my Jeep has been undrivable in one of the nicest weeks of the year due to a failed water pump so I was anxious and motivated to get the new one in along with a new belt and thermostat while I was there. Even though I ordered the wrong belt, questioned the pump I got because it didn’t say REV on the body of it, and have numerous bruises , I tried to persevere. After realizing that my weakness of detail work was glaring me in the face when trying to clean the gasket off the pump and thermostat housing and engine block, I quit. I was able to get everything torn apart, removed, and ran and got the correct belt and different gasket lube, but when I returned, I lost my desire to finish what I started and felt defeated. As much as I wanted to finish , I felt like I was going to break something with my bull in a china shop way of doing things.
I was fortunate I had @Dave K. to fall back on and he finished putting things back together (the easy part).lol. But if it weren’t for him it wouldn’t be done today.
I tried and failed, but I have plenty of other projects to attempt on my Suni. I think it was Blaine that said somewhere that wrenching was easy. Well, I’ll be the first to say that it is not easy! It takes a level of patience and determination when you are new at it that I still don’t have. I think once I learn more about what tools do what, how to hold things without smashing every finger And brusing your entire forearm, and easier ways of doing things it will get better. It’s interesting learning an entire new skill in your 40s. Baby steps , baby steps.
And as I’m typing out this post dave breaks the “ bad news” that he thinks there’s something more wrong and also one of the pump bolts wouldn’t tighten to spec. Only tightened to 15 ft pounds instead of 22. I’m heading out to see what’s going on. Wish me luck.
My radiator had a cool easy spiket like thing I turned and the coolant drained right out.
There’s the big bolt I struggled getting loose and the sensor plug I nearly broke trying to disconnect. Dave to the rescue, again .
Yup, wrong belt. Paid twice the amount for the correct belt at oreillys but it’s replaced and on with a gates brand.
Me at one of the points of frustration needing to take a break.
Even getting these rubber tubes off was a feat for me until I watched a video that showed an easy way. I have zero common sense when it comes to this. It really helps me understand families I work with and how they can’t get their lives together and do basic life skills. If they were never taught, or exposed, it’s not easy.
I got it off. Now the cleaning began.
I had to remove that long piece to install on the new pump. That was one of the only things I was successful at doing alone. Using the vise and kroil helped a bunch.
Thanks to dave got both all cleaned up. The pic of the thermostat surface was not completed. Dave did more scrubbing .
The old thermostat which was still good was also a 195. Now I have a spare.
Here’s what the thermostat surface looked like when I started. Yuck. Scraper, razor blade, wire brush, wire wheel. More scrubbing than I’ve done in the shower for the last month!
Here’s where I thought I got the wrong pump. Dave reassured it was the same. If anyone begs to differ I would love to know before I ruin my engine.
I was fortunate I had @Dave K. to fall back on and he finished putting things back together (the easy part).lol. But if it weren’t for him it wouldn’t be done today.
I tried and failed, but I have plenty of other projects to attempt on my Suni. I think it was Blaine that said somewhere that wrenching was easy. Well, I’ll be the first to say that it is not easy! It takes a level of patience and determination when you are new at it that I still don’t have. I think once I learn more about what tools do what, how to hold things without smashing every finger And brusing your entire forearm, and easier ways of doing things it will get better. It’s interesting learning an entire new skill in your 40s. Baby steps , baby steps.
And as I’m typing out this post dave breaks the “ bad news” that he thinks there’s something more wrong and also one of the pump bolts wouldn’t tighten to spec. Only tightened to 15 ft pounds instead of 22. I’m heading out to see what’s going on. Wish me luck.
My radiator had a cool easy spiket like thing I turned and the coolant drained right out.
There’s the big bolt I struggled getting loose and the sensor plug I nearly broke trying to disconnect. Dave to the rescue, again .
Yup, wrong belt. Paid twice the amount for the correct belt at oreillys but it’s replaced and on with a gates brand.
Me at one of the points of frustration needing to take a break.
Even getting these rubber tubes off was a feat for me until I watched a video that showed an easy way. I have zero common sense when it comes to this. It really helps me understand families I work with and how they can’t get their lives together and do basic life skills. If they were never taught, or exposed, it’s not easy.
I got it off. Now the cleaning began.
I had to remove that long piece to install on the new pump. That was one of the only things I was successful at doing alone. Using the vise and kroil helped a bunch.
Thanks to dave got both all cleaned up. The pic of the thermostat surface was not completed. Dave did more scrubbing .
The old thermostat which was still good was also a 195. Now I have a spare.
Here’s what the thermostat surface looked like when I started. Yuck. Scraper, razor blade, wire brush, wire wheel. More scrubbing than I’ve done in the shower for the last month!
Here’s where I thought I got the wrong pump. Dave reassured it was the same. If anyone begs to differ I would love to know before I ruin my engine.
.
.
