How to Replace the Water Pump on a 2001 Chevy Malibu

Water pumps on cars offer a few signs to watch for when they are starting to fail. Most water pumps will emit a high squeaking sound when the car is running as the bearings are wearing out inside the unit. Water pumps also have a weep hole in the lower half of the housing that will leak coolant when the gaskets inside start failing. Both of these symptoms will usually precede the car starting to overheat. When you begin to notice any of these symptoms, make plans to replace the water pump on the 2001 Chevrolet Malibu.

Instructions

1

Raise the hood and wait for the engine to cool before starting the job. Remove the radiator cap to release any residual pressure. Put a large clean pan under the radiator and open the drain valve at the bottom of the radiator with a pair of pliers to drain the coolant.

2

Break the four water pump pulley bolts loose before removing the serpentine belt so that the belt holds tension on the pulley. Rotate the serpentine belt tensioner clockwise by using a wrench on the bolt in the center of the tensioner. Relax the pressure on the serpentine belt and remove the belt from the pulley. With a wrench, finish removing the four bolts that hold the pulley onto the water pump.

3

Remove the five bolts that hold the water pump onto the engine. Grip the pump and work it back and forth a little to break the gasket seal and lift the pump out of the car. Use a scraper to scrape off any old gasket pieces that may be stuck to the engine. Wipe the area clean with a rag. Apply a thin layer of gasket sealant to the area where the new gasket will be applied.

4

Press the new gasket onto the sealant on the engine. Apply sealant to the area of the water pump that will sit on the gasket. Put the water pump into position and start the bolts with your fingers. Use a torque wrench to complete the task of tightening the bolts with 89 inch-pounds of pressure. Attach the pulley back onto the water pump and tighten the bolts finger tight.

5

Use the wrench to rotate the tensioner clockwise again and reinstall the serpentine belt on the water pump pulley. Finish tightening the pulley bolts with a torque wrench and 18 foot-pounds of torque. Close the drain valve on the radiator and fill the radiator with fresh coolant.

6

Start the car and allow the engine to run for a few minutes to warm up and open the thermostat. Add more coolant to keep the radiator filled as the air bleeds from the system through the radiator. Replace the radiator cap. Monitor the water pump and hose connections for few more minutes to make sure that there are no leaks. Turn off the car and close to hood.