Man, my cooling system and I just don't get along. Replaced the thermostat over the summer, the heater core a few weeks ago, now I think the water pump is shot. The truck has a 300 I-6, and last night, I was letting it warm up, the heater never got hot, and the temp guage started to rise. I opened the door, and water was pouring out from underneath the engine from what looks like the water pump to me.

Is the water pump hard to replace? I have a Haynes manual and it is not the most descriptive thing in the world, but it does give basic instructions. I might give it a shot, but if there are any little quirks about replacing the water pump that I should know, I sure would appreciate any help any of you could give me.

Thanks,
Will

 

Its really not hard to replace the water pump on that engine . Getting the fan clutch off may be the first obstacle . Since all the coolant needs to be drained , removing the thermostat housing makes getting the pump off & back on a little easier . Next you have to remove one of the heater pipe from the old pump & install it in the new one . Make sure you get the alignment of the pipe correct or you will problems installing the pump. Clean the threads on the pipe well & use a good sealant on the threads . Also seal the threads on the water pump bolts (3) that go directly into the block . Other than that just make sure the block is clean before you install the pump .