I plan on putting a new belt tensioner on the old beast and figured since I was in there I might as well throw on a water pump. I know it has to still be the original. So my ? is. Do I need to drain the whole system to pull the water pump? How high in the system is the pump? Is the gates pump a decent pump? Thanks in advance

 

you need to drain most of the coolant
the pump is right in the middle of the engine as for the pump I never have used a gate pump but im sure it will be fine

 

Thanks, will draining the coolant from the rad be fine or do I need to drain the block? Thanks again

 

I just drain the rad a little might spill out when you remove the pump but it won't be much.

 

hey-Hey!!!,
Don't worry about draining it; enough will spill out when you remove the pump. Clean up where the O-ring rides and the threads in the block and re-install the new one. Re-fill with appropriate coolant( 50-50 ethylene glycol and distilled water is my preference ). The O-ring does not have to be dry, just clean so there should be no need to drain additional coolant. Now if you haven't replaced the stuff, getting out as much old coolant as you can might be a good idea...
cheers,
Douglas

 

I changed mine in the parking lot of Carquest in a snowstorm because it went out on me while plowing.. only takes 20 mins to change out and you wont lose too much coolant if you dont drain it out...