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Broken water pump bolts on '89 Town Car

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    #1

    Broken water pump bolts on '89 Town Car

    Hey guys.

    I'm in the process of replacing the water pump on my '89 LTC, and broke a couple studs flush with or below the timing cover. Fortunately for me, it's only two from the horror stories I've read!

    I was thinking of trying to EZ-Out the studs. However should I just pull the cover to get to the studs and replace gaskets and seals as well? I know I'll have to pull the balancer and am hoping that's an easy enough job.

    Any ideas and experiences will help.

    Thanks!
    Tags: None
    #2
    I'd try the ez-out first... after shooting those two bolts with some penetrating lube (PB-Blaster, ATF-acetone 1:1 mix, <inset favorite penetrating lube here>)... unless you want to take the timing cover off and check the chain.

    Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former. -- Albert Einstein
    rides: 93 Crown Vic LX (The Red Velvet Cake), 2000 Crown Vic base model (Sandy), 2003 Expedition (the vacation beast)
    Originally posted by gadget73
    ... and it should all work like magic and unicorns and stuff.
    Originally posted by dmccaig
    Overhead, some poor bastards are flying in airplanes.

    Comment

      #3
      Remove the timing cover

      Buy the EZ out, then throw it and half of your drill bits in the trash can. It will save you time. They seem most useful for breaking off and being all but impossible to drill out.

      If there is any stud exposed at all, find a friend with a welder and have them melt a nut on there. The heat will usually break it free and let it come out. If not, they do make stud extractor sockets that do well if you use them in combination with a torch.

      If its broken off flush with the block, very carefully center drill it, then maybe try left handed drill bits to see if it will bite.

      Last option, slowly increase the size of the drill bit until you just start to get into the threads of the block, or the broken bit moves. If you hit threads first, stop and begin picking them out. The closer you can get to the center of the bolt, the better you are. If its centered nicely you'll be left with little more than a coily spring of metal that you can just unwind out of the engine block. Don't drill it a lot, you just need it to form a dimple to use as a starting point.

      Something that might be worth doing is using the timing cover as a drill guide. Find the bit that just barely passes through the cover, and use that to put a spot on the broken stud before removing the cover. That should be about as close to the middle of the remains of the bolt as you are likely to get.
      86 Lincoln Town Car (Galactica).
      5.0 HO, CompCams XE258,Scorpion 1.72 roller rockers, 3.55 K code rear, tow package, BHPerformance ported E7 heads, Tmoss Explorer intake, 65mm throttle body, Hedman 1 5/8" headers, 2.5" dual exhaust, ASP underdrive pulley

      91 Lincoln Mark VII LSC grandpa spec white and cranberry

      1984 Lincoln Continental TurboDiesel - rolls coal

      Originally posted by phayzer5
      I drive a Lincoln. I can't be bothered to shift like the peasants and rabble rousers

      Comment

        #4
        Originally posted by gadget73 View Post

        Something that might be worth doing is using the timing cover as a drill guide. Find the bit that just barely passes through the cover, and use that to put a spot on the broken stud before removing the cover. That should be about as close to the middle of the remains of the bolt as you are likely to get.

        That is a great idea. Certainly sounds like it will work well under certain situations.
        ~David~

        My 1987 Crown Victoria Coupe: The Brown Blob
        My 2004 Mercedes Benz E320:The Benz

        Originally posted by ootdega
        My life is a long series of "nevermind" and "I guess not."

        Originally posted by DerekTheGreat
        But, that's just coming from me, this site's biggest pessimist. Best of luck

        Originally posted by gadget73
        my car starts and it has AC. Yours doesn't start and it has no AC. Seems obvious to me.



