replace waterpump yes or no

I try to save money anddo my own work? It took me 10 hours to do an oil change and tune-up most of the time was spent on the #3 spark plug behind the steering column ???? Now I have found antifreeze coming out of the seep hole of the water pump ? The dealer wants $480.00 to replace it. Is this a hard project like #3 plug? or should I go for it? Any help on this matter would be appreciated

Welcome to the forum Father, and I like your name.

You sure have some determination. I would have never spent that much time on a spark plug.

It must be a 4.3L. Some people on this forum will give you a tip for that 1 spark plug, so that won't happen again.

With the water pump the hardest job will be the serpentine belt.

This 1 job is often easiest with 2 people, taking the tension off the belt to take it off and put it on.

Then remove only the reguired bolts, nothing more.
Look at the new pump to make sure that you aren't removing any from the timing cover, and that you have them all.

I hope that none are rusted in there.

Clean up all the bolts on the wire wheel

I like to use a drop of gasket goop on each bolt when re-enstalling them.

You'll be done within 4 hours unless you have some unforseen problem

Have fun, and don't stress out

Actually for the #3 plug, you can simply remove the 11mm bolt at the base of the intermediate shaft and collapse it in on itself then move it out of the way. (It's keyed so when putting it back on you can't screw it up) Total is about 5 minutes.

That said the water pump is easy... First stop at autozone or advance and ask for the ford clutchfan tool (yes ford) from the loan-a-tool section. (in otherwords it's free, you get your money back when you return it)

Also buy a set of water pump gaskets and a gallon of 50/50 mix of your antifreeze (in your case dex-crap..err cool)



Start with removing the upper fan shroud (3 bolts along the top, 2 on either side)

Now, remove the clutch fan via the center nut with your clutch fan tool and set aside (good time to think about an e-fan)

Loosen the 4 13mm nuts on the water pump pully.

Now using a 16m box wrench or ratchet and socket, rotate the belt tensioner to the left so you can slip the belt off. (We leave the belt on to make it easier to remove the clutch fan) You will not on your fan shroud is a diagram of how the belt should be put back on..

Now finish removiing the nuts on the water pump pully


Now with a bucket underneath the car remove the radiator hose going into the water pump. If after you remove the clamp and twisting the hose doesn't work, simply run a flathead screwdriver around the hose until it breaks loose. Use the screw type clamps when reinstalling as the spring style suck once used.

Now remove the 4 13mm waterpump bolts and lift the water pump out.

More than likely you will have gasket left on the water pump mounting holes. Use a razor blade to scrape this off, then use so 80-120 grit sand paper to remove any residue. Also use sand paper to run over the waterpump mounts to remove any possible burs that may have been left on it.

Using some gasket sealent on the gasket for hold (not needed for seal just for mounting purposes) mount the gaskets on the hole and line everything up. Wait about 10 minutes to let the sealent firm up a bit.

With one hand hold the new water pump in place and with the other hand run both the top bolts in place about half way. This will allow you to adjust the bottom portion of the gaskets if they have moved.

Run the bottom bolts in half way... If everything looks good, finger tighten the bolts down..

Once the bolts are finger tight, tighten the bolts in a cross fasion to 24 ft pounds.

Reattach your lower rad hose to the water pump with the screw style clamp. (also can use an 8mm socket drive)

Top off your radiator fluid

Reattach the water pump pully (just crank down the nuts) reattach the clutch fan (just crank it down, remember it's a reverse thread)

Reinstall the serpentine belt...

Check all connections

Start truck

Let it run to running temp (about 195)

Watch for any leaks around the water pump

Stop the truck.

Open your rad cap and top of if needed...

Reinstall fan shroud...

Close hood

Buy beer

Buy hookers

rent cheap motel room

celebrate

Rlith never told you that he shows how to hook up an e-fan in his web page, and it'll cost you less than you can imagine using a Ford Taurus e-fan from the bone yard.

It's the best mod that I've done on mine.

Buy beer

Buy hookers

rent cheap motel room

celebrate

BWHAHAHAHAHAHA

This advise can apply to any, and all, jobs that you complete on your own. !!!!!

I knew that I was doing something wrong.

Things did go better when I finished a job, bought the beer and my ex and I went to a motel.

Now that I'm single I guess that I need that hooker

yea seriously i think thats way overpriced...if its possible for you to do something yourself you might as well do it, its always better than having to pay someone else to do it for you. I had my '89 s-10 overheat and blew out the hoses and screwed up my water pump, and with a little help from my dad we replaced it ourselves and it took us about an hour or two. No big deal, and I think we got the pump for about...eh 50-60 bucks or something.

I completely agree with you YDW.

But I'm figuring that the dealer probably charges about double for the waterpump, and it's probably listed as about 4 hours book time.

This bill is probably pretty close to $480.00 with everything combined.

Their mechanic can probably do the job in less than 2 hours, so they'd be making good money if they got the job.