Doing a water-pump replacement as part of timing belt change. I'm trying to remove the aluminum goose-neck from above water pump and block. (Pic attached). The two bolts have been removed and a forum guide I found says to give the goose-neck a "few gentle raps with a rubber mallet to get it off" . . . . . . yea, NOT !! It seems to almost be welded to the round inlet on the block side. I've soaked both ends of the fitting with PB Blaster for hours, rapped with rubber mallet, rapped it with wood block and metal hammer (but not so hard to deform or crack it), rapped it side-to-side, rapped it top-to-bottom, rapped it to the front, rapped it to the back and it just refuses to release. I don't want to directly pry the bolted flange on the bottom apart as this will probably gouge the machined flanges. This thing is SERIOUSLY frozen. I hesitate to try and heat anything with a torch either unless that is my only option. After spending untold hours pulling everything else off to get stuck on something this basic is REALLY frustrating. Has anyone else working on an SC400 had a stuck one like this, and if so how did you get it loose??

 

I had one that was badly stuck as well. The use of rubber mallet is so you can take your frustration out on this part and beat it into submission WITHOUT damaging the aluminum parts. It certainly took a lot more then a few gentle taps to break it loose. Keep in mind some of these tutorials were written over 10 years ago when these parts weren't as mechanically stuck as they are after 25 years. I say this s as I am grinding out my toe control arms because the bolts are seized in the sleeves of the arm. Turns an hour job into a week in time grinding and waiting for parts. Get pissed and go at it with the rubber mallot!!

 

Well, I have some new info and it isn't good.
Looks like I need to search for a replacement Front By-Pass Joint. If you zoom into picture (you can actually see better than what the naked eye sees) the "front joint" the goose-neck goes into is CRACKED. It was totally invisible until PB Blaster soaked into the metal part and made the crack darker. I certainly haven't hit anything hard enough to do that (yet). I'm guessing the previous timing-belt water-pump change out "mechanic" (NOT me) pounded it to place and cracked it in the process. Likely, it has been the source of my coolant leaks since then. NOW, I'm at a screeching halt looking for a replacement. Looks like the piece is P/N 16355-50021 and new gasket is 16341-50010. So far, I can't find one from a recycler on Internet so I'm going to need to dig deeper or maybe even resort to getting it welded (which I would rather NOT do since it is under coolant pressure).

Any suggestions from anybody for repair or replacement source?

 

The good news is it looks like the piece is still produced. Do a web search Lexus of South Atlanta etc for around $110 which is actilually reasonable. Make sure if you don't already have it to get o-ring for water inlet and gaskets for bypass joint. Also good you're in there already don't want to tear front of motor apart for just this part. Take a breath things will get better once these parts are replaced I know it sucks but it could actually be worse you don't have to strip the part off of a junked car and you know where the leak was.. Once done no leaks and a sweet running vehicle.

 

Dogwisper,
Actually, I was wrong, and my pocketbook is grateful for my error.
Upon a real, REAL close look, the piece is NOT cracked but it sure as hell looks that way.
It was actually a casting mark that got enough engine dirt & grease on it that certainly LOOKS like a crack but isn't.
To get around my dis-assembly problem, I didn't remove the goose-neck from the front bypass pipe at all.
I had already purchased a replacement O-ring; but what the heck ..... leave it in since the O-ring wasn't leaking to begin with.
My Solution?
I removed the entire front bypass piece (4 nuts), then pulled the front bypass piece AND the goose-neck off as a single assembly. I ordered two new gaskets for the front-bypass and reinstalled in the same manner after replacing the water pump and timing belt.. Problem solved (for now). I just hope I never need to get the goose-neck pulled apart in the future.