Lessons learned after replacing water pump

[mcmillon]

Last week the water pump in my 92 Legacy went out. So after hours of reading posts and looking at my my Haynes, I decided I should tackle this task. Overall the procedure went well, though it took me a lot more time than I had planned(go figure). Having my garage and air tools made the job much easier than back in the days of working outside watching for the apartment manager.
Probably the most frustrating step that I experienced was removing the crankshaft pulley bolt. But after reading some posts, cranking the engine while having a the breaker bar resting on the frame did the trick!
I think the most time cosuming aspect was simply removing all the componets to actually get to the water pump. I found that removing the radiator was the best way to achieve maximum space.
After I replaced the water pump and timing belt and installing all the components and viola! The old beast fired up on the first crank. I drove it around last night, and it seems to be doing well. Oh yeah, the air pockets in the coolant system was a bit of a pain, but a little patience goes along way. I want to thank all of you in here that had made posts concerning this topic, and anyone who would like a complete write up on this, please feel free to email me. Thanks again

[THAWA]

A fun little R&R isn't it

[Legacy777]

Is your legacy an AT or MT?

If you have an AT, there's an access plug on the engine bell housing. You can remove that and stick a lodge a breaker bar or something in there on the flex plate, which will keep the engine from turning over.

[90LegAWD]

that didn't work at all for my wife's A/T. it would have bent the flex plate a LOT.

i actually used a rubber/plastic strap wrench on the pulley to keep the crank from spinning and wedged it against the alternator bracket. i then took a big-ass breaker bar with extension and just turned the bolt loose. cake.

hard part for both my subarus was getting the timing belt all routed back into the correct position.

[Legacy777]

There's definitely a trick to wedging something in the flex plate. But the strap wrench does work too.

[THAWA]

the flex plate is much stronger than it looks. Dollars to donuts whatever you put in there would slip or bend before you bent the flexplate.

[entirelyturbo]

Indeed. Remember, the flex plate bears the weight of the whole car when you accelerate.

[tris91ricer]

ahhh.. see... This is all useful shit; I'mma be replacing my WP and Timing Belt when I put in that new trans.

[irishsetter]

Hey while were on the water pump subject I think mine is going but am not possitive. When the engine is cold and I crank it up a good bit of water comes down right from above the lower radiator hose connection. There are two smaller hoses on one side and one small one on the other side. After the engine comes up to heat the leaking stops. If anybody could give me some idea of thats all about that would be great. Oh, yeah I have a 91 ej22t.

[EJ20TMAN]

The flexplate is very strong indeed, It can handle doing up that bolt no sweat, No need to pull the rad, lots of space just removing the fans. At least u didnt have to deal with the 4 cams like us RS guys

[illnastyimpreza]

woa all that just to do a waterpump! I'm not lookin forward to that one. When I do my frankenstein block swap I guess Ill just change all that crap too...

[THAWA]

it sounds worse than it is.