Engine water pump nipple snap!

[Brave Frank]

Anyone ever start out to repair something quite simple, like, you know, replace a simple short heater hose running to the front of the block above what I believe is the water pump and that nipple sticking out snaps right off as you barely start to tighten the clamp on the new heater hose??  Its amazing to me that I made it home from the 1200 mile purchase trip!
 
How difficult is it to replace the water pump? Forgive me as its been a while since I've replaced one, but it does come with housing as one unit, right? LOL

76 Winni d-19 360

[LJ-TJ]

Not hard. I'm guessing not much different than on the 440. Hm?

[Brave Frank]

Can you do it without removing the radiator?

[LJ-TJ]

Yeah! I just did the water pump on my 1975 21 footer 440. It really isn't hard, a little awkward. One thing you want to do for sure is go to Harbor Freight and buy one of those foam floor mats. You know the square one's that interlock. Place it between the rad and rad shroud. That will protect the rad in case you drop a wrench or when your pulling on the water pump you don't bang the rad.You can pull the hole thing from the top. I also cut a piece of plywood to go across the dog house to lie on. Worked good. 

[jkilbert]

They nipple just threads into the water pump. I know that my local parts stores have that in the Help! Parts. Home Depot sells a nipple remover kit in the plumbing dept. all it is, is a really big easy out. Your going to need to buy the nipple anyway for the new pump.  So the decision to make is replace the nipple alone or the whole works.


John