Still trying to remove lower I/C tube

Well, it's 4PM on Sunday, & it's time to throw in the towel for the day. Removing this lower tube just isn't gonna happen today. I'm trying to get it out & put the one in that I polished, & I'm thinking more & more that it's a 2-man job. I got the one bolt loose that I had trouble with earlier in the week, & put a thread up on here about. The one that's above the subframe. And then I found another one that I had to get loose. It's under the PS pump. I got both of them loose, & the tube still won't come out. I think the PS pump will have to be removed, or at least moved out of the way some. The tube just gets caught on something. It's loose, & wiggles, but it just hangs up on something. No idea on what, but moving the PS pump ought to help. And I ain't gonna mess with all that by myself today! The tube I bought & polished only has 1 bolt hole on it. Mine on my '95 has 2! So I guess the 94-95's were different. I just hope the one I polished will fit.
I'm changing the plugs & wires right now. Figured I'd at least try to be successful at SOMETHING today!

Sorry Mike,it's "family day" or else I'd be there to help...
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Yeah It's Easy.

Put like a 1/3 socket on the stud and twist it out. I know that can hold you up.. I think that is what you are talking about??

Best way to get the tube out is to unbolt the acc bracket that holds both the P/S and the alternator and slide it forward. Unfortunately one of the bolts for it is behind the P/S pump pulley so you pretty much have to remove the pulley (which requires a puller, rent one from A/Z). When you are at it, take that big metal bracket that braces to the W/P and chuck it. Fun fun.

I don't remember the exact procedure I took when removing the ic bolts, but they didn't give me as much trouble as you're having. Patience and pb blaster help though.

I got both the bolts out, & that stud under the PS pump, so that's not the problem. I think, like XR7 Dave said, I'm going to have to move the whole bracket holding the PS pump & alternator. When I changed the water pump on my other '95, I recall having to remove that bracket that goes to the PS pump. I don't recall how we did it, but we were able to move the PS pump without removing the pulley. It was a couple of summers ago, but I know we didn't have to take the pulley off.

I just read the similar threads at the bottom of the page. Got some more good ideas there. Thanx for the help, guys. I'll try it again in a few days.

Xr7 Dave is right, it's a piece of cake if you jet slide the whole bracket forward, I don't see why a lot of people have trouble with the bolt behid the pulley though, I didn't have a problem with a ratchet, 10 inch extention with a universal swivel. Don't get mad like me, when I first pulled that tube and it wouldn't come I just yanked and realized the bracket under the P/S pump was bolted on so I broke the I/C tube. (just the hole for the bolt).

I didn't know about the bracket under the pump until today. Last week when I tried this, I couldn't get the bolt out of the other bracket. The one farther back, above the sub frame. I finally got it today, then found the one under the pump. It was no problem ,especially after I undid the stud. Only thing concerning me now is that the tube I polished doesn't have a bracket for that bolt over the subframe. Shouldn't be a problem, but I won't know for sure until I put it in.
I polished an intake manifold adapter too, & I'll be installing it when I do the lower tube.

I always just bite the bullet, and pull the power steering pump pulley off to get to the 2 bracket fasteners. Then I take the 2 nuts off where the side plate mounts on the water pump, and slide the whole thing forward. Sometimes I also remove the pwr str pump from the bracket and tie it off. I went ahead and just bought the puller tool since it seems like everything I ever have to do requires removal of the upper and lower IC tubes.

I still say pitch that darn steel bracket/brace. It is going to get in your way again and again. It doesn't do anything important anyway. I've removed it from every SC I've ever worked on. Hate it.

ignore this post