Hi guys I have a couple questions, I did search multiple forums for the answer including the not-so-handy Do it yourself manual printed by pontiac for the fiero.
1. I am replacing the belt for my A/C compressor and I can't figure out how to loosen the compressor to get the belt on for the life of me. The alternator belt was extremely easy to change but I am having difficulty with the AC belt.
2. They guy I bought the fiero from tried to replace the water pump with a new one, didn't look at any of the tightening order instructions and used a copper gasket without any water pump gasket sealer. I want to take it off and do it myself but their are torx bolts in there (which is ridiculous) and I read on another thread on this site that a lot of people replace them with hex head with the same thread type. My question is what hex sizes replace the torx on the water pump?
The lower mounting bracket underneath the A.C compressor has a series of slotted holes. Once you loosen the lower mounting bolt (and the uppers if you can get to them) use a prybar in these holes to lever the compressor back to loosen the belt and forward to re-tighten.
Pontiac switched from hex head bolts to torx in around 1987. I looked in the P22 manual online but it does not give the specific bolt sizes. I'll look in my hard copy 1985 Service Manual to see if it is there.
You should only have to loosen one bolt to move the AC compressor to install the new belt. It is the bolt on the tab next to the pulley on the underside. With that loose, you should be able to move the compressor, unless the upper bolts are ridiculously tight. You may have to pry it with a large screwdriver or small crowbar.
You will probably find the water pump easier to work around if you remove the pulley first. Be sure to follow torque specs when installing it again. There is one place where it can be cracked if you over-tighten.
I looked in the 86 service manual online and it does not specify the bolt sizes, only the torque requirements.
When you remove the water pump have a piece of cardboard handy with the profile of the water pump sketched on it showing the bolt locations. As you remove each bolt stab it in the appropriate hole so as not to get them mixed up. Also make note of which ones may have a bit of sealer on them. I believe 2 of them thread into the water jacket and require sealant.
The 1986 Factory service manual is available for free somewhere on the Forum. The torque values are shown in the book and are the same as the 1985 manual.
Someone may direct you to where you can download the service manual and the P22 manual.
Okay so I checked everything you guys recommended and found some great information about torque rating, ways to get the pulley off, how to go about the entire replacement procedure. I have one problem though, the fiero right now is at a military base about an hour from me and their auto shop closes about 30 min after I get there. This is true no matter what day I go and I can't get off work early as I am also in the military on a base to the south and they aren't the type of command to let me out early for this. It's a new pump, poorly installed but it works to cool the engine, it also leaks 1 drop probably every 1 or 2 seconds. Is there any "patch" I could do around the water pump or to the water pump just long enough for me to limp home and do a proper repair job on it?
My son-in-law's Jeep Grand Cherokee sprung a very fast leak in the seam between the radiator tank and the core. For the short term we put some Stop-Leak and it completely stopped within a couple of minutes. I'm not a big fan of clogging up the cooling system with products like that but it got him home and he was able to make short trips until the new radiator came in a couple of days later.
Thanks for the great suggestion! I never knew that stuff existed. I'll use that until I get home I'll flush the system and do it right! Once again thank you everyone for all your help!!
If you have to use a stop leak, get the type that is liquid with no chunks. Don't use the powder or clumps. Make sure it is coming from the water pump. 2.8s with that type of timing cover have habit of leaking after a water pump replacement. Due to when water pump is removed the top of the timing cover is not tight. And when the old pump is removed, the timing cover gasket can be cracked. Some replacement pumps come with a small metal tab, that is supposed to be installed on the top of the cover, before you remove the pump. There is a timing cover bolt right over the water pump that has a casting flange that you remove and install the tab/bracket. Most throw it away or don't use it. Better removal practices have made it less usefull. However if the old pump had to be pryed, peeled, screwdrivered, beat off and that bracket/tab wasn't used, could have a timing cover leak that looks like a water pump leak.
