Replace your 1986 Buick Regal's water pump if the bearings are bad or if it leaks. While the water pump could leak from the gasket area, the most common place for it to leak is at the weep hole, under the pulley. If the water pump leaks, there will not be enough water in the engine to keep it cool. If there is no water in the engine, the coolant temperature sender for the gauge has nothing to measure, therefore the water temperature gauge will not tell you that the car is overheating. It would only tell you of an overheating problem while water is in the system.
Tools Used: Drain pan, Set of sockets, Set of wrenches, Screwdriver, Pliers, Silicone gasket maker, Anti-seize, Torque wrench
Water Pump Installation
Place the drain pan under the radiator petcock. Open the petcock to allow the antifreeze mixture to drain. If the drain pan is clean, the antifreeze mixture can be reused.
Remove the upper radiator support and the fan shroud using the appropriate sockets. Break the four bolts on the fan pulley loose, but do not remove them. Loosen the slider bolts for the accessories that share a belt with the water pump pulley. Push the accessory toward the engine, then lift the belt off the pulleys. Different models of the 1986 Buick Regal may have different configurations for the belt (depending on whether the vehicle has air conditioning or power steering).
Remove the four fan bolts and pull the fan and water pump pulley off the snout of the water pump. Disconnect the battery ground cable and lay it aside, ensuring that it does not touch metal. Remove the wiring from the back of the alternator using the appropriate wrench. Unbolt and remove the alternator.
Unbolt the power steering pump from its bracket, but do not remove the hoses from the power steering pump. Lay the pump out of the way. Remove the power steering pump bracket using the appropriate socket.
Loosen the hose clamps on the lower radiator hose and the heater hose where they attach to the water pump, using a socket, screwdriver or pliers, depending on the type of clamp. Pull the hoses off the water pump.
Remove the retaining bolts while supporting the water pump with your hand. Pull the pump off the block. Remember which bolt goes to which hole, as the bolts are of different lengths.
Clean the surface of the pump and the pump-mounting surface on the block by scraping off stuck-on gasket material with the screwdriver or a scraper.
Smear a small amount of silicone gasket maker on the mating surface of the water pump. Let it sit for one minute. Fit the gasket on the water pump and gently press it into the gasket maker. Place a 1/8-inch bead of the silicone gasket maker on the surface of the gasket. Allow it to skin up--when you touch it with your finger, it should not come off on your finger.
Coat the threads of the water pump bolts with anti-seize. Stick two of the bolts through the water pump bolt holes. Line the water pump and bolts up with the block. Without letting the water pump touch the block, thread the two bolts in three or four threads. Push the water pump up against the block. Lightly tighten the two bolts. Screw in the rest of the bolts. Torque all the water pump bolts to 30 foot-pounds of torque.
Connect the heater hose and the lower radiator hose to the water pump and tighten the clamps. Reinstall the alternator, alternator wiring and the power steering pump bracket and pump using the appropriate sockets. Reinstall the water pump pulley and the cooling fan.
Route the belts around the appropriate pulleys. Loosen the slider bolts if you already tightened them and pull the accessories away from the engine to tighten the belts. Re-tighten the slider bolts. Reinstall the fan shroud and the radiator support using the appropriate sockets. Reconnect the battery ground cable. Tighten the radiator petcock and refill the radiator.
Tips & Warnings
Do not start this procedure until the engine is cool, as you could burn yourself on the hot antifreeze.
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