1/2" or 13mm socket and a large screwdriver. Wedge the screwdriver between two bolt heads and that will give you leverage to loosen a bolt or two. Then move to the next or skip one and the next and loosen the next 1 or 2. After they're loose, you should be able to hold the pulley still while removing them.
---Remember thread sealer when installing them an torque them to around 20 lb-ft.
---Do not* buy Cardone. Just did that and less than a month later the shaft seal is showing grease outside the seal. Garbage. I have known Cardone to do shoddy rebuilds in the past, especially alternators & starters, but did something stupid when I purchased the pump this time. I asked the counter-monkey a tech question. "How are the Cardone pumps doing? Have they cleaned up their act yet?" to which he replied "I haven't seen one come back yet". Well, my bud and I say the same thing, he hasn't been working with auto parts for too long. When I go back I will demand a gallon of concentrated ethylene glycol, which was wasted due to a faulty water pump and I will buy new with discount if offered.
---Stand clear of their rebuilt parts. Reason being. They're main line is in Kaleva Michigan, a place called NAPCO. No one there has micrometers, feeler gauges or a sense of right. They just crack-headily rebuild auto parts with parts given and throw them in a bin. Worst part is all housings are blasted. So material is removed. When material is removed, specs change. Without any type of measuring apparatus, a large percentage of parts go out in worse condition than they came in. If you want to pay the extra $$ for Cardone Select or A-1 (NEW) then fine. I have known mechanics who were laid off, to report for work in the morning and leave as early as first break, ready to puke because of the quality of (lack of) parts they were expected to put out.
---Just remember, all rebuilt parts require a core exchange and new parts do not. So don't get suckered into a "100% new parts" rebuild. I myself will buy Airtex even though it is wells or spend the money on a MotorCraft or Borg Warner. Never again, never again...
... I use good ol' Old #9 Permatex, AKA Indian Head on almost all parts that have a true surface. PN is 20539) Dab it on all mating surfaces, allow it to dry and then apply torqued to specs. I dab both sides of water pump gasket and bolts get coated, then hang gasket and set bolts out to dry. I then apply to both block and water pump after cleaning & drying. Assemble dry and torque all bolts, inside-outward as usual.
---Make sure it's not the water neck/thermostat housing/water outlet leaking. They often get damaged/kinked or rust away and people cut the bypass back/shorter. When they get as short as mine, they tend to become out of round and be down to virtually a transparent tubing. I'd swear a dull knitting needle dropped from 10' could cause a leak...
View attachment 202858
... is what it
should* look like.
---Water pump should spin tightly, not freely and no grinding or raking sound should be heard. With stationary mounted fans or easy access to pulleys, lift up and down on the fan/pulley while it's mounted to the pump and pump is mounted to the vehicle. No slop in shaft, between shaft & bearings should be felt at all. No wobble at all. All should be tight. Seep hole would normally be where fluid will pour out. Yellow/green powdery residue will show where leaks have occurred.
