I did it...2000 water pump.

There is no other way to get this pump out without lifting the engine up. NOW, to most "backyard" mechanics, this sounds like a job you don't even want to get started doing. Truth of the matter is, it wasn't that bad. :sarcasm1:It was horrible from the start. I parked the van at end of dirt driveway when it was a warm sunny day. This is when I cracked the pump trying to get that bypass tube out of it. For the rest of the week it was windy, cold, and rainy. Yesterday afternoon I got started around 2pm. One 18mm nut and the mount was disassembled. This started out like taking candy from a baby. Things went south quick. Placing a board accross the tranny pan and jacking this up, didn't do squat. The only way to get the lift you need is to jack the engine up from the motor mount itself. This took me well over an hour to figure out a way to use the mount itself to lift this. There's no way to get a direct shot at this mount. I used a part from a jackstand and angled it up and had it catch on the rivets of the motor mount and I was able to get the lift I needed. This wasn't the safest situation and I never placed my hands where they could be crushed. The problem comes in when you attempt to remove those 4 long bolts/nuts that go through to the timing chain. If the nuts break lose, you have this job done in half the time it took me. I had to hold the shaft of two of these and then with what little room was left, had to get a ratchet in there also. Now keep in mind you only have a 1/4 turn of room to retract the nut. It took a good 15 minutes to get each one of these off. Once they were off the rest was happy motoring. I'm a paramedic so I'm not embarrassed to say this took me almost 3 hours to get this pump out. Yeah, I slammed almost 5 beers which made the knuckle busting less painful. By 10 pm I was closing it up for the night and letting the form-a-gasket set. Today I drove it about 20 miles and we still have no leaks. :grinno: :grinno: :grinyes: :grinyes: :licka: I'll let you knw if there's any changes.

Rob

Good to hear not too painful. I also have a 2000 3.8 Windstar. I had replaced the bypass tube 2 years ago with out problem, but after the job was done I was checking over things and saw rust on the tube that comes out of the bottom of the waterpump. I should replace that someday soon I said to myself, looks easy...ahhh, until I called Ford and they told me that that was part of the pump...oh well, will have to wait till either it springs a leak or the waterpump does.

Glad it worked out for you

I had mine off about 2 years ago when I did the timing cover gaskets, I had 90,000 miles then and should have replaced the pump then but I am cheap.

I have 114,000 now and the pump is still going.

It was so much fun jacking the engine and dealing with the long studs that I cannot wait to do it again.

Do not let the comments discorage anyone else from doing this job, If you have some basic tools and lots of time you can do it. Just take it slow, take some pictures, make drawings, lay out the parts as they come off in some kind of order and you will be fine.

Skippy who works at the dealer most likely is no smarter than you and he does 3 of them a day.

SKIPPY...hahahahahah I like that. I got 134k so far, will have to see how long she lasts. Skippy...thats funny.:lol:

Key, you can get at that pipe from the bottom with no problems. That is a dealer part and I was going to do the same but the local parts slob didn't have it. It sets in the pump with an O ring just like them bypass tubes. Just disconnect the lower rubber hose from and pull it right out. seriously, this shouldn't take a couple of minutes at most.

Rob

No way....that freakin parts guy at ford said,"nope, all one piece"...okay, cool, now it will get done sooner than later.
Thanks,
Ken

Hey Ken, I know that it's available cause I just bought 1. I have a 2000 3.8 so no dif with model year etc. If you're going to do it please post about the job. I plan on doing the bypass pipe and bottom tube at the same time. Looks like you can get at it thru the passenger wheel well. I dunno if its a "few minute job" though.

Oh, my ford guy said to use some silicone on the bottom tube when you put it in but didn't mention about a gasket or washer etc. I'd like to know what's in there now.

P

Will do, but right now I HAVE to get this Focus fixed (brake problems), we are a 2 car family and thats not a luxury. Kids are involved in lots of stuff, need 2 vehicles for different schedules.

OK, guys I forgot to mention. There's a set screw under the altenator bracket. It's 10 or 8mm and it holds that tube to the lower end of alt bracket. I couldn't get it back in so I left it out when I put mine back together. Seriously, if you remove that screw and the clamp from radiator you will be able to slide it right out from the front of the van. Mine looks horrible and I will get at it soon. 3 kids, 3 cars and my oldest is 16 so he helps but we don't let him drive at night.