[schollianmj]

So I just bought a 95 Trans Am from a guy for 2500... needs a handful of things, but I see what it COULD be rather than what it currently is...

Any way, I noticed today that the front plate on the Water Pump is weeping a little bit, not the weep hole, but the actual round plate. Can I pull that off and replace a gasket or would it be better to just get a new pump?

Project 2: I have a decent oil leak at the front of my motor. at Autozone I can get the full kit, water pump gaskets, timing cover gasket, WP drive seal, Opti drive seal for not to much money. I was told that this is something that would be better done by a shop since I could mess up the timing chain and what not... as long as I'm not taking off the chain, I should be fine right? I have read about using a Sharpie cap cut down to get the WP shaft seal over the splines... anything else I should watch out for?

Project 3: While I am working at the front I am thinking about loosing the air pump and hoses that plug into the exhaust manifolds... Is there any reason why I wouldn't want to do this on a stock motor? I plan on headers sometime during the next year or so, and I believe I would need to remove it then any way right? So why not now? I have read on here that a oil pan plug from certain Dodge trucks is the right thread and size for the manifold plugs. again, what should I watch out for?

I know I should probably change the Opti while I am in there just to be proactive, but I just dont have the funds for it right now...

Is there anything I should watch out for while doing these?

 

[USMC]

Have you pin pointed where the leak is? Also, if you tackle this you may want to make a trip to Walmart and pick up a can of patience... Ensure you are detail oriented too. How many miles are on your car? This is a big consideration because you may want to replace the opti even tho you say you don't have the funds. At the very least take a look at the contacts inside the ooti and clean them and ensure the screws are tight on the rotor. But if you choose not to then at least cover it up so it doesn't get wet and follow the correct coolant drain procedure shbox.com .WP can be fixed if leaking from from plate, they actually hold up pretty well. While you're at it screw a zero fitting into the weep hope and connect a small vacuum hose to it and run it away from the optio. KEEP THE OPTI DRY AT ALL COSTS. This will be fun for your first time so hang on. Also, you may need to purchase a hub puller. Any standard puller will work but you may need to buy a longer screw to press off the hub. I just use the crank bolt screwed in a 1/4 or so in and turn til the hub darn near can just be pulled off by hand. As for the air pump etc just leave it alone til the time comes to install your headers.

 

[schollianmj]

Yea, i have SHBOX.COM bookmarked and have been going through it for a couple weeks now... lots of info in there.

Can of patience? Brother I still have a connex full of that from my time at San Mateo, Camp Horno, and Camp Margarita...

No I havent pinpointed where it is leaking, but it is marking its territory after I drive, and that is unacceptable. I crawled under the front and the entire front was dirty and oily. no way I could tell where it was coming from. I sprayed a little degreaser on it and wiped it down so maybe tomorrow I can figure something out.

Car has 140xxx on it... I know I should swap the Opti especially since Im going to be in there any way, but I am on a budget for the next coupe weeks, and I want to solve this oil leak NOW!

As to removing the air pump, I figured it would give me a little extra room in the front for the oil solution...

Not sure what a zero fitting is... I get tat it is a fitting like a barb fitting so I can attach the hose, but is that what it is called? Zero Fitting?

 

[Locruid]

If you gonna pull your timing cover off, you need to drop the Oil pan slightly cause the Timing cover lip rides in it. Failure to do so CAN tear the Oil Pan Gasket.

I removed my AIR system to make more room but I put LT Headers on at the same time.

A lot of us will attach something like a Zerk Fitting to the weep hole to hook up a line to route it around the opti.

 

[cocobolo95]

Don't know if he's still there, but used to be a guy on ebay called the "waterpump man" that sold rebuild kits for these pumps. He probably has gaskets also. Unless of course you want to make your own gasket.