The 1999 Dodge 1500 5.2L Water Pump Installation

The water pump is connected to the engine, and it pumps the engine coolant through the engine, radiator and heater core to help keep the engine at proper operating temperature. For the 1999 Dodge Ram with the 5.2-liter engine, the water pump is located directly above the crankshaft pulley. To access the water pump, it will be necessary to remove the engine cooling fan, fan shroud and water pump pulley. To remove the fan, purchase or rent a fan clutch removal tool.

Instructions

Removal

1

Lift the vehicle hood and support it with the hood prop rod. Look for a sticker along the core support or the hood for the accessory belt routing; if there is no sticker, use a pen and paper to draw out the pulley system and belt routing. Remove the radiator cap.

2

Put on the safety glasses. Place the large drain pan under the radiator and remove the drain bolt located on the bottom-left corner of the radiator. Allow all the coolant to drain and replace the drain plug. If the coolant is clean, cover it and save it to reuse after the water pump has been installed.

3

Remove both screw clamps for the upper radiator hose with the screwdriver. Remove the upper radiator hose. Remove the bolts securing the fan shroud to the radiator and the core support with a 12 mm socket and ratchet. Remove the fan shroud.

4

Place the appropriate size fan clutch tool over the four water pump pulley bolts and hold the pulley in place while unscrewing the fan clutch, using the appropriate-sized clutch tool. Once the fan is loose, unscrew it by hand and set it aside.

5

Place the 1/2-inch breaker bar into the square hole on the belt tensioner and rotate it clockwise to release tension on the serpentine belt. Remove the serpentine belt.

6

Place a pry bar between the bottom two water pump pulley bolts to hold the pulley stationary, and break loose the top two pulley bolts with the 10 mm socket and ratchet. Rotate the water pump pulley and place the pry bar between the two loosened water pump pulley bolts, and break loose the remaining pulley bolts with the 10 mm socket and ratchet. Remove the water pump pulley bolts and remove the pulley from the water pump.

7

Remove the heater hose pipe mounting bolt with the 10 mm socket and ratchet, and pull the heater hose pipe strait out of its mounting hole on the side of the water pump. Squeeze the bypass hose clamp with the pliers and slide it up the water bypass hose about three inches so that the clamp will not hold the bypass hose to the bypass outlet, then release the clamp.

8

Remove the seven water pump-mounting bolts with the 10 mm socket and ratchet. Note the exact location of each bolt, as they have different lengths. Pull the water pump gently away from the engine, then pull the pump down slight to disconnect it from the bypass hose.

Installation

9

Make sure the water pump mating surfaces are clean on both the water pump and the engine side. Hold the water pump gasket to the water pump and set the water pump into position on the engine, ensuring that the water bypass out slides into the water bypass hose. Thread the seven water pump bolts into the same holes you removed them from, then tighten each bolt to 30 foot-pounds with the 10 mm socket and torque wrench.

10

Squeeze the water bypass hose clamp with the pliers and slide the clamp down to the base of the bypass outlet, then release the clamp. Inspect the O-ring on the heater hose pipe for rips or tears -- replace, if necessary -- and slide the heater hose pipe into the water pump. Tighten the heater hose pipe mounting bolt to 20 foot-pounds of torque with the 10 mm socket and torque wrench.

11

Place the water pump pulley onto the water pump, then tighten the water pump pulley bolts to 20 foot-pounds.

12

Route the serpentine belt around the accessory pulleys as shown on the diagram on the hood or core support. Attach the 1/2-inch breaker bar to the belt tensioner and rotate it clockwise; slide the belt under the belt tensioner and slowly release pressure on the belt tensioner. Remove the breaker bar.

13

Attach the fan and fan clutch to the engine. Use the fan clutch removal tool to hold the water pump pulley stationary while tightening the fan clutch; this is the exact opposite of the removal procedure.

14

Set the fan shroud into place and tighten all mounting bolts with the 10 mm socket and ratchet. Slide the upper radiator hose onto the radiator and the water pump, then tighten the clamps with the flat-head screwdriver.

15

Pour the coolant into the radiator until the radiator is full. Start the engine. As coolant is routed through the engine, the level in the radiator will go down; add coolant as necessary until the engine reaches operating temperature. Once the vehicle has reached operating temperature, check for any leaks and top off the radiator and coolant reservoir. Replace the radiator cap and close the vehicle hood.