Water pump disintegration

[Robbabob]

On my mobile device, so I'll keep it short. Friend coming to tow truck home.

I want to be prepared to fix it when we get home. Hope to hear of any specialty tools I'll need to get along the way. I already have the pump and belt.

The story is great. I'll share it within a few days. Odd to see a great story associated with a breakdown 60 miles from home... you'll see why.

 

[The_Roadie]

Good luck! Getting the fan clutch nut off the water pump can take as little as ten seconds, or as long as 3 days. Since I've had mine off a few times, I put it on with anti-sieze, and now the "whack a giant crescent wrench with a hammer" trick works in ten seconds. Other people have fabricated or rented a tool that installs to the pulley mounting holes and keeps the pulley from rotating as they try to turn the nut with some other huge tool. Others have had to resort to air chisels to try to turn the nut!

In my experience, impact forces can break it free with more success than brute force with long extension handles.

Whatever you do, use anti-sieze when you put it back on.

 

[Robbabob]

Figured that would be the hardest... struggled last night at gas station for an hour without proper tools.

How about towing? Rear wheels rolling...

 

[kawaholic]

If you have four wheel drive put the transfer case in neutral. If not, I'd pull the drive shaft.

 

[Robbabob]

If you have four wheel drive put the transfer case in neutral. If not, I'd pull the drive shaft.

Buddy brought a flatbed.

Don't see a neutral option or tiny button like my Dakota has.

Thanks for the replies!

 

[kawaholic]

COOL!!!Even better.
I just looked up the procedure because I couldn't remember how to do it.
For future reference,
Set parking brake, start engine, put transmission in neutral, turn selector knob PAST 4 low and hold it there until the neutral indicator light comes on. With the engine running shift transmission into reverse and drive to ensure the transfer case is in neutral. Turn off engine and shift trans to park.

Just be VERY AWARE that shifting the transmission into PARK will NOT stop the vehicle from rolling away and killing somebody. Only the parking brake is effective under these conditions. If anybody has been neglecting their parking brake function, this is another good reason to go fix them, tout de suite.

 

[The_Roadie]

...shift trans to park.

Just be VERY AWARE that shifting the transmission into PARK will NOT stop the vehicle from rolling away and killing somebody. Only the parking brake is effective under these conditions. If anybody has been neglecting their parking brake function, this is another good reason to go fix them, tout de suite.

 

[kawaholic]

Just be VERY AWARE that shifting the transmission into PARK will NOT stop the vehicle from rolling away and killing somebody. Only the parking brake is effective under these conditions. If anybody has been neglecting their parking brake function, this is another good reason to go fix them, tout de suite.

Good point, I apologize for not including that information. I took that as a given but I forgot we're dealing with the interwebs and giving someone info which could potentially kill themselves or someone else, they just may do so.

I edited my post to include it. I had also stated to shift to drive and reverse to ensure the transfer case was in neutral. I corrected that to read reverse and drive as the manual states. Apparently it makes a difference. I went out and tried it with mine, when I shifted to drive first, the transfer case and transmission were still engaged and the truck tried to move forward.

 

[eightshot627]

Tips I found usefull when I did mine:
- Pull a water pump pully bolt out and an alternator bracket bolt out and connect a small piece of chain to each to get the fan clutch off. Saw it on YouTube. Worked great!
- Cut a notch in the fan shroud to clear the upper radiator hose connection. Saw that on YouTube too.
- Put some blue locktite on the water pump pully bolts. Mine backed out after 100 miles.

Good luck!
Walt

 

[Robbabob]

All this input is great information.

Guy I was with said to get the blue silicone for a better seal, but the water pump has a formed gasket. Why use the Silicone, and if so, apply to block then pump and put the seal in between? I don't get it, but I'll what the majority do.

Thanks!

Edit: There are flakes of debris on the old pump. Tells me there are flakes in the system. Open to quick failure now?

 

[Robbabob]

Went with the spanner wrench from O'Reilly's. Seems everything I read, this project should have taken 30 minutes. It took me that long just to get the guard off. Didn't watch any videos, so perhaps I was being a bit gentle.

Any way, Thanks y'all for the input and help.

Going out now to test the neutral activation.

 

[meerschm]

it takes 30 minutes the third time you do it.