Trying to remove water pump and power steering pump pulleys from an 03 L300 V6. The pulley bolts are out, but can't get the pulleys off of the pump shafts. The fender well is too close to the pulley to use a 2 or 3 leg pulley. I sprayed PB Blaster. The shafts show signs of rust. I doubt these pulleys have ever been removed. The cam timing belt cover(behind the WP and PS pump) is plastic so I afraid of using a lot of heat. I tried prying on the pulleys with a long pry bar, but I don't want to use so much force I crack the plastic cover. What should I try next?

 

You may need to take them to your local auto parts store and ask if they rent the removal tools. I think they're pressed onto the shafts and take a special tool.

 

There isn't room for a pulley puller of any size between the pulley face and the inside face of the fenderwell. They're too close together for a tool to fit. We're talking 2" of space max. Very few tools can fit into that small of a space. I managed to get the WP pulley off by tapping on it repeatedly with a small ball pean. It finally popped off. I then looked at the PS pump pulley and soon realized it wasn't coming off without a tool and no tool can fit so that meant pulling the PS pump which was out of the question. Alldata said:Remove pulley bolts, remove pulley. Yeah, right! Thanks a lot Alldata. I asked this question here because Alldata gave crap for advice. Alldata also said the serpentine belt tensioner and pulley had to be removed and the camshaft timing cover must come off both of which are not true. Of course you can't get the timing cover off UNLESS the PS pump pulley is removed which I had already made my mind up I wasn't going to take off. I got out my 90 degree die grinder and put a burr wheel on it. I then cut away a small amount of plastic material from the cam timing cover adjacent to each of the 3 screws that hold the pump on. Once I got those 3 screws out the pump fell on the ground. Problem solved. If someone else has to change their WP I hope they see this post. Car is back ON THE ROAD AGAIN!!!

 

moved to L300 section

 

Wow! I've never used Alldata, but I thought they were pretty reputable. I guess it depends on the vehicle. Anyway, kudos for being smart enough to figure it out and get your ride back on the road. A lot of people would have just given up.

 

Sometimes Alldata is good and other times they're worthless and their customer service stinks big time. If you email a question about a procedure they ignore you. I resently did a fuel pump on a 4 Runner. Alldata said:"Toyota does NOT provide information on removing the fuel tank". Thanks Alldata for telling me that after I pay for the subscription and by the way Alldata didn't provide any information either. That means your on your own. The schematic had the wrong colors on wires and the pin numbers on relays were wrong. I don't know if this was Toyota's fault or Alldata, but it shows Alldata does NOT verify information before they sell it.

 

Having been a shade tree mechanic as long as I have and using a variety of service literature as supplied to the trade and the market including proper factory service manuals. I too have never used alldata.
I have though used Mitchell, Haynes, Chilton and Motors and have quite a library of the composite of them. Along with proper factory service manuals.

I have paid up to $100.00 for a factory manual and I do not remember paying more than $30.00 or so for a Motors or Chiltons.
The factory manuals are complete, no doubt about it. Although in cases like this they may assume you are also going to have a factory tool of which none are available and no way to get one unless you are a dealer mechanic using the dealers tools. Some of my Motors manuals go back into the middle 1930's. You can fix your Dusenburg or Huppmobile.
I also own a copy of Mitchels professional automotive repair CD's all of which are basically CD copies of a Mitchel service manuals which is an abbreviated service document.
They all assume a certain amount of mechanical awareness and a basic understanding of tool usage. Which means, they probably have no idea how to get it removed either.
The situation described is not altogether unusual and frankly points at the old adage. You gets what you paid for!

 

Actually you can now get some factory(clones) scan tools at lower prices. Toyota has what they call a mongoose. It is an interface and CD software for their cars. You build a factory scan tool clone using your laptop which is always much better than a handheld tool with a small black and which LCD screen. They cost around $800 and they're ususally called a dongle in other applications, but it's really the same tool in Toyota clothing. EASE also had a tool which is an aftermarket scan tool and J2534 in one, but you can use to to clone the GM TechII if you buy the dongle and software. The EASE tool once again connects to your laptop. Alldata "claims" their information IS factory info they buy from Toyota or whoever so it is basically a factory service manual. You begin to figure out very quickly something is wrong when you look at a relay socket and the wire colors don't match the schematic. I just look for two thin gage wires(control circuit) and two heavy gage wires(LOAD circuit). Then with a schematic you can figure out which wire supplies power and which wire is switched.

 

But? Are these tools universal tools or something unique to the brand mentioned. That is only useful to a particular brand.
And at $800.00 that is quite a bit over a budget for some one who is driving an $800.00 car. Of course if that type of tool is needed for more than just trying to find out what the codes are that are causing the car to be broken then the expense is written of as an extension to a toy function that many of us spend money on to satisfy our particular way of practicing a hobby.
Also as part of the tool if it requires a lap top there is an additional expense needed to obtain one. And as it happens, I don't have one nor any intention of getting one.
Remember when you mention factory tools, support for a factory tool is a little difficult when the factory no longer exists such as it does for Saturn. I am thinking more of the circa $200.00 and under tools that are available at places like O'Rielly's that are useful as a diagnostic tool that lets you do basic testing and some additional functions to aid in trouble shooting and repair. Those have become extremely versatile and useful at that price.

 

All publications have strong and weak pionts, not all are 100% on every brand and model. Thats the way it is, and thats the way it's been.