It's intense, in the van.
I've done it dozens of times and have not really found anyways to make
it easier.

the hardest part for me is usually the 2 allen screws on the cross-over
pipe, the one that goes behind the crankshaft pulley ...
that bolts to the bottom of the water pump.
  ( the pipe that is captured by the crank pulley, the crank pulley that
you can't get out of the way without removing 'everything' on the rear
of the engine and lowering the engine some. )

if those allen screws strip out ...where your 6mm allen tool goes into
them ... .....you can be in a lot of trouble.
or if the screws were installed 'dry' ( common ) ..they can be pretty
stuck .
I've spent well over an hour on the lower of those two screws several
times- on just one fastener.

I usually replace them with 8  x 1.25mm screws with 12mm hex heads, that
will fit, and come out later very easily.

I put permatex high-tack gasket sealer on all screw therads,- that way
they'll come out easily years later.
I always seal the w. pump o-ring with a good black sealant as well.

I love one guy's explanation of why the water pump is so hard to do ....
he said VW gave their engineers 30 days to come up with a water-cooled
version of the air-cooled opposed four cyldiner engine. I believe it !

Sometimes I take the distributor out to help with access ..but that
barely helps really.  It's just a not-fun job..

Maximise patience to start with I'd recommend. Not a job for someone who
gets frustrated easily.
The designers did not give any thought at all on how to do it with
engine the vanapparently.
Sure is easy during engine assembly with engine out of the van though,
and mostly apart.

have fun !

scott
www.turbovans.com

On 11/21/2012 2:31 PM, Robert Clemmer wrote:
> I was about to embark on my 4th non-stop 1,200 mile trip to FL this year
> when I heard a rattling sound in the back.  Investigation revealed the water
> pump about to let loose.  Only time I've ever replaced the water pump was
> when the engine was out to reseal the heads.   Now 12 years later I need to
> replace it with the engine in the car.  Any words of wisdom before I start
> this project.   "Vinny" is a young 91 2.1 with 249.9K on the clock.
>
>
>
> Thanks for your advice.
>
>
>
> Bob C
>
> Perkasie, PA
>