Removing Water Pump in 1986 MBZ 420 SEL

[banx00]

Hi All,

Hope to find someone with the know how for this I've been wrestling with it all week, tough since this is the first and only car I've owned. Thanks for taking the time help.

I have to take of my existing water pump to install the new one. I have removed all but 1 bolt. The very bottom one. I have 3/8" driver and universal socket wrench but there just isn't ample space to turn the bolt and get loosened. Any help?

Has anyone replaced a water pump on a 1986 Mercedes 420 SEL?

Thanks,
Henry

[Strife]

It LOOKS like you could get the bolt through the notch, but you will find this impossible. The only way to do it is to remove the pulley, and then the harmonic balancer.

The pulley is removed by (removing the accessory belts), and then removing the six bolts (not the crank bolt) inside.

The harmonic balancer can be tricky, but you can "walk" it off by using PB blaster (or liquid wrench), let it sit, and then wobble a little at a time, helping with taps from a plastic tipped hammer. WATCH THE RADIATOR WHEN YOU DO THIS. I would strongly recommend putting a sheet of plywood entirely in front of (actually, behind) it.

When you reassemble it, the harmonic balancer will go on only one way, and one of the bolts is offset on the pulley so that it, also, will go on properly only one way.

For further (and important) details like torque settings, belt tensions, and so on, you really need the MB manual on CD-ROM or a printed one.

I should add that there is a wealth of information on this board if you search for it.