Easy water pump and thermostat on a NEW car? No way...

[Brad Johnson]

I lost the thermostat in my 2002 Crown Vic over the weekend. Luckily it stuck wide open and not "wide shut". It made for a brisk drive given temps hovering in the upper 20's, but at least it got me home. An interesting side note is that the only indication of a problem, other than the dropping temp needle and increasingly chilly cabin temps, was a Check Engine code for "Insufficient Coolant Temp". (like the ice cold air blowing out the vents wasn't clue enough).  

At any rate...

I had planned to do a full cooling system service and already had parts sitting in the garage - hoses, thermostat, coolant, distilled water, the works. I even had a water pump since they seem to have a nasty habit of laying over between 80 and 100k. Might as well replace it now so it doesn't strand me later.

Would you believe the water pump was darn near the easiest part of the whole deal? Heck, it took longer to drain the cooling system than it did to replace the pump. A little tension on the belt was all that was needed when breaking loose or tightening the pulley bolts. Then drop the belt and removing the four water pump bolts is all that's left. Nothing else has to be removed or relocated for access - no brackets, no accessories, no wiring harness, nada. Tap out the old pump with a plastic mallet and some patience. It uses an O-ring so prepping the mating surface consists of wiping it with a clean cloth. Put a little antifreeze on the new pump to ensure the O-ring slides in without binding, then four bolts and it's back on (snugging the pump up to the block by sequentially hand-tightening the bolts). Reinstall the pulley and belt. Done. In an emergency I could probably have it replaced, not counting time to drain and refill the radiator, in about 10 minutes.

The thermostat? Two bolts and an O-ring. Done.

Fighting the stupid spring-style factory hose clamps was the worst part of the deal. The hoses came off without much complaining (I slit the heater hoses to get them off. I know better than trying to muscle them). Even the lower radiator hose, which looked like it was going to be a mother bear, ended up being a piece of cake. Getting pliers on the heater hose clamps was a challenge, but still more straightforward than I had figured it to be.

Now remember, I just drained the entire cooling system, replaced the water pump, the thermostat, the upper and lower radiator hoses, both heater hoses, refilled the system, let the car warm to temp, burped and topped off the system, took it for a test drive, and pulled it back in the garage to check for leaks.

Total time was a scant two hours. That's right... TWO!  

My hat is definitely off to the engineer responsible for the water pump and thermostat housing designs. Wow.

And I have my heater back.  

Brad

[Boomhauer]

It's a full size vehicle. Much easier to work on than a smaller vehicle (especially a front-wheel drive!)

Even my S-10 Blazer wasn't too bad, although it was more cramped.

[mfree]

This is why they still make crown vics for police and livery use. It's not about performance or "latest greatest", it's getting the county's only other (or only) cruiser back on the road 30 minutes after it comes into the shop with a toasted alternator.

[Phyphor]

That's like my 1972 Mercury Comet.... looks like Ford seems go back to the "If it ain't broke, don't fix it" thing from time to time.  Hell, the water pump on the comet might be a little worse to change, in fact.

And if I were you I'd lose those stupid spring-clip style hose clamps and just get the old fashioned "screw to tighten/loosen" kind.  Those tend to last longer and they're far easier to deal with, plus they don't have the annoying habit of going "PIIIIIING" and flying off in a random (and sometimes dangerous) direction.... All too often losing themselves in the engine bay.

[Nick1911]

I loved working on my 1989 Crown Victoria.  It had the standard Ford 302, and GOBS of engine bay space.

I'm pleasantly surprised to find that Ford didn't totally screw that up in the more recent design.

[Leatherneck]

God loves maintainability engineers. Good on Ford.

Was that a 5.8L engine?

TC

[Declaration Day]

You have an enormous rear wheel drive vehicle.    I have huge Chevy trucks for my business, and not only are most repairs as easy as you described, I can invite three friends to hang out under the hood while I do them.

