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replacing water pump

Rockhound

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Pensacola, FL
gotta replace her and i am tight on time. on a scale of 1 to 1 how difficult can i expect this to be? thanks guys
Rockhound
 
What year? I ask because there are some minor differences in technique between the years, mostly focusing on how you tension the serpentine belt.

With hand tools only (no air tools), I would estimate an experienced amateur mechanic could do the job in about 1.5-2 hours. Of course, that assumes the following:

1. you know where all the necessary fasteners are located
2. all belts and hoses are in good shape, and can be removed/installed easily without damaging them

If you have little experience in this sort of work, take my estimate and double it for duration.
 
Yeah, with an FSM or chilton/haynes, you should be able to do in about 1.5 hours. It's the cleanup and draining of the rad fluid that'll take a fair amount of time. Adjusting the serp belt isn't that difficult, if you don't have a tensioner, keep it loose so it squeaks at idle and slowly tighten until squeaking stops. Don't overtighten or you'll burn out your pulley bearings.
 
It's a PITA,but if you remove the rad it gives ya a lot more room.
 
Did my '89 water pump with minimal problems. Did it about 2 years ago ...on the '89 I think there is a bolt hiding behind the power steering pump so remove the ps pump from the brackets to make it easier on yourself.

Also...buy a new pump ....not rebuilt. I had mine off and on 3 times for a leak at the gasket surface...turns out they must sandblast that surface when rebuilding....could not get it to stop leaking. Bought a new pump...machined surface....no leakey.

Good luck,
Jay in MA
 
ah crap . I put a reman (dealer) mopar pump on my 94 heep. I think my GDI 3-core is leaking. I'll add it to my list of leaks. .
 
It looks like I’m going to be in the same boat here shortly. I don’t think that my water pump has many more miles left in it. If I’m going to have to replace it anyways, why not go to a hi-flow unit. Has anyone used the Flow Kooler or Hesco hi-flow water pumps? I’ve read a small article about the Flow Kooler in a magazine, but I don’t really trust their reviews. It seems like advertising dollars have a lot to do with reported product performance.
 
Wiley Coyote said:
It looks like I’m going to be in the same boat here shortly. I don’t think that my water pump has many more miles left in it. If I’m going to have to replace it anyways, why not go to a hi-flow unit. Has anyone used the Flow Kooler or Hesco hi-flow water pumps? I’ve read a small article about the Flow Kooler in a magazine, but I don’t really trust their reviews. It seems like advertising dollars have a lot to do with reported product performance.

I've gone through 3 FlowKrappers in a few month period.

I then purchased a Hesco pump. A couple bucks more, but a MUCH better pump. I don't know they compare flowwise or for that matter, if either flows more than stock. Or if either cools better than stock, I changed my radiator at the same time and I'm sure the rad had the most influence on the lower temps.

The Hesco has an aluminum/billet turbine, where the FlowKrapper just rivets a sheet metal plate to the stock turbine.

www.hescosc.com

http://www.hescosc.com/cgi-bin/ez-catalog/cat_display.cgi?3X364946#p
 
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Have heard stories about the hi flow pumps,one thing that was reccomended was to make sure the lower radiator hose has a spring it it.
Due to the high speed pumping w/the hi flow pumps it can cause the lower hose to collapse.
Like I said these are stories I've read on different sites,I have no experience with the hi flow pumps.
 
XJZ Thanks for the info, it sounds like Hesco is the way to go. It’s bad enough to have to replace the pump once, but three times in a row is ridiculous. Did you use one of the GDI radiators? I’m stockpiling parts now to do a massive cooling system upgrade this summer. I already put in a 160-degree thermostat, hi-flow housing, added vents to the hood and raised it a ½” (for improved air flow). Next parts on the list are a water pump (looks like Hesco now), GDI 3 core radiator, Perma-cool flex fan/spacer and an auxiliary fan out of a ’96 or newer XJ. If that won’t fix my cooling problems, nothing will :roll:
 
Wiley Coyote said:
XJZ Thanks for the info, it sounds like Hesco is the way to go. It’s bad enough to have to replace the pump once, but three times in a row is ridiculous. Did you use one of the GDI radiators? I’m stockpiling parts now to do a massive cooling system upgrade this summer. I already put in a 160-degree thermostat, hi-flow housing, added vents to the hood and raised it a *” (for improved air flow). Next parts on the list are a water pump (looks like Hesco now), GDI 3 core radiator, Perma-cool flex fan/spacer and an auxiliary fan out of a ’96 or newer XJ. If that won’t fix my cooling problems, nothing will :roll:

Yeah, it was the GDI. Helped a lot. especially on mt. passes, etc. Most likely do to the new rad then the pump, but if you're going to do it, do it right. :)

I believe my original radiator was getting plugged, not flowing as well as it should, but the GDI is a good unit and a definate upgrade from stock (though some of the trailer pkges had a larger radiator, IIRC).

Your rig should be running VERY cool!!
 
Wiley Coyote said:
an auxiliary fan out of a ’96 or newer XJ. If that won’t fix my cooling problems, nothing will :roll:
Actually, I think that was 92 or 93 that they went to the 8-blade fan. Hopefully that expands your search category.

96xjcooling.jpg
 
Thanks for the info guys. I’ll be placing an order for a GDI 3 row radiator as soon as the store opens (Mon?). I’m not sure exactly what year they went to the s-curved hi-flow electric fans. I know a ’96 has the new style and my ‘91 has the old style. If they changed it in ’92 or ’93 that would give me a few more years of vehicles to work with. The temperature is hovering around 5 degrees now so it is way too cold for me to be fooling around in a junkyard. I’ll have to go take a look when it starts warming up.
 
Wiley Coyote said:
Thanks for the info guys. I’ll be placing an order for a GDI 3 row radiator as soon as the store opens (Mon?). I’m not sure exactly what year they went to the s-curved hi-flow electric fans. I know a ’96 has the new style and my ‘91 has the old style. If they changed it in ’92 or ’93 that would give me a few more years of vehicles to work with. The temperature is hovering around 5 degrees now so it is way too cold for me to be fooling around in a junkyard. I’ll have to go take a look when it starts warming up.

Do not get a GDI! They've gone down the tubes. I ran one for about a year, I was always running hot. Finally I bit the bullet and had it rodded out, it was all plugged up with solder. I got rid of it and got a cheap large two core radiator, no more running hot, no more problems.

Modine 2 cores are the best these days, but if you're on a budget just talk to a local radiator shop and get a large core two row radiator, you will thank yourself in the end.

Sequoia
 
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