Help - Stucky woodruff key on water pump

Houdini

Houdini

Senior Member
I realize now that I did a bad thing. When I installed a new water pump last year, the woodruff key that came with it was tight to fit on the water pump shaft. I used a pliers to press it down into its slot. Then installed the pump and fan.

Didn't notice it at first, but the fan had a wobble in it. I figured that the key was not down far enough and the fan wobble was caused by that. So I took off the fan today but could not get the key out of the pump shaft. It is really tight. It might be a bit too proud and causing the wobble. My first task is to find a way to remove the key. I am not able to pull it out at this point. I tried a pair of cutting pliers on it but am not able to move it out.

I don't want to ruin the pump, so thought I would ask the experts here for advice on how I might remove the key.

I think now, that I should have removed some of the width to the key with emory cloth so it didn't fit as tight.

Once I get the key removed, I can then place the fan on the shaft to see if it wobbles when turned by hand, without the key. The wobble can be seen by turning by hand as well as running. But again, first need to remove the key.
 
What I have done to remove the keys is press on one end or the other and if you are able to get it to move, place the key in a vice and then you can use a simple screwdriver as a wedge to lever it out.
The important part is getting a good grip on it without much damage, and the jaws of a vice can do that.

My 2¢
 
Tap the end of the key with a screwrodger that usually pops it out. I am thinking the fan would not have slid onto the pump if the key was not right....
 
With the key out I put some lapping compound on the shaft and lapped the fan to the shaft then checked it with Prussian Blue. Use a thin steel washer then the nut.

Bob
 
Look inside the shaft hole on the fan and see if it shows the key was scoreing the fan keyway. If so, you can just file the key down a bit so it does not interfer.
 
It's probably not the key. Quite often the taper on the new fan does not match the shaft taper. You can't tighten the nut to fix this. All you do is end up stripping the shaft. I like the idea of lapping them in. The belt load is far from the touch down point of the fan to the shaft, so any wobble will hammer the joint with every revolution. You have to fix the wobble. Hope it is just the key. Good luck.
 
Thanks guys for all the advise. I figured its best to seek advice before I go messing it up more. In the meantime I did put some Kroll oil on it (my wife's suggestion). We were out the rest of the day, so tomorrow I'll give these suggestions a try and report what the results are.
 
If the above options do not work you can grip the exposed part of the key with a vice grip and then whack the vice grip with a hammer and that will usually pop them out. The key will suffer some when doing this though.
 
To prove or disprove the "key too proud" theory just file it down where it sits. After reducing the height and if you still have a problem then take a chance on damaging things taking it out.

I rebuilt two pumps last year and had to thin out the key to get it to fit smoothly.
 
Hope the groove in the fan is not damaged. I recall some comments that the keys can be too thick and required thinning by rubbing the sides on sandpaper before installing.
Several times I have had to use a chisel placed between the shaft and the key to remove it when it was rusted in place.
 
I got the key out. I took the pump off the car and placed the shaft on a block of wood and then used a small punch and taped one end of the key down as the other end came up (but it was pretty tight in there). It was enough then to put in my vice and then I just pulled the pump away from the vice and the key came out. I had used Kroil oil before doing this so it may have helped. I bought a new key and it too was too wide, so I used emory cloth and sanded the sides down till it fit snug but didn't jam. I order a new fan today, which was something I planned to do. The keyway in the old fan hub was not big enough for the new key either, before I sanded it down.

Again, thanks to all of you for your advise and help. I also wanted to complete this thread with my successful outcome in case others have a simlar problem and search for an answer. I find threads that post the final solution are helpful to me.
 
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