My minivan, however is a different story.  The water pump went several months ago, and I was going to do the repair myself.  Even on most front wheel drive vehicles, the only real problem is squeezing your hands and tools into a tight space.  Not this time.  It's a Chrysler minivan with the old Mitsubishi 3.0L V6.  The water pump is virtually inside the engine, and it runs off the timing belt.  I had neither the time, patience or experience to do it. I found a very, very nice person who did it for $130 and a case of beer.  Had it not been for him, I would have probably junked the van, as it is not worth the cost of having the repair done professionally.

If you want a really, really easy vehicle to work on, get a Jeep CJ or YJ Wrangler.  I did all four shocks on my YJ the other day, in less than an hour, and didn't even have to jack it up or take the wheels off.

[SteveS]

If you want a really, really easy vehicle to work on, get a Jeep CJ or YJ Wrangler.  I did all four shocks on my YJ the other day, in less than an hour, and didn't even have to jack it up or take the wheels off.

The water pump on my Jeep Liberty was very easy to replace.  It was a pleasant surprise.

[Brad Johnson]

God loves maintainability engineers. Good on Ford.

Was that a 5.8L engine?

TC

Nope. 4.6L modular.  I've put water pumps on almost everything Ford every made, from lowly 4-bangers up to 460s (and even a 532 industrial).  This is LIGHT YEARS easier.  The pump assembly is really just a glorified blockoff plate that supports the impeller shaft.  It fits a machined hole in the block using an O-ring seal.  The hole in the block functions as the pump housing with the impeller protruding into it from the pump plate.  The entire assembly weighs maybe two or three pounds and ships, complete, in an 8"-square box.

Brad

[CNYCacher]

Talk about under-hood space.

I was a member of the auto-club at college, which was basically the "I fix my own cars, thanks" club.  We had a 4-bay garage on campus open to all members.

I'll never forget going in there one day and there is this huge old truck, jacked so high you can barely drive it in and out of the doors.  All well maintained and looking sweet.  I start talking about it and a guy is like "Yeah, that's Jenny's truck. . . she's under the hood right now taking a nap."

"HUH?" 

I walk over (couldn't look down into the engine bay unless you were close to it it was so high) and sure enough there is 95 lbs of woman and 5 lbs of grease curled up sound asleep wedged ever so delicately between a battery, a fender well and an exhaust manifold.  Socket wrench in one hand and a wispy brown ponytail sticking out of the back of a trucker's hat.

[Brad Johnson]

sure enough there is 95 lbs of woman and 5 lbs of grease curled up sound asleep wedged ever so delicately between a battery, a fender well and an exhaust manifold.  Socket wrench in one hand and a wispy brown ponytail sticking out of the back of a trucker's hat.

A gal who likes trucks, doesn't mind getting dirty, has a ponytail and wears a trucker's hat.  What's her phone number?

Brad

[Tallpine]

The pump assembly is really just a glorified blockoff plate that supports the impeller shaft.

That's the way it was on my old GMC V-6.

It took way longer to drain and refill coolant than it did to actually change the pump.  Good thing too - because I remember doing it once outside in a snowstorm.  Come to think of it, most of the repairs I made on that old truck (not a pickup) were in a snowstorm.

[Brad Johnson]

Come to think of it, most of the repairs I made on that old truck (not a pickup) were in a snowstorm.

Which is why I'd elected to replace the pump before it failed, not after. 

There's a very high probability it was going to fail between 80 and 100k.  That seems to be a constant for this particular part in this particular application.  I figure replacing it now at 86K is saving myself time and aggravation down the road (like being stranded in a snowstorm ).

People think my preventive maintenance regimen is a little nutty, but I go with probability.  If failure of that part is a probability at particular mileage or age range then I replace it just as I hit that range.  My Vic is a 2002 with 86k miles that's never missed a lick and was setting no fault codes (until Sunday, that is).  Yet, in the last year, I've replaced the plugs, IAC, O2 sensors, and water pump simply because I know they are prone to fail at about this age and mileage.  I'd much rather replace the parts in a nice day, in my own driveway, on my schedule, and with a full set of tools than be forced to do it at some aggravating and extremely inconvenient near-future time and place.

