How to Change the Water Pump on a 2001 Chevy Malibu

The water pump on a 2001 Chevrolet Malibu circulates water through the engine to remove the heat from combustion and prevent engine damage. The coolant transports the heat of the engine to the radiator to keep the engine cool and to the heater core inside the car to provide warm air in the winter. General Motors designed the 2001 Malibu with a 3.1L engine. The timing cover houses the water pump on the passenger's side of the engine compartment.

Instructions

1

Open the hood of your Chevy Malibu and disconnect the negative battery cable with an 8 mm socket and ratchet handle.

2

Drain the coolant from the vehicle into a bucket. Remove the coolant reservoir cap from the tank on the passenger's side fender well to allow the system to drain easier. Locate the radiator drain's petcock on the bottom driver's side of the radiator. Rotate the petcock 1/4-turn and pull it out slightly to drain the coolant. After the coolant drains, close the petcock.

3

Break loose the water pump pulley bolts with a 10 mm wrench, loosening the bolts three turns. The water pump pulley is on the upper front of the engine, closest to the radiator. The pulley is approximately 5 inches in diameter with four bolts. The belt tension will hold the water pump to keep it from spinning. For stubborn bolts, place the shank of a flat head screwdriver between the bolt heads to hold the pulley still.

4

Relieve the belt tension and remove the belt from the water pump pulley. The belt tensioner maintains pressure on the belt using a spring-loaded arm with a pulley. The tensioner is directly beneath the alternator, near the firewall on the passenger's side. The ratchet handle's anvil fits into a square hole on the pulley end of the arm to leverage the tension off the belt.

5

Remove the loosened bolts from the water pump pulley then remove the pulley.

6

Unbolt the five water pump retaining bolts with a 3/8-inch ratchet and 8 mm socket. Wedge the flat head screwdriver under the raised tab on the edge of the water pump, between the pump and timing cover. Pry the water pump free.

7

Scrape the old gasket material off of the timing cover with a gasket scraper. Squeeze a thin bead of silicone sealant around the gasket mating surface of the water pump. Install the paper gasket onto the water pump.

8

Position the water pump in the timing cover and align the bolt holes. Start the retaining bolts by hand then tighten them with the 3/8-inch ratchet and 8 mm socket.

9

Install the water pump pulley then tighten the retaining bolts finger-tight. Reinstall the belt. The smooth backside of the belt rides against the water pump pulley. Use the ratchet handle to loosen the belt. Tighten the water pump pulley retaining bolts with the 10 mm wrench.

10

Open the two cooling system bleeder screws. One bleeder screw is on the steel pipe mounted directly above the water pump. The other bleeder screw is located on the thermostat housing, near the throttle bore in the center of the engine compartment.

11

Fill the cooling system with premixed antifreeze until coolant drains from the bleeder screws. Close the bleeder screws. Top off the coolant reservoir to the cold mark then replace the cap.

12

Start the engine and warm it to operating temperature so that the thermostat opens. At this point, the upper radiator hose and the radiator will heat up.

13

Shut off the engine. Top off the antifreeze level to the hot mark on the coolant reservoir bottle. Test-drive the vehicle.