How to Change Water Pumps

Your car gives its best performance when the engine is running smoothly and keeps cool. If the water pump doesn't work properly, the engine can overheat and seize up and cause serious problems. Changing a water pump takes some work, but you don't have to pay a mechanic to do it.

Instructions

Remove the Pump

1

Turn off the car and let the engine cool off completely.

2

Open the hood and disconnect the negative battery cable.

3

Place a drain pan under the radiator. To drain the radiator, either open the radiator petcock or disconnect the radiator hose on the bottom, depending on your car.

4

Unscrew the fan bolts and take off the fan and the fan shroud if your fan has one.

5

Loosen the alternator's mounting brackets so you can unfasten and remove the drive belts. Remove other components as specified in your car's manual to reach the water pump. Depending on your car, you might have to remove the alternator, steering pump or the air-conditioning compressor.

6

Unscrew the bolts that attach the water pump and mark or notice their positions so you can put them back into the correct holes later. Take off the pump. To prepare for reinstallation, wire-brush the bolts to clean the threads.

7

Clean the remaining gasket material and other debris from the pump's mounting surface with the gasket scraper.

Install the New Pump

8

Inspect the gasket for the new pump to make sure it matches the surfaces that need to be sealed. Apply a light coat of gasket sealer onto the gasket and fit it onto the mounting surface for the pump.

9

Install the pump onto the mounting surface and bolt it into the original position. Tighten the mounting bolts using the torque specification in your car's owner manual.

10

Connect the hoses going into the pump. If the hose clamps are rusty or worn, replace them with new ones.

11

Remount any other parts you took off to change the pump.

12

Reinstall and tighten the belts to your car manual's specifications.

13

Check the hose connections to make sure they are tight, close the radiator drain and refill the radiator.

14

Reconnect the battery, start the engine and inspect it for leaks and proper operation of all components.