Advice on Water Pump replacement and what else to replace while doing this.

[brillmtb]

Just back from a trip and noticed drips of coolant under the left front of the truck. Poked my head in there and can see an obvious source. It appears to be coming from behind the bottom, center, pulley area and running to the right. I have a bad feeling it may be the water pump but is there a way to tell for sure?

If a water pump, my 2003 truck has 185K on it, what else would you replace while doing the water pump replacement.

Top/Bottom hoses, serpentine belt, different fan clutch (mine has always been noisy), different harmonic balancer.

This would be the time for me to consider this as I don't want to go in there again.

Thanks for your advice in advance.

Steve

 

[brillmtb]

Forgot to ask if Water pump can be replaced without pull radiator, etc off.

 

[p-Bar]

Water pump easy R+R , don't need to pull radiator . I still have original belt and hoses 158k on the clock. Some replace the tensioner

 

[seafish]

I am sure there are other available, but here is a good link with pix--

http://www.dieseltruckresource.com/dev/water-pump-r-r-2004-5-shortcuts-t300168.html

 

[Bob4x4]

With the less than stellar parts quality available these days I would replace what is bad or likely to fail soon only.The factory hoses are very high quality,feel the bearings in the other pulleys and idlers and call it good

 

[Wayne M.]

I did mine a few months ago. I posted about it here. In the general scheme of diesel pickups, this is a walk in the park!

 

[TFucili]

With the less than stellar parts quality available these days I would replace what is bad or likely to fail soon only.The factory hoses are very high quality,feel the bearings in the other pulleys and idlers and call it good

So true. I used to replace stuff as a precaution, but now the new part is generally not as good as what you'd take off. Too much crap out there. Case in point, mine failed on a Sunday, and the only place open was our Checker/O'Reilly's, so I bought their "best". It was leaking within a few days. Got one from NAPA and it was still on the truck when I(foolishly)sold it.

 

[SnoKing]

Thermostat if you have not done that recently! SNOKING

 

[JR]

Sounds like you may be way overdue for a coolant flush unless youv'e done it recently. Very important for the health of all cooling components including the engine block and hg.

 

[Killgore]

Most of this stuff can normally be found under my rear seat. My rolling inventory from Genos Garage keeps me from being on 'the short end of the stick'.
- Ed

 

[Joseph Donnelly]

Over the last few years I described in my TDR column the replacement of the water pump and the other stuff that spins on the front of the engine. The comments above are good too.

 

[K5IP]

I just replaced mine. It took about a half hour (only two bolts, belt removal and lowering the coolant).
Wish everything was this easy.
Rog