How to remove a 351C water pump

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1971 Mach I
Created a set of instructions for removing a water pump from a 351C for myself this past summer. Contains a lot of pictures, wrench sizes and Ford part numbers. Hopefully it will help other members as well.

Mac

Waterpump Combined.pdf

 

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Created a set of instructions for removing a water pump from a 351C for myself this past summer.  Contains a lot of pictures, wrench sizes and Ford part numbers.  Hopefully it will help other members as well.

Mac
great work mate..

What about the timing case cover?

Do i need to remove it and reseal it?  or just wack on a new water pump?

Ive read loctite on the bolts and silicone on the bolts that go thru to the water jackets helps too ..

Any experts?

 
Created a set of instructions for removing a water pump from a 351C for myself this past summer.  Contains a lot of pictures, wrench sizes and Ford part numbers.  Hopefully it will help other members as well.

Mac
great work mate..

What about the timing case cover?

Do i need to remove it and reseal it?  or just wack on a new water pump?

Ive read loctite on the bolts and silicone on the bolts that go thru to the water jackets helps too ..

Any experts?
No need to remove the timing cover.  After you strip you motor down to the actual water pump and removed all the bolts you take a rubber mallet and smack the snout of the water pump a couple of times.  Because the only thing holding the water pump on after all the bolts are removed is the sealer.  Be sure to remove your radiator so as not to damage it when the water pump breaks free and falls.  Good luck!

Mac

 
Created a set of instructions for removing a water pump from a 351C for myself this past summer.  Contains a lot of pictures, wrench sizes and Ford part numbers.  Hopefully it will help other members as well.

Mac
great work mate..

What about the timing case cover?

Do i need to remove it and reseal it?  or just wack on a new water pump?

Ive read loctite on the bolts and silicone on the bolts that go thru to the water jackets helps too ..

Any experts?
Never use loctite on water pump bolts. Use anti seieze and silicone. You do not want them to lock in just seal up. Loctite is for safety critical bolts like rods, crank, flywheel etc.

 
Great writeup. Had to also remove an A/C bracket (not mentioned here). Smashed the crap out of my finger getting that stuck-sucker off after 52 years! Yep, I recommend a rubber mallet rather than a pound of flesh. Thx for the directions!
 
Good stuff there. One thing though…..you might want to mention draining the radiator first. Common sense, yes but if someone decides to follow your instructions to the letter there’s a helluva mess to clean up!
 
Kudos! Thank you! Indeed, a nicely done document. My 73 Mach 1 has a transplanted Street/Strip 351W in it (from a 94 F-150). It is plenty powerful for spirited driving, so I doubt I will be swapping in a 351C or other monster engine (429/460). Our 73 Mustang convertible is a 302. So, this document does not apply to me for our vehicles, And, our 1969 Shelby GT500 has a 428 CJ engine, a different animal for sure. But, I have downloaded the file, and renamed it so I can find it if needed for a future project, whether it is one of our future pony cars or somebody else's pony. It is always nice getting info from folks who have walked the walk.

The only thing I would suggest for folks doing work like this is that with our cool phone cameras it would be wise to take lots of photos of belts, brackets, bolts, nuts, and pulleys before ripping things apart. I replaced the water pump on our 73 Mustang vert's 302, and had a really hard time finding out exactly how the mounting brackets were set up for the alternator. A friend had done the tear down, helping me out. He had not taken photos before disassembling the mounting brackets. Live. Learn. No complaints, I was happy to have him in there with me, helping me out He was good company if nothing else. I finally found enough drawing and photos to see how it went together. And now I have lots of relevant photos to refer to and share (and will likely never need them again).

I did, however, put together a video re: how to replace the 73 vert's 302 water pump. No accidental photos of the brackets, however. My oversight.

https://youtu.be/BQkixS1q8rs

https://youtu.be/iXzbdN2bZCs



 
Question to the water pump group here…what is this part in the photo called? Bolts into the pump and three hoses connect to it. I need a new one I think.
 

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    IMG_0234 (002).jpg
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Question to the water pump group here…what is this part in the photo called? Bolts into the pump and three hoses connect to it. I need a new one I think.
Thermal Vacuum Switch is one of the names for that part. I have some videos showing how they are used, and how to test them, and some other info as well. The videos I did are for some of our particular vacuum calibrations, but for the most part it will apply to many other calibrations.

https://youtu.be/LP-o2zSt6rw

https://youtu.be/ohw1oRlcC4c

https://youtu.be/DtBcK7Lxq1Q

https://youtu.be/sLwXlsHBd4k
 
This is a temperature switch for the vacuum signal to the dual vacuum advance distributor.
Not just for dual vacuum -- for single, too.
 
Here is a file showing the vacuum routing schematics for 1968 - 1972 Mustangs. These came from Mustang Barn, and offered for free download. I, with their permission, assembled all of their schematic files into a single PDF, grouped and sorted by year, and by engine size.

For 1973 Mustang/Cougar the Forel Shop Manuals have all the relevant emission control systems, and nearly all vacuum schematics, for 1973 in Volume 6 of said Shop Manual. Here is the link to their eBooks site for 1973:

https://www.forelpublishing.com/clickbank/index.html#1973

There are two calibrations missing from their 1973 Shop Manual Volume 6 vacuum schematics. One is for the 351C 4v with manual transmission, the other is for the 351C 4v with automatic transmission. Both of those calibrations are attached in a single PDF to this post also.

I also attached another PDF with more info on these Thermal Vacuum Switches, and how they are used. That file references 1971 engines, but the info can be used across many years of similar equipment.
 

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  • _1967-1972_Mustang_EmissionControlVacuumSchematics_ConsolidatedGroupedAndSortedByYear__20211003.pdf
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  • 1973Mustang_351-4v-AutoTrans_EngineVacuumCalibration-Annotated_20220329.pdf
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  • 1971 Mustang Vacuum Hose Diagrams (2).pdf
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... another water pump question to this great group. What are y'alls thoughts on removing the backing plate (it's affixed to the block) and replacing that gasket too? Again this is a 351C. OP says to leave it on, I think. Others have told me to remove it and replace the backing-plate-to-block gasket. I sure don't want a leak after reassembly, and I'm not certain what's currently holding the plate onto the block. What is your practice on the backing plate? TIA folks.
(now that I look at it more it appears the backing plate goes all the way to the bottom of the block. So, I'd have to remove the harmonic balancer, etc(?)).
 
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