2001 Waterpump?

[helmdoggie]

I'm going to help a buddy with a water pump replacement this weekend. He has a 2001 T&C with a 3.3. From everything I have read this should be a pretty easy job. Is there anything I should look for that could give us a problem? He has a leak that looks like it is coming out of the water pump pulley. Could it just be the gasket? I guess that since we would have to pull the water pump to fix the gasket we should just replace the pump also. What does every one think? Thanks.

[RIP]

Welcome to the forum. If you can confirm the leak is from the mount gasket and the pump isn't more than two years old I'd just change the gasket. If the leak is coming form the shaft or the weep hole the pump is shot and needs to be replaced. What's the weep hole? It's a small hole in the bottom of the pump case. It's there to provide a way to detect the internal shaft seal is damaged. If you see coolant coming from this hole it means an automatic pump change no matter how old it is.

[tempfixit]

Be very careful when removing pump bolts so they do not twist off. If they turn hard rotate back and forth and use some PB Blaster. They are a problem to remove if twisted off. I learned the hard way.

[Cntrysthbst]

if bolts do break what is the housing it attaches to i need to replace? and maybe where to buy? thanks

[Bear]

Take alook at the Auto Zone How to (must register to do this, but free) I believe your car has the pump on the firewall side of the engine and pump pulley and pump psitioning prior to removal is critical.