Weeping Water Pump 03.5, first signs

[Turbo_Bob]

Been noticing a few drips of radiator fluid right below where the water pump is, on the garage floor. Truck has 121K on it and I just replaced the fluid at 120K with Mopar HOAT and distilled water 50-50 mix.



My question is, how big of a deal is the water pump R&R ?



I just did my own valve adjustment and radiator fluid drain/refill without too much cussing, is this something for someone with basic skills can do at home without too much problems ?



I do have the Chrysler Shop Manual and it states:



Removal

1. disconnect neg. battery cables

2. drain cooling system

3. remove accessory drive belt (could I just loosen the tension enough to get the belt off the water pump pulley ?)

4. remove water pump bolts

5. clean water pump surface



Installation

1. install new o-ring on pump

2. install new pump, tighten bolts to 18 ft lbs.

3. install accessory drive belt

4. fill cooling system

5. connect neg. cables

6. start and warm engine, check for leaks



What about gasket sealants applied to o-ring ? Any needed, if so what kind ?

 

[matches]

YES! Its easy, the hardest part is taking the belt off then putting it back on. Other than that no sealer on the o-ring, just clean the surface good, you should be fine. Remember the system is under relatively low pressure, less than 16#s. So leaks aren't that prevalent.

 

[DE Jeeper]

I would check your hose connections first. Although you are around the milage for a wp replacement I have yet to see a weap hole on the earlier water pumps. BTW, they cost around $65 and take an hour to put in.



Aaron

 

[Turbo_Bob]

I would check your hose connections first. Although you are around the milage for a wp replacement I have yet to see a weap hole on the earlier water pumps. BTW, they cost around $65 and take an hour to put in.

I checked all the hoses and they are dry. It is comming from the WP, but there may not be a weap hole on the pump, I could not see one. So it must be comming from the shaft seal.



I was told this type of leak is a "cold leak", only a drip or two when the engine is cold and sitting.



I have noticed that the drip has stoped for now, I am still going to buy a WP so once this becomes a problem I will have the part to replace.



Went to the local Dodge dealer, $256. 00 for the pump, no thanks.

Went down the street to a big-rig shop that is a Cummins dealer, $159. 00, OK.

 

[Briman]

I paid $126. 00 at Cummins for mine just a couple of weeks ago. There is a promotion on the Cummins quick serve site that says they will give you a free thermostat with water pump purchase. My Cummins parts counter did this for me. Print out the page and take it in. The pump R&R is very easy. My old pump had a weep hole and the leak grew steadily until I replaced the pump.

 

[Semicrazy]

I am on my third waterpump in 200K. There was design change the weep hole was moved I believe but there should be one, both designs it is hard to see. When I first had to replace it I was going to go to Cummins, but I got the 65 dollars unit from Advance auto with a lifetime warranty. I had to exchange it after 10k miles unfortunatly, but since then so far so good.

 

[ZBrooks]

Make sure you use the same type (color) of antifreeze that you had been using when you replace the pump.

 

[MAllen1]

You don't have to drain all the radiator fluid. You just have to drain it enough to get the fluid level below the water pump. Make sure the old gasket comes off with the old pump, every time I changed a water pump the gasket stuck to the engine.

 

[Parks]

I just replaced mine at 130,000 and it wasn't a hard job. I bought my pump from Advanced for $65. 00.

 

[Turbo_Bob]

Update, replaced the water pump with some help from dad, two hours max job, it was not that big of a deal to do this WP replacement.