That's also why it's going to get a full set of COPs in the near future - the last of the critical electrics prone to failure in the 80-100k range.  Then a tranny flush and filter, differential service, and a full brake system flush.  That will be the end of my planned 80-100k preventive maintenance list

Brad

[Tallpine]

I should have mentioned that I used to live year round at 10,000' ASL in the Colorado rockies, so snowstorms weren't that unusual most any month of the year.

And that old jimmy probably had 300K miles on it, so it was probably due for a water pump by then ... 

[Brad Johnson]

And that old jimmy probably had 300K miles on it, so it was probably due for a water pump by then ... 

Ya think? 

Brad

[Parker Dean]

...Fighting the stupid spring-style factory hose clamps was the worst part of the deal...

Constant Tension Spring Clamps are actually superior to the traditional worm gear clamp because, as the name states, they provide a constant tension on the hose. Seems the hose will do a little number called "cold flow" and squeeze out from under the clamp resulting in a leak and the necessary retightening of the clamp. Warranty claims for minor leaks were one big reason why the OEM's went to spring clamps (Remember too, that when a vehicle goes in tot he shop the customer will also have a long list of other items to fix that they might otherwise ignore, but coolant leaks tend to get serviced on warranted cars.) They are not popular in the aftermarket since they must be sized properly, hence no part number consolidation (one part replaces a dozen or more OEM parts), and for the installers who tend to lack the appropriate tools and find them difficult to place.

[Brad Johnson]

Constant Tension Spring Clamps are actually superior to the traditional worm gear clamp because, as the name states, they provide a constant tension on the hose.

Yeah, I know.  Doesn't make them any more fun to deal with though.

Brad

[mfree]

Pretty sure there's a special set of pliers out there that makes working on the spring clamps much easier.

[Brad Johnson]

Pretty sure there's a special set of pliers out there that makes working on the spring clamps much easier.

There is and I don't have a pair.  But you can bet I'll be getting a set soon.

Brad

[Sylvilagus Aquaticus]

I stuck a thermostat in Ol' Hulsey Sunday. I took it out in the summer, but this wet rainy stuff reminded me that it was inevitible.  5 minutes, my new 180 degree thermostat, and some blue RVT and I was done. Would have taken less time, but I washed my hands after getting the housing off.

Earlier this year I stopped by to visit my mechanic, who had a newish Jetta in for a new waterpump. I thought at first it'd been in a wreck, because in order to expose the pump for replacement everything from the front license plate back to the engine block had to be removed.  I only thought my old '49 Ford flathead was bad, because each of the waterpumps was a front motormount as well. It killed my interest in gas engine Jettas, that's for sure.

 Regards,
Rabbit.

[Tallpine]

I try to "lose" spring clamps every chance I get, and replace them with s/s worm drive clamps.

The old push-pull light switch went out on one of our current GMCs, and I wasn't going to write a blank check to a garage that wouldn't even give me an estimate, so I bought a new aftermarket switch and proceeded into the bloody business of tearing apart the dashboard.  A little way in, I was checking to see how far I could reach my hand in there so far, and discovered the wiring harness plug was just about falling off the switch.  So I pushed it back on and now the lights work perfectly.

Still trying to decide whether to take the new switch back for a refund or keep it just in case .......... 

[jeepmor]

Pretty sure there's a special set of pliers out there that makes working on the spring clamps much easier.

Slip joints work pretty good, when you can actually reach the clamp.  When you can, you usually can't reach it with the special pair either.

Water pump, I have my mechanic do that nowadays on my Subaru.  I work on the jeep, the rest, I save for the pros. That one finally paid off when I lost a new timing belt moments after having it was replaced because of a failed bearing.  Glad I did not have to do that work again.