Water Pump 1988 7.3 ?

That's how my 7.3 idi started leaking. Pitted behind so bad it actually blew water from behind pump and also into crankcase

as bad as you may seem it to be, pulling that front cover isn't all that bad.
-set engine to TDC.
-remove harmonic balancer.
-lock IP gear to IP gear housing.
I leave the IP bolted up to the housing, and gear.
install longer bolts where the IP bolt cover is to lock the IP gear to the housing so it wont move.
do not over tighten, aluminum threads can strip.
- remove IP gear housing, gear, IP, and injection lines from the injectors. AS ONE UNIT.

-place pump and housing in a safe place.
-now youre ready to pull the cover.
-2 bolts from the pan, and I believe 5 bolts to the block.
minus water pump bolts, those have to come off.
-clean everything
- if I were you, I would make block off plates to cover the coolant passages and fill coolant, and pressure test.

I fought with my front cover for 6 months, thought it was leaking.
and it turned out to be a cracked block.
so...
I hope your timing gear cover IS leaking

IDIoit has it nailed in the head. Took me 6 hours from start to finish to replace mine although all my fluids were already pre drained. And me kinda goofin off a good bit. Not really that bad honestly and I hadn't done it before so follow his directions u should be back on road in no time if cover is the problem. I didn't lock the IP gear like he mentioned. Prolly just got lucky but lookin back it would've been a really good idea

Brian did it what seemed like 50 times so he is your man here for sure.

For what it’s worth, depends on what order you want to assemble it back on as to if you need to lock the gear. You will be able to see the timing marks once the cover is off. Line them up and then line up the ip gear and carefully set the cover back on and then once it’s bolted down, I don’t think it can jump a tooth. I’m not positive, (someone else chime in here) is it possible to pull the cover without pulling the ip gear housing? It sets in a groove. In the housing. Not sure how hard it would be to reseal it if you didn’t pull it off and clean it all up. I always was doing a full reassembly so It was off regardless for me.

I would at a minimum pull the radiator just FYI. I don’t think there is room enough to work without doing that and then you’d probably ding it if you tried.

Well...all this great feedback (very appreciated) as I just walked-in from torquing down the new Water Pump.
My Front cover shows no rust or pits like the above pic...actually looks great.
At this point I just have to follow through and HOPE...the Water Pump or even maybe the 12 year old WP gasket was weeping.
I will print out the above instructions (hoping to not need them)

To remove the front-cover it would be nice 'if' the top gear cover didn't have to come off.
Need to clean-up the Fan and some accessory brackets etc...maybe tomorrow I will be done or, starting all over again.

I hope it was just gasket as well. Although the above listed isn't difficult, just time consuming, the less you have to Jack with it the better. I hate repeating myself, physically or verbally. Lol. And REALLY hope u don't have the problem IDIoit had. Did my ground up rebuild last year and was costly and took forever it seemed like. That and my motor Jack( cherry picker, whatever u call it. Everyone has different name for it) barely lifted high enough to clear the oil pan over the core support

The injector pump housing doesn't have to come off. You pull the bottom of the engine cover out first and then the cover will pull down out of the groove in the IP housing. Before reassembly, clean the RTV out of that groove the best you can. The cover seals with RTV at the top and the bottom. If you feel like there may be a leak between the engine cover and oil pan, you can put some more RTV along the seam there to give it a little extra sealing. Once the water pump's off, the rest is just the seven bolts. The cover will move in and out a little bit by the coolant passages without the water pump bolted down. The water pump is what holds it tight.

sorry Mike.
DO NOT MESS WITH THE IP TIMING WHILE THE HOUSING IS OFF!!!
I do not suggest this, to many ways you can frack it up.
if you want to make timing it a bit easier, loosen the drivers side nut only, that will help you a bit.

if the gear moves in the assembly, you can bolt the housing back on the block and verify timing marks.
BEFORE the cover goes back on.
im no expert, but I have done it several times.
its not hard, just pay attention to detail!

IDIBRONCO said:

The injector pump housing doesn't have to come off. You pull the bottom of the engine cover out first and then the cover will pull down out of the groove in the IP housing. Before reassembly, clean the RTV out of that groove the best you can. The cover seals with RTV at the top and the bottom. If you feel like there may be a leak between the engine cover and oil pan, you can put some more RTV along the seam there to give it a little extra sealing. Once the water pump's off, the rest is just the seven bolts. The cover will move in and out a little bit by the coolant passages without the water pump bolted down. The water pump is what holds it tight.

Click to expand...

the issue I have with this, is that the cover is or should be.. sealed firmly to the pan, by going from the top it makes it a bit easier.
but there are millions of ways to skin a cat, but only 1 way to BBQ them

You're right. I've done it my way a few times (maybe 3 or 4) and haven't had an issue. I'm not saying that I didn't just get lucky. To me, it just seems to be a lot easier than removing all of the IP related parts. That's all.

IDIoit said:

sorry Mike.
DO NOT MESS WITH THE IP TIMING WHILE THE HOUSING IS OFF!!!
I do not suggest this, to many ways you can frack it up.
if you want to make timing it a bit easier, loosen the drivers side nut only, that will help you a bit.

if the gear moves in the assembly, you can bolt the housing back on the block and verify timing marks.
BEFORE the cover goes back on.
im no expert, but I have done it several times.
its not hard, just pay attention to detail!

Click to expand...

This is why I bow humbly at your pool of experience.

that was supposed to say passenger side nut

Well, done...idling in driveway (held-up RPM) with heater on no leaks...time for a test drive and then cool-down.
Hoping maybe, just maybe it was the actual WP seal that was tired (12 years old) or maybe the WP Gasket.
I hope the Ole Girl is going to treat me good on this one...painful hunching over that hood latch after back surgery.

I was doing a rebuild so it was on a stand. Alot easier. Terrible u had to repeat replacements over that spike with prior injury. Let us know ur results