skip

1988 f150 4.9 6 cyl. manual tranny 2wd. Fan pulley and everything forward is loose and moving about an half inch. A lot of noise, no leaks, no overheating. Why does the waterpump seem to be intact? Should I replace the WP? Any surprises I might encounter? Posts about broken bolts, ill-fitting aftermarket parts and special tools/wrenches are making me think "mechanic"...... Your thoughts please.

dirtcrew51m

Replace the pump. I am not sure of price of 6 cyl pumps, they should not be that bad, but buy a new one. Usually the bearing goes not the seals, also the impeller very rarely goes bad thats why a loose pump still works. The only pain is getting the fan clutch off, if it is the one with the reverse thread nut. Other than that it should go pretty smooth.

skip

Thanks Dirtcrew. WP wrenches needed or can I employ the long punch and hammer method?

dirtcrew51m

I usually hear up the nut with a torch and use a large adjustable or pipe wrench, but you will need to stop the pully from spinning. I usually use a wood wedge to stop it, or you might get lucky and hit the wrench with a hammer to loosen the nut. No need to he-man the fan when you put it back on, it should tighten itself after the motor runs a little.