Posting this here since it is a 318 but not a slant. I recently purchased a 1982 Ramcharger powered by a 318. The truck sat from 2006 until I got it last month. The engine was well maintained at a local dealership and is in good condition with a little over 144,000 miles. The water pump looks original.

I discovered after driving the truck from Seattle to Tacoma that the water pump is leaking out the weep hole. I know this normally means the bearings in the pump are on the verge of going out, but I am curious if the water pump might be weeping because it sat so long without the motor being run. Is there any chance the weeping will stop and the pump will self-heal? Or should I just bit the bullet and fight the rusty bolts to get the pump off and replace it?

I think I know the answer, and I already have a new pump ready to install, I guess I am just hoping I can avoid getting into the whole v-8 water pump replacement mess.

Thanks.

Yes you do, sorry!

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2 Mopars come with Spark plug tubes. One is a world class, racing machine. The other is a 426 CI. boat anchor!

12.70 @ 104.6

Yeah, I figured. Hopefully I don't break any of the bolts as I go. I tried to tighten the belts when I go it but the bolts for the PS pump wouldn't budge. I sprayed some PB blaster on there a few days back, and I now have a propane torch so I can use heat. Maybe I will get lucky and not have to deal with bolts broken off in the block. The slant six water pump mount design is superior.

Yeah the last V-8 pump I put on a car, 2 of the bolts broke off. No fun!! But it had to be done.

The heat should help too if you can get it to where it needs to be!

Rick

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2 Mopars come with Spark plug tubes. One is a world class, racing machine. The other is a 426 CI. boat anchor!

12.70 @ 104.6

Just be happy it's not in a minivan!

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If it was easy, everybody would be doing it.

That is true. I did an intake manifold gasket in my sister's 03 Buick Rendezvous after the Dexcool radiator fluid ate the intake manifold gasket and it blew while she was on the highway. Changing the intake manifold gasket took me three full days and required removing much of the top of the engine and also unbolting it and holding it rolled forward with the trans in neutral. I flushed the cooling system and refilled it with regular old ethylene glycol radiator fluid.

I got the water pump off and six of the seven water pump bolts came out no problem. The fourth bolt goes into the water jacket on the driver's side and was rusted solid. I cu the head off to get the water pump off, then I tried spraying PB Blaster on it and letting it soak for about a week (reapplied PB every day), then I used a propane torch to heat the timing chain cover and the block by the threads. I got the bolt to turn, but it has either broken in the timing cover or stripped the threads in the block.

I am waiting for parts to get here and for a break in work to finish removing the timing cover (going to swap timing sets while I am in there, and maybe throw in a different cam for better fuel economy). I also have a set of 318 "302" casting cylinder heads and on Edelbrock SP2P two berrel intake I plan on installing, but I will probably wait to do those until I can drive the truck and get a baseline for engine vacuum, cruise RPM, fuel consumption, etc...

Did I mention how superior the slant six water pump mounting design is? It is really a much better design, any way you look at it.

True the slant 6 water pump design is better than the small block but I like the big block design the best.

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1976 Feather Duster /6 4sp
1984 W100 318 727 np241
1972 'Cuda 340 4sp
1985 D250 360 46RH

Yeah, pulling a few bolts and only having to replace the impeller section and a small gasket sure beat pulling the whole smash when the bearing goes bad.

UPDATE: I kicked my brother's Duster out of the garage temporarily and pulled the Ramcharger in so I had someplace dry, lit, and warm to work on the water pump issue. I got the timing cover off and was extremely relieved to find that the bolt was not seized or broken and the threads in the block are fine. Turns out corrosion had built up around the bolt in the passage in the timing cover. All I have to do is heat the timing cover and drive out the old bolt then clean up the passage in the timing cover and the threads in the block. Hooray. I sprayed some Kroil on the rusty bolt and will let it sit overnight. Fingers crossed the bolt comes out of the timing cover easy.

Putting open bolt holes into the water jacket is a very stupid and bad idea.