Water Pump Leak

[JTodd]

I have been losing coolant and it appears to be coming from the snout of the water pump. Before diving in, what is involved and what kind of time do I need be ready for in changing the pump?

Thanks,
Jeff

[redbird2]

I first would pressure test the system and make sure the leak is the pump first, could be the bypass hose from the bottom thermostat housing, if it for sure is the water pump.

water pump on 6.5 are not hard to change just a little time consuming 2-3 hours for someone thats never done one before, hard to tell you I change several of them a month so there second nature to me.

1st drain coolant and unhook batteries
2nd remove upper fan shroud to gain access
3rd loosen 4 nuts that hold fan clutch on
4th remove belt
5th remove the fan clutch
6th you will need to remove alternator mounting bracket just tie off to the side
7th remove lower hose ( good time to replace if bad) and bypass hose to thermostat
8th your will need to remove 2 nuts that hold oil fill tube in place 13mm
9th next you will need to remove the bolts that hold the water pump plate to the front of the engine ( THERE ARE 2 BOLTS UNDER AT THE BOTTOM OR BELOW THE WATER PUMP JUST ABOVE THE BALANCER) the upper bolts are 13mm there are 5) 15mm bolts that go through the pump into the block ones on the passenger side are bolts with studs on the end of them the 2 under the pump are either 13mm normal 10mm (these are the head sizes)
10th you will have to remove the pump and front plate turn over and remove the bolts form the backside that hold the pump to plate 13mm

clean up the front cover mounting area clean up the front cover plate (check the plate for erosion bad pitting)

reverse the steps to install you can get a gasket that goes between the front cover and front plate or you can use proper gasket maker to seal the front cover

good luck

ps don't forget to use sealant on the large longer mounting bolts as they go into the coolant passages

[JTodd]

I removed the water pump (superb instructions). When off, I noticed that on the under side of the snout there is a small weep hole, about twice the size of a pencil lead. Should there be a plug or something there? The impeller shaft does not have much play, and when the pulley was on I could only see that the leak was from that area.

[DmaxMaverick]

Never plug a weep hole. If you do, it can't weep. That's where the coolant will leak out (initially) when the seal fails, indicating a bad seal before a catastrophic failure (usually). Same goes for any weep hole. The hole should be clean and clear of any obstruction. If coolant is weeping from the hole, the pump needs replaced, even if the bearing is still tight.

[JTodd]

Does the plate need a gasket or RTV when mating to the block? Also, my new pump does not have the nipple to attach the bypass hose. What is the best way to remove it from the old. It looks like there is a lot of bi-metal corrosion between it and the pump.

[DmaxMaverick]

Gasket in contact with the block. NO RTV there. (speaking of weep holes...) There are weep channels on the block channel that need to be unsealed. After that, you can use RTV or gaskets where you please. The bolt threads need anaerobic sealer, NOT RTV. They pass into the water jacket (hence the need for the weep channels.

Get a new nipple and seal it in with anaerobic sealer (Loc-Tite). You can R/R the old, but they rarely survive for long, and never fail when you are near home. Your local hardware store, Home Depot, etc, should have one. Brass or SS.