Saginaw smog pump with assembly date 05591S (Feb 24, 1969) for my 04A LOS car. Pump is seized solid, not sure if it's the vanes or one (or more) bearings that have seized.
Have read a lot of posts about disassembling these, so in I went.
Soaked entire pump in a pail of evaporust for one week - a lot of crud came out, but it did not free up. Four bolts holding the cast cover on came out, but the cover wouldn't separate from the aluminum pump body. So, back in fresh evaporust, this time for two weeks. Removed it yesterday, still not freed up and the rear cover is still stuck solid to the casing.
So - decision time. Have several options:
1 - try repeating the evaporust treatment, but 3 weeks soaking already?? Unlikely to free it IMO.
2 - shelve this pump and just use one of the others that I have (dated 71-72 but spin freely).
3 - keep trying to remove the back cover to get inside - online instructions explain how to address the bearings, so it's just separating the iron from the aluminum that's problematic.
Option 1 will make me a major shareholder in Evaporust, and Option 2, well, I just hate quitting. So, I'm leaning towards option 3. Just concerned that I might crack the cast aluminum trying to insert some type of tool to prise the end cover off, there is literally no gap whatsoever and the interface is likely heavily corroded inside. I haven't tried to remove the pressed-in alignment dowel pins, but some forums suggested that wasn't necessary. Blows from a rubber mallet have no effect.....
Any tips, suggestions, advice? Would soaking in a penetrating oil help?