Changing a water pump

I need to replace the water pump in my XJ

1990 XJ – 4.0 L


I have removed the wheel, and the bolts that hold it on. Now I cant slide it out because the pipe that goes to the hose going o the fill bottle is still on (it comes off the top of the water pump). Mine is really corroded and messy and I don’t see any place to grip it to take it off. Do I use a wrench or a pipe wrench to get it off? I don’t want to break more stuff.

it is the black pipe in this picture…

A pipe wrench will work - but replacing it with a brass pipe nipple, the same length, works better. Check the plumbing section at your local hardware store for that - and make sure it's 3/8" pipe. Take your water pump in with you to make sure - but I've seen 3/8" pipe on pretty much everything so far.

Make sure you also get some Teflon paste, and put it on the pipe threads - it will make the job easier for the next time...

5-90

Mine was pretty corroded too when I replaced my water pump. I used a pipe wrench to remove it. I decided to replace the pipe but had to go to the dealer to get it since AZ, pepboys, and Kragen didnt have it listed in their inventory.

cant I just get a brass pipe to replace it from a hardware store?

are there special threads?

5-90 said:

Make sure you also get some Teflon paste, and put it on the pipe threads - it will make the job easier for the next time...

5-90

Click to expand...

is teflon tape different than paste?

Ken...

Yeah... sorry to hijack... My Jeep is leaking coolant. I think it's from the pump but can't be sure. I can't tell its it's the lower radiator hose or the pump. How can I tell? And if it is the pump, do I have to remove the radiator to get at it? I ask because it looks like I have to discharge the A/C lines to get the radiator out, and I really don't want to do that, nor do I know how. Any help?

It's a standard 3/8" pipe thread, you should be able to get it pretty much anywhere. As I mentioned, brass lasts a LOT longer than galvanised cast iron!

Teflon paste is different from Teflon tape - with tape, you have to watch which way you wrap it, be careful how many times, &c. With paste, just goop some on (or use a brush, if you get a big pot) and wipe off the excess when you're done. It also has the advantage of "squidging" into everything (technical term there...) and making it rather easier to take apart.

You should be able to find both at your local hardware store. If you're used to Teflon tape, then go ahead - if you're not, switch to paste and find out why I like it so much (I converted years ago...)

Put a litte Teflon paste or RTV on the hose end before you slip the hose on there. The pipe nipple won't have the "bead" that the OEM one does, but I've yet to note a problem with that, as long as the hose is properly mounted (leave min. 1/8" between the end of the nipple and the edge of the clamp, and min. 1/8" of hose sticking out after the clamp.)

You can buy an "overlength" nipple and cut it with a hacksaw, as long as you deburr it afterward. You can also fab up an "L", rather than a straight nipple, to get the rubber hose away from the idler pully - that's what I did.

You might want to check out a pic of my heater system (which I did because I got tired of getting those right-angle moulded hoses...) it's on my website, under "Works in Progress by Works in Progress." The link is in my sig - www.geocities.com/JeepI6Power.

5-90

alpinetiburon04 said:

Yeah... sorry to hijack... My Jeep is leaking coolant. I think it's from the pump but can't be sure. I can't tell its it's the lower radiator hose or the pump. How can I tell? And if it is the pump, do I have to remove the radiator to get at it? I ask because it looks like I have to discharge the A/C lines to get the radiator out, and I really don't want to do that, nor do I know how. Any help?

Click to expand...

I didnt take out my Radiator to get the pump out.. but taking out the fan helped...

No, you do not have to remove the radiator. As far as diagnosing, clean it off, make sure it is nice and dry, let it run for a bit and then check it. Pay close attnetion to the weep hole.
BSD

I have no clue what a weep hole is. I can't even really see the water pump from underneathe. It just looks like fluid is pouring out of the oil pan seal. I know its not, but that's what it looks like. And it's really pouring out. If it's the lower radiator hose I would know it right? When I take the hose off it would look like crap? I'm thinking if it's not the hose it's gotta be the pump. My radiator looks like it's falling apart, so I should prolly replace that anyway right?

Take a look at the picture at the start of this thread. See the small hole that's got a red circle and arrow? That's a "weep hole."

Its function is to provide an indicator for when the shaft seal fails, and to relieve pressure from a shaft seal leak without blowing out the outer bearing. Since it's most often the shaft seal that fails in an automotive water pump, that hole is important.

If you get underneath (and remove that damn splash guard, if you haven't already done so permanently,) you should be able to either see the weep hole directly, or see a trickle of some sort from the weep hole if your shaft seal has failed. I'd highly suggest having a flashlight with the ablity for focus to a fine point - it really will help focus your vision as well.

A lower hose leak will be fairly obvious from down there as well - you'll see a buildup of "crud" (technical term) near the hose end where it clamps onto the water pump. If it's not leaking, there won't be any "crud." "Crud" is, in this case, usually taking the form of flaky white deposits.

If necessary, take a old toothbrush (they should go into your toolbox when you're not using them on your teeth anymore anyhow) and clean the area, then run the engine while you're looking underneath. Since pressure, in this case, is a function of system heat (the pump doesn't generate pressure, it simply supplies a motive force. The pressure generated by the pump is negligible,) you might want to let it idle and heat up just a bit to get a good look at things.

One of the most important tools you can have for things like this is a good flashlight, that either HAS or CAN FOCUS TO a tight beam - like I said, it helps direct your vision. If you don't have one, get one - you'll find it handy when you do inspections. I suggest the Nitrolon G2 from SureFire (www.surefire.com.)

5-90

OOOPS !!....you're not supposed to use them on your teeth anymore....well that expains a lot.

Why would you use a pipe wrench when that pipe has a perfectly good hex fitting built in? I think you could even slip a box wrench over the pipe if you dont have a tubing wrench.
Anyway, second or third the recomendation to bag the elbow pipe and run a straight nipple. Find a piece of 90deg. pre bent heater hose..

Well I ended up removing the 2 hoses above the pump and the whole thing came out. i tried a pipe wrench after it was out and it ended up crushing the pipe and didn't even get the pipe off... It wasn't coming off. So I went to the industrial suppy store and bought a 3/8 x 6" pipe for $5. it fit prefectly...

it is all bolted up now. i will wait the 24 hours for the gasket sealer to set then flush and fill the system to test...


thanks for your help...
ken

The teflon paste is supposed to be used on fine threads and the tape on coarse but I've used paste on almost everything. On hard to seal items we'll lay a layer of paste and then some tape over top of the paste. Works awesome.

Sarge

IMORTL said:

Click to expand...

Hey, that's my picture!!!

Please PM me and I'll tell you where you can send the $50 copyright infringement fee. :rtm:

You have to flush the system after you do this work? How do you do that outside of a garage? I've only seen it done with those massive flushing units at dealerships.

RTicUL8 said:

Hey, that's my picture!!!

Please PM me and I'll tell you where you can send the $50 copyright infringement fee. :rtm:

Click to expand...

here is your $50

I dont see why flush is required, unless you first tried to fix the leak with some kind of stopleak junk, then you'll want to flush that crap out.
If you do want to flush you can buy a prestone kit and do it yourself pretty easy.

IMORTL said:

here is your $50

Click to expand...

hmmm.

Select Minolta color laser printer.

Copies.....hmmm.....500

Output quality.....best.

Click <print>

Gee, thanks!