Thought I would post this while it's fresh in my mind. 2003 Grand Am 2.2 water pump replacement. If doing this yourself here is some good advice. It was such an awful job, I figured I would share tips to help others.
1. no need to remove exhaust. Just use a 10 mm RATCHETING box end wrench.
2. don't try to avoid buying the pump sprocket holder tool, just buy it! The half moon shaped one works excellently.
3. after opening the sprocket cover, get a strip of some soft foam and pack it inside the hole all the way around to prevent dropping a sprocket bolt down in the timing case.
4. 2 of the mounting bolts are obvious. There are 2 more on the engine mount side of the timing case. 1st is below the sprocket cover, in a hole, level with the outside of the case. It may not be visible if there is thick dirt and oil, but it's there. DO NOT REMOVE IT, just loosen it enough to release the pump. The second one is at the left end of the engine mount bracket. Again, DO NOT REMOVE IT, just loosen it enough to release the pump. (hollow cases sometimes have spacers that will fall into the case if the bolt is pulled all the way out)
5. MAKE SURE THE BOLT HOLES ON THE PUMP NOSE ARE ALIGNED, before putting the pump into the hole and against the sprocket. Check the bolt holes with a mirror and turn the impellar with a small screwdriver or something to line up the pump to sprocket bolt holes inside the sprocket cover, while the pump is loosely mounted.
6. Don't put the thermostat to pump tube on until the pump is completely installed.
1. no need to remove exhaust. Just use a 10 mm RATCHETING box end wrench.
2. don't try to avoid buying the pump sprocket holder tool, just buy it! The half moon shaped one works excellently.
3. after opening the sprocket cover, get a strip of some soft foam and pack it inside the hole all the way around to prevent dropping a sprocket bolt down in the timing case.
4. 2 of the mounting bolts are obvious. There are 2 more on the engine mount side of the timing case. 1st is below the sprocket cover, in a hole, level with the outside of the case. It may not be visible if there is thick dirt and oil, but it's there. DO NOT REMOVE IT, just loosen it enough to release the pump. The second one is at the left end of the engine mount bracket. Again, DO NOT REMOVE IT, just loosen it enough to release the pump. (hollow cases sometimes have spacers that will fall into the case if the bolt is pulled all the way out)
5. MAKE SURE THE BOLT HOLES ON THE PUMP NOSE ARE ALIGNED, before putting the pump into the hole and against the sprocket. Check the bolt holes with a mirror and turn the impellar with a small screwdriver or something to line up the pump to sprocket bolt holes inside the sprocket cover, while the pump is loosely mounted.
6. Don't put the thermostat to pump tube on until the pump is completely installed.
