In the process of replacing the water pump and have the old one off the car. I notice that there is an aluminum spacer between the area where the fan mounts and the pulley itself. Is this a press fit where I need to rent a pulley remover? I can't get it off the pump shaft and don't want to damage anything using force.

 

it might be corroded on there, soak it with pb blaster, then tap it loose.

 

The fan spacer is not pressed on. It should come off with some hammer taps.

 

Silly question but I have been known to break things- safe to just use a mallet around the edges of the pulley to get it off? I'll have to try applying heat. I can't even get it to rotate.

 

aluminum don't like heat

 

There is a hole in the bottom of the spacer that fits over the water pump shaft. probably just dissimilar metals corroding. Keep tapping at it

 

Heat will help expand the AL
I believe it expands a lot more than steel does, and the steel will not be as hot anyhow, so unless you have a HUGE acetylene torch, go ahead and heat it judiciously.

Use penetrating lube and do not strike the pulley on the outer lip which is thin and fragile. Plastic coated "dead blow" hammer is recommended:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/64-oz-Dead-B...item2ec9841ac6

 

Got it off! I didn't realize that the tip on the spacer itself wasn't the pump shaft, no wonder I thought it wasn't budging.

I was surprised to find that what I thought was the original was an ancient reman pump, the sticker still on there.