Okay, my 72 oldsmobile cutlass supreme that I just had all tuned up and drove from Ohio to Illinois last week is having a major issue. I made it all the way home with no problems and when I got in the driveway and turned off the engine there was a ton of what I thought was oil in the driveway. Turns out I think it's coolant. I started the car today and let it run and kept revving it to see if there was an oil leak somewhere. I couldn't find anything leaking at all. When I turned the car off, all the sudden coolant started gushing out from under one of the wheels that holds a belt. You an see in the pictures from the top of the engine where the liquid is. (sorry I know I sounds like an idiot). So I included pictures. Can someone please help me and tell me what this is and how to fix it????

 

those pics are of the water pump. there is a dribble hole on the bottom of the pump. typically when it starts dribbling a water pump replacement or rebuild is in order. If the motor is original you shoulld also replacement the timing gears and chain

 

This is exactly what happened to my car.

piece of mind, do your timing chain and water pump. My car has 110K miles and i plan on pushing it many more.

 

Looks like water pump. Also looks like you may have miss-alligned belts, unless it is just camera angle. (inside green belt) Are the 2 belts on the water pump supposed to be matched?

 

I always like for sale ads that say "all original" but what it really means is your going to replace every wear item in the engine when you start driving it.

 

Thanks for the replies, I thought that may be the issue This sucks because I just dropped 1,400 on the car to get it all prepared to drive to Illinois. The car only has 11,000 miles on it.
Is replacing the water pump something you think I could do on my own out of my garage? Or should I leave it up to the professionals. If it's just taking off the belts and hoses and swapping out the pump and the timing chain I could probably do it. If it requires special tools or adjusting the timing or anything I may not be able to.

 

Yeah It's def all original, I inherited it from my Grandpa and it sat for like 15 years in a barn with no one driving it. So i'm trying to keep it alive and on the road.

 

that is your water pump and the seal is working while the engine is running and when you shut it off the seal leaks. looks like you need to replace your water pump

 

Water pump,I think you could do but timing chain would be your call. you will need a few special tools to do the job I think most parts places have them to loan out with a deposit

 

If you plan on keeping your grampa's
car, get yourself a chassis service manual.
They are invaluble when working on these cars.

 

I wouldn't screw with the timing chain right now at all thats way too much going on for a new owner who is light in the mechanic department.
The water pump with keep you intrigued for several hours.

 

If the car has 11,000 miles on it, you don't need to change the timing chain.

Just throw on a water pump. Easy as pie.

+1 on the Chassis Service Manual (and a Fisher Body Manual as well).

What on earth did you spend $1,400 on to prepare it for a drive?

- Eric

 

Is that an agricultural belt you've got on the alternator, there?

And, yes, those do look like original heater hoses and clamps. Prolly good to change those hoses.

- Eric

 

okay, needs some help again, i'm working on changing out the water pump. Everything was going great until I ran into the Power steering bracket. I can not for the life of me figure out how to get this freaking thing off. Also, do I have to remove the spindal?? I was hoping not to. Here are some pics.

 

Yeah it's a 455, U code, not a 4 speed. All original so far other than mufflers and soon new water pump if I can ever get the old one off.

 

Well, new hoses, the exhaust was shot, flushed the coolant, which now I'm hoping to re-use. Alignment, and some other crap that I couldn't do. it made it all the way to Illinois fine then I pull in the driveway and the water pump goes out. I was just wanted to make sure it was road ready for the long drive.

 

Good job!

 

See any of about a hundred times Joe P has answered this question.

- Eric

 

Thanks Eric, so take the pulley puller and remove said pulley. Then the rest should come off like butter?!

 

Thanks, I really am trying learn how to do everything myself. I enjoy the feeling of actually accomplishing something when it comes to mechanical stuff. I just don't want to screw this up and have the car sitting in my garage for six months because I can't fix some stupid problem.

 

Huh? No! Joe's post explains how to loosen and tighten the tension on the P/S belt, so that you can remove and reinstall the brackets. You do not need to mess with the pulley.

Loosen the belts, then remove the five (usually) bolts that hold the bracket assembly to the engine -
2 through the timing cover fastening holes (easy to see)
1 to the frontmost exhaust manifold bolt
1 to the hole at the front of the engine, just above the oil pan
1 through from the P/S bracket to the alternator bracket, maybe depending on the year and A/C or non-A/C.

The lower one to the timing cover and the one by the oil pain have spacers that you must not lose, and must replace as you found them, or nothing will line up.

- Eric

 

Eric,
So I would use a pulley puller even thought it has a nut on the end of it? I just watched a video from a previous feed and it looks like the puller is used when there is no nut.
Thank you for all your help by the way. I'm learning as I go. I stopped working for the night because my knuckles are busted to hell.

 

Once again, to be clear: DO NOT REMOVE THE PULLEY.

- Eric

 

No need to remove pulley from power steering pump look closer bolt on water pump and nut and bracket on the manifold, pump stays attached to bracket. main pulley on bottom comes off if you are changing timing belt but with 11000 miles just do the waterpump. Wildaboutcars.com has the manuals you need free to download and free to join. cheers

 

Thanks eric better explanation. DO NOT REMOVE PWR STEERING PULLEY cheerio

 

Put the pulley puller away and remove all the bolts that attach the power steering brackets to the engine only, as Eric stated above. You don't have to disconnect the power steering hoses either, just move the whole thing gently out of the way.

 

Okay, thanks everyone, I must not have removed all the bolts. The one that was attched to the alternator bracket was hard as hell to get off because it was an award position underneath

 

Thanks fourtwenty, I joined wildaboutcars a while ago to learn about the braking issue I had

 

Success!!, now I hope I can just remember how to put everything back on.

 

Piece of cake.

 

Read the manual before and during any mechanical work. Mechanics gloves are a great knuckle saver.

 

It only fits together one way, so long as you put the spacers in the right places.

Clean all sealing surfaces REALLY well, and be sure to give it at least a day for the RTV to dry before you put any coolant back in - no need to do this job more times than you have to.

Also, check the heights of both pumps while you have them next to each other to be sure they sold you the right one - the wrong height will make all of your belts line up wrong.

- Eric

 

Thanks Eric, so far so good, got the new one on and going to let it sit till tomorrow before filling with fluid. I put sealer on each side of the gasket so hopefully it should be okay. The lengths were the same on the pumps.

 

Oh how true! I love your statement!
AL

 

well I got all the belts on and everything works great now. Took the rocket out for a drive this afternoon. Thanks everyone for the help. I posted a couple more pics of the car.

 

Your Grampa had good taste in cars.
Very nice and job well done.
Now get yourself a CSM....

 

+1.

Great car!

You're welcome.

- Eric

 

Well done. Now get back to enjoying your car.

 

Here you go!

 

You have a very nice car and your Granpa knew what a great car it is!! You dont see many with the 455 and those seats!!