How to Replace a 1989 Chevy Celebrity Water Pump

Chevrolet produced the Celebrity from 1981 to 1989. There are still a number of these vehicles on the road today, because of a combination of a high-quality car and owners who have performed proper maintenance. The water pump on a Celebrity will occasionally need to be replaced. Someone without any automotive experience could make this repair in about two hours.

Instructions

1

Starting with a cool engine, drain the coolant from the engine to the drain pan by opening the radiator drain valve. Replace the drain valve when the coolant has run into the drain pan.

2

Use the marking crayon to mark the routing of the serpentine belt. Loosen the belt idler with a wrench and pull the serpentine belt off of the engine. Loosen the alternator and push it toward the engine.

3

Unbolt the water pump pulley with a socket and ratchet and pull it off of the water pump.

4

Unbolt the water pump with a socket and ratchet and pull it off of the engine. Use a scraper to remove any remaining gasket material from the water pump mounting surface.

5

Place the new gasket and water pump on the engine. Tighten the bolts with the socket and ratchet. Install the pulley on the water pump and tighten the bolt with a ratchet and socket.

6

Put the serpentine belt back on the engine according to the route that you marked. Tighten the idler with a wrench. Pull the alternator back into place and tighten the bolts with a socket and ratchet.

7

Fill the cooling system with engine coolant and start the car. Check the system thoroughly for any leaks.