How to Install a Water Pump on a 2004 Ford Exporer

Your 2004 Ford Explorer's water pump is an important component of the engine that takes water held in the vehicle's radiator to its engine, keeping it cool and preventing the engine from overheating. If you need to install a new water pump on your 2004 Explorer, you need to remove the old water pump, which is hidden underneath a few of the engine's other components. Thankfully, replacing the water pump is a straightforward task and should only take you a little more than an hour.

Instructions

1

Open the Explorer's hood and disconnect the battery with a socket wrench.

2

Place a drain pan underneath the radiator drain plug. Loosen the drain plug with a socket wrench and allow all of the coolant to flow into the pan. Tighten the plug.

3

Remove the fan shroud and fan assembly in the engine compartment. Both are held in by three bolts. Use a socket wrench to remove the bolts and pull the components out of the vehicle.

4

Remove the water pump pulley's two bolts and remove the pulley itself. Remove the four bolts from the water pump and pull it out of the vehicle.

5

Place the new water pump into the engine compartment of the Explorer and reinstall the bolts. Lubricate the new O-ring seal of the water pump with some grease.

6

Reinstall the pulley, fan shroud and fan assembly and their bolts.

7

Remove the radiator's cap and pour the coolant from the drain pan into the radiator. Reconnect the battery and close the hood.