threaded shaft.