I am going to replace my water pump next weekend.Is there any thing special I need to know to make this job esier.Any special tools I need to to do it.
The cost for a gm water pump is $260.A duralast water pump is $130.Is it a mistake to go with the duralast?

i dont know about the water pump or much about GM this one is my first one and it is at the dealer now being fixed i have not had it a week yet. but in IMO i do not like advance or autozone for parts i was told by former workers there they use 2nd and 3rd grade parts, i have had a few horror stories from them so i try to buy dealer parts when i can, if not i go to other long term parts places, like napa, etc.

one time i bought a reman crank assmebly from advance and installed. 40 miles later melted a rod bearing i took the crank back out and that journal was .010 off from the rest took it back to the store, they looked me and showed me warrinty only good till installed in car. so i got crapped out of 516.00 dollars i fought that for years never won. so i stay away from them. and the guys at my local autozone dont know what a book is if it is not in the computer, then it is not real. and if the system is wrong. and you are right then you are wrong because the computer says you are. to me that is like a wife :D

but i would just go with the dealer and get one there. MO

Here's some info. Do a search. This has been talked about before.
http://dieselplace.com/forum/showthread.php?t=199509&highlight=water+pump+replace

Merchant Automotive and other vendors here sell genuine GM parts as well as better aftermarket parts that have been tested and tested and tested and tested and so on and so on...and you surely can save a buck going through them.....and you will be supporting this forum too....and....

Read here as well

http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/showthread.php?t=207872