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Stock JK TechBulletin board forum regarding issues with OE (original equipment) components of the Jeep JK Wrangler (Rubicon, Sahara, Unlimited and X) such as factory suspension parts, engine, transmission, body parts, interior fixtures and the on-board computer.
Many years ago I had a bolt break on my Tenth Anniversary Trans Am (yes, I still have it). It went into the head, and broke flush with the surface. I tried to drill a hole to use an easy-out, but my drill bit barely scratched it. Mentioned that to my dad (I was living in Biloxi, MS, he's in San Diego). My dad is a (now retired) welder. If you ever are flying and notice that when the airplane lands they run up the engines, but the craft slows down, that's because of the thrust reverser. My dad (at two engineer's behest) built the very first one, a model used to convince Boeing to hire Rohr Corporation (where my dad and the engineers worked) to build the engine nacelles for the newly minted Boeing 707 back in the 1950s. Anyway, my dad LOL'd and said, "I'll send you something." He sent me a diamond-tipped drill bit. Went right through that hardened bolt like it was butter. Somewhere in all my military moves and over the decades, that bit has been lost. I now have a set of carbide bits, but wish I had that diamond-tipped one. Anyway, apologies for wandering off subject.
No apologies required, all of that was awesome. Coincidentally, my father in law was there when I broke my bolt. I had a single thread sticking out and he suggested I try grabbing it with a pair of wire cutters and turning it out. Based on my experience with broken bolts, I thought he was off his rocker. I figured I'd humor the guy though and give it a whirl. Sure enough, the snips grabbed that single thread, dug in and I was able to turn the screw out. I was shocked, and obviously thrilled to not have to drill it out. Every time I do a JK water pump now I torque by feel, too much can go wrong in that very inaccessible place.
That's an interesting looking tool. I have a Craftsman rethreading kit that I use to repair damage threads. However, I can see where sometimes I'm trying to insert a bolt and it just won't go in the hole. Being able to taper the tip slightly to help get it lined up might do the trick (if you've never looked closely at your body bolts, that's how they come from the factory). Other than that, I think I'll stick with the rethreading kit.
That's a really nice kit Mark, I like it a lot. The biggest advantage I see with that rather than a traditional tap and die set is it would be easy to use with sockets. Ugh, I have tap & die sets, and I have lang file threads (like in that kit). I wish I just had that kit alone. Going on a christmas list
No apologies required, all of that was awesome. Coincidentally, my father in law was there when I broke my bolt. I had a single thread sticking out and he suggested I try grabbing it with a pair of wire cutters and turning it out. Based on my experience with broken bolts, I thought he was off his rocker. I figured I'd humor the guy though and give it a whirl. Sure enough, the snips grabbed that single thread, dug in and I was able to turn the screw out. I was shocked, and obviously thrilled to not have to drill it out..
Would have never thought snips would work for that. It wouldn't have crossed my mind in a million years. Interesting.
Mark, I enjoy the tangents as well.......interesting information for many of us with totally different backgrounds.
This is a little off topic, but kinda along the same lines as stripping threads. Has anyone used one of these Uniburr bits, or something similar? They look pretty handy. Been wondering if that would be a useful tool to have around. Usually when I end up with some stripped threads, they're right there at the end.
That looks like it would be a nice tool to have around when you needed it. I’ve always just taken a bolt like those in the video to the bench grinder a little bit. That would be convenient for a stud, especially chucked into a 90 degree drill for a tight space. No experience with it Resharp. At first I thought it was going to be something like a Grabit. I was wrong. https://www.lowes.com/pd/GRABIT-1/3073145
Grabit works well for a few bolts and screws then goes to shit after about 10-15 uses. I always found Snap-On extractors to be the cats meow. Way better than an EZ out. Had way too many damn EZ outs break on me. https://store.snapon.com/MultiSpline...t-P644746.aspx
So that bolt for that pulley looks normal size to. I just did my water pump in my 2012 JK. I have seen some youtube videos on it, but I will do a write up for the community. It's not as awful as it looks. I replaced by waterpump, T-stat, and belt tensioner.
