• NAXJA is having its 18th annual March Membership Drive!!!
    Everyone who joins or renews during March will be entered into a drawing!
    More Information - Join/Renew
  • Welcome to the new NAXJA Forum! If your password does not work, please use "Forgot your password?" link on the log-in page. Please feel free to reach out to [email protected] if we can provide any assistance.

replacing the water pump in a '98 XJ

chipw

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Tucson, AZ
My water pump died today on the way to work. I'm not a mechanic but have done some light mechanical work, does replacing the water pump qualify as light mechanical work? If it's just a matter of loosening the belt, removing the pully, then the pump, and putting it back together again, then no problem.
Or is better to take it to a shop, on the way to which I know it will overheat? (I do have Haynes manual.)
 
It's actually not that hard. It is a matter of loosening bolts and replacing. It is much easier if you remove the AC aux fan first. That will give you much more room to work with. I also found it easier to remove the power steering pump bracket so I could just pull the water pump out. Don't forget there is a bolt on the bottom of the pump that is hidden from view. I say go for. It should take no more than a few hours on your first try. You should also do a coolant flush while you're at it.
 
A while back, two years, I posted a step by step, Basically remove the aux fan and get it out of the way, drain the cooling system, loosen and remove the fan clutch and fan shroud, loosen the idler pulley under the power steering pump, two turns on the bolt should do, release tension on the belt and remove, use that odd bolt that is between the head and the power steering pump that poins kinda straight down, unplug the temp sensor wire, if you lost it picture make a drawing of the fan belt routing. Disconnect the heater hose on the water pump, connects to a metal tube that goes into the water pump.
Reach under the power steering pump bracket and feel for the bracket that goes back to the block, remove that bolt. Remove the water pump bolts and remove the water pump. Take it inside, remove that metal tube from the old pump, remove the 4 studs from the old pump, use two of the fan nuts for jam nuts.
Clean the metal tube up and I'd repaint it or replace it with brass plumbing pipe, 5-90 has the part numbers for the stuff from home depot or any plumbing supply store. Re install the tube and note which way it faces, to the rear. You cannot remove or reinstall that heater pipe while it's on the engine. A good vise comes in handy for holding the old pump for removal and the new pump for putting it back on.
Stuff needed: 2oz bottle of Indian Head gasket cement, razor blade scraper, 2 gallons of 100% antifreeze, 2 gallons of DISTILLED water, Krikitt II belt tension gauge from NAPA.
Apply the new gasket to the new water pump using the indian head gasket cement, let it dry, while it's drying shoot some water from a garden hose into the big hole the water pump came out of, clean off all the old gasket and crud, use a towel to sop of all the water and completely dry the work area.
Put a coat of indian head on the other side of the gasket and reinstall, if you did not unmount that bolt from alongside the engine from under the power steering pump you will damage the gasket when trying to reinstall, that bolt will allow you to move the PS bracket out of the way. Snug the pump down, then reverse the procedure.
I would also replace all the hoses, tstat, pressure cap and serpentine belt. Don't forget to clean out the overflow bottle. I would recommend you use a Dealer OEM thermostat and gasket.
When refilling dump one gallon of 100% antifreeze in the radiator, then a gallon of distilled water, fire it up. Using the empty gallon of antifreeze make up two 50/50 mixes of anti-freeze and DISTILLED water. Burp the system.
It will take you about 2-3 hours.
 
One other thing -Dont bother trying to drain the radiator with the petcock.Pass side behind- headlight-it,s plastic and a pain to reach in the best of conditions.

Just remove the lower rad hose and let the coolant out.

Wayne
 
I made the mistake of not putting water in the radiator and thinking that i could just fill the reservoir. Fill the radiator and keep filling it until it doesn't take anymore.

because of that I'm dealing with a motor replacement due to a blown head gasket. The head had a few cracks in it. That's why I didn't just replace the head gasket.
 
Back
Top