        ​

        Comment

          #5
          just have to be careful with this. The cover is aluminum, and if you get the drill cocked too far off straight, it'll just chew through the cover and leave you with more issues to deal with.
          86 Lincoln Town Car (Galactica).
          5.0 HO, CompCams XE258,Scorpion 1.72 roller rockers, 3.55 K code rear, tow package, BHPerformance ported E7 heads, Tmoss Explorer intake, 65mm throttle body, Hedman 1 5/8" headers, 2.5" dual exhaust, ASP underdrive pulley

          91 Lincoln Mark VII LSC grandpa spec white and cranberry

          1984 Lincoln Continental TurboDiesel - rolls coal

          Originally posted by phayzer5
          I drive a Lincoln. I can't be bothered to shift like the peasants and rabble rousers

          Comment

            #6
            I figure you can just tap the drill a couple of times to get a point started and go with the smaller bit to start the drilling as close to centered as possible. I definitely would advise going all out though because of what was described above...Will just eat the aluminum like nobody's business.
            ~David~

            My 1987 Crown Victoria Coupe: The Brown Blob
            My 2004 Mercedes Benz E320:The Benz

            Originally posted by ootdega
            My life is a long series of "nevermind" and "I guess not."

            Originally posted by DerekTheGreat
            But, that's just coming from me, this site's biggest pessimist. Best of luck

            Originally posted by gadget73
            my car starts and it has AC. Yours doesn't start and it has no AC. Seems obvious to me.



            ​

            Comment

              #7
              I did purchase a center punch the other day and tested it on a broken stud that came off. The timing cover drill guide idea makes a lot of sense.

              One of the studs is flush with the front of the cover so that'll be something to grab onto. The other is below the surface, just don't know how far.

              Comment

                #8
                Update on this:

                I was unable to drill into on of the studs. I removed the balancer, an the rest of the timing cover fasteners on block and oil pan. Cover will not budge even with a large pry bar.

                Does the oil pan need to come down more? Do I just need to set the SOB on fire????

                I'm just tired of making no progress on this thing.

                Any insight would be greatly appreciated.

                Comment

                  #9
                  Oil pan can stay, but you may need to loosen a few bolts towards the front of it to make it drop a little for clearance. Be extra sure you've got all of the bolts too. Usually when they are stuck, you find out which was forgotten as the cover breaks around it. Should be 4 bolts up through the pan, and 4 more through the front of the cover below where the pump mounts. Its probably also got some corrosion around the broken studs and the locating dowels at the bottom corner that is sticking it in place. Lots of penetrating oil and some careful taps may help.

                  Worst case, beat the fucker off and replace it if it breaks.
                  86 Lincoln Town Car (Galactica).
                  5.0 HO, CompCams XE258,Scorpion 1.72 roller rockers, 3.55 K code rear, tow package, BHPerformance ported E7 heads, Tmoss Explorer intake, 65mm throttle body, Hedman 1 5/8" headers, 2.5" dual exhaust, ASP underdrive pulley

                  91 Lincoln Mark VII LSC grandpa spec white and cranberry

                  1984 Lincoln Continental TurboDiesel - rolls coal

                  Originally posted by phayzer5
                  I drive a Lincoln. I can't be bothered to shift like the peasants and rabble rousers

                  Comment

                    #10
                    Originally posted by gadget73 View Post
                    Oil pan can stay, but you may need to loosen a few bolts towards the front of it to make it drop a little for clearance. Be extra sure you've got all of the bolts too. Usually when they are stuck, you find out which was forgotten as the cover breaks around it. Should be 4 bolts up through the pan, and 4 more through the front of the cover below where the pump mounts. Its probably also got some corrosion around the broken studs and the locating dowels at the bottom corner that is sticking it in place. Lots of penetrating oil and some careful taps may help.

                    Worst case, beat the fucker off and replace it if it breaks.
                    Hahaha...nice.

                    Got the 4 in the pan, 2 for the timing pointer, and two opposite timing pointer. Looks like I'll be back under the pan for the next round......

                    Thanks as always.

                    Comment

                      #11
                      ~David~

                      My 1987 Crown Victoria Coupe: The Brown Blob
                      My 2004 Mercedes Benz E320:The Benz

                      Originally posted by ootdega
                      My life is a long series of "nevermind" and "I guess not."

                      Originally posted by DerekTheGreat
                      But, that's just coming from me, this site's biggest pessimist. Best of luck

                      Originally posted by gadget73
                      my car starts and it has AC. Yours doesn't start and it has no AC. Seems obvious to me.



                      ​

                      Comment

                        #12
                        Originally posted by 87gtVIC View Post
                        87gtVIC, Thank you for that!!!!

                        Comment

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