The deed is done. About 2hours for the vacuum pump, including removing the belly pan to drain enough coolant to remove the top radiator hose (excellent tip Steve). Pretty easy job with the hose out, can see in very well, and I removed the retainer cage per FSM for the new dam-style gasket.

The (apparently original) vac-pump was sounding scary, loud chatter above 1800RPM. Wasn't the bearing, bearings are fine, but the crimped-on cover was so loose it can move in/out 1/4". Probably would eventually made its way into the fan, ... another 100,000miles or so, happy to have it replaced (203,000 on the car).

The scarier part was the belt tensioner, ugly angle, both the pulley and the pivot had play, and about half of the bearings are missing out of the pulley. I knew there was a reason I haven't scrapped that 3.5L block yet, it donated the healthy tensioner. Another hour there, but it made the vacuum pump easier to pull.

__________________

Gone to the dark side

- Jeff