1. Remove the air box. The air box which covers the filter is held on with 4 snap clamps, Unscrew the screw clam that holds the supply hose to the airbox. Unscrew the two screws which the the radiator reservoir hose is place (its attached ]to the air box supply hose). Unscrew the screw clamp that holds the airbox supply hose to the throttle body. On the bottom of the supply hose is a small sensor with wires running from it, leading to the throttle body. Take care when unscrewing it and removing from the tubing. (its a fragile sensor, and I broke it haha)
2. To take off the serpentine belt, take a 1/2 inch long breaker bar or a belt tensioner bar and insert it into the square hole on the front of other belt tensioner, (Picture included) Apply clockwise downward pressure on the bar which will compress a strut on the tensioner, relaxing the pressure and allowing you to remove the belt from the pulley to the left of the tensioner. Remove the belt and save it as a spare. Unbolt top and bottom bolts on the belt tensioner bracket and remove.
3. disconnect the negative battery cable. Unbolt the positive cable from the top of the alternator and un-clip the the sensor on the top as well. Unbolt the alternator support bracket and the alternator, Unbolt both idler pulleys. (One bolt on the idler is much shorter that the other which appears to be the bolt mentioned in the picture on the post)
4. Begin to unbolt the water pump. (There are nine bolts, some long and some short. Take care to remember which hole the bolts came from) If you look at the waterpump housing you can actually tell where the bolts go. On the attached picture, I've labeled S for small bolts and L for long. When removing the long bolts you should see small black rubber spacers on the bolt. Each long bolt will have one, as they screw directly into the block. If they don't come out with the bolt, work the bolt at an angle in the hole till you get it. Put it on the long bolts.
5. Gently tap the water pump with a hammer and pull on the pump. It will seperate from the gasket. Gasket it metal and a new one comes with the pump. The metal gasket has a rubber gasket built in, so no need for RTV on the Re-Install.
4. Get a catch pan/basin. Prior to removing the water pump, pull the hoses from the pump, one large (lower radiator hose and one small. Both have spring clamps holding the hoses in place. Pair of channel lock works great. compress the spring clamp and work them off the hose. Use a hose pick or equal tool to work under the hose to get it loose. Their a pain.
6. Remove the thermostat. Its held in place with two star bolts. Another spring clamp hold the hose in place.
7. Place the waterpump gasket, lining the holes up with the bolt holes. Mount the new pump. The specs for the bolts I believe are 8fp. Remember, the block is aluminum and the bolts are steel. BE CAREFUL, DO NOT OVER TORQUE. Re-attach lower radiator hoses.
8. When re-mounting the new thermostat, remove the rubber gasket from the hole in the engine block
Waterpump
waterpump gasket
Tensioner/Tensioner Pulley
where the t-stat came out of. Toss it. The new T-stat/T-stat housing has a new gasket built in. Just align and mount. Re-attach the upper radiator hose.
9. Mount the new tensioner.
10. Re-mount the two idler pulleys and the alternator support mount and alternator. At this point, start to mount the new belt through all the pulleys, leaving enough belt to wrap around the last pulley to the left of the tensioner.
11. attach the serpentine belt around the last pulley.
12. Fill the radiator as high as it will go. (HOAT or OAT) DO NOT MIX. Doing so will kill your jeep. Know which one you have before doing this project
13. Top of the thermostat you just replaced, is a screw cap. (VERY IMPORTANT) turn the screw cap counter clockwise three full turns. You will hear air escape. Fluid will eventually come out. When this happens, tighten the screw cap. You have bled the air from the system. Top off with fluid and make sure the air is out. And your done.
Now you could have gone to the bottom passenger side if the JK and on that front side of the radiator is a pet ****. unscrewing it will drain the radiator. I had previously drained/filled my system, so I just lost a little coolant, didn't wanna refill whole system. Choice is yours. As always DO NOT OPEN A HOT RADIATOR CAP DUMMY. you will burn your face off. - Be safe Jeepers
A new mopar water pump with gasket is $60 so I'm just going to do it before the summer on my 08. It was replaced by dealer at around 50k and I have 160k on it now. $60 is cheap insurance for the water pump to be functioning correctly and then I'll have a spare on board also.
I'd almost rather just buy all new bolts for this Incase they strip? Anyone know if quadratec or rock auto has them?
A new mopar water pump with gasket is $60 so I'm just going to do it before the summer on my 08. It was replaced by dealer at around 50k and I have 160k on it now. $60 is cheap insurance for the water pump to be functioning correctly and then I'll have a spare on board also.
I'd almost rather just buy all new bolts for this Incase they strip? Anyone know if quadratec or rock auto has them?
I have 165K miles on my factory water pump on my 2009. <knock on wood>
I'm gonna be deep in Baja again this summer. I can't help but think that the water pump is next. I'd rather deal with it in my garage than in the middle of nowhere.
02-12-2019, 04:37 AM
