Water pump

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Ian_Olivas

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When I replace my water pump do I drain my coolant? I just filled it cause my hose broke I don't want to buy more so soon
 

bhonshell37

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You will lose coolant once the water pump is removed.

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Ram Lover

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When I replace my water pump do I drain my coolant? I just filled it cause my hose broke I don't want to buy more so soon
Yes you need to drain some, use a clean bucket so you can reuse it, drain it from the port at the bottom left or right of the radiator

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Ian_Olivas

Ian_Olivas

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Yes you need to drain some, use a clean bucket so you can reuse it, drain it from the port at the bottom left or right of the radiator

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So the reason I need to change it is because I found coolant leaking from the bottom of the engine and I was told that it's either from the thermostat gasket or the water pump. Would it only be leaking cause of these two things? And how do I find out for sure. I can see the coolant drips directly under the water pump but it's like really far down. So I don't know if it's running all the way down or coming out the crack where these two pexcess of metal are bolted on to
 

MADDOG

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To find out for sure, have the cooling system pressure tested. That will expose the leak pretty quickly. If it is coming out from behind the water pump then the pump is the culprit.

Old hoses can leak under pressure as well.
 

lharrell79

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It could be the water pump gasket, thermostat gasket, or possibly the pump bearing. Best thing to do would be to clean the area really well, rinsing off all of the coolant. Then, with the area clean and dry, start the truck and let the engine get up to temp. Keep checking to see where it starts leaking from.
 

BigBlue05

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if its leaking from the thermostat gasket you should be able to see it.
 
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Ian_Olivas

Ian_Olivas

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It's. I ming directly from the water pump but I don't know how to tell it's the while pump needing replacement or the gasket only. Also I have a power stesting leak too lol. I think this leak is caused by my rack and pinion. My friends brother noticed that my power steering fluid is being shot back up to the reservoir and leaking out the cap but it's also leaking from the hose that goes to the rack and pinion and on the end that goes the power steering cooler and from this big ass bolt right under the rack and pinion. It's just a mess with that thing
 

usaf2006

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Might as well replace your water pump even if it was just the gasket. For about $150 you can do the whole job, at least it's what I paid to do it myself. No point in going a gasket alone, refill with coolant only to find out it was the pump that was bad. If your truck is over 100k mines, it's just one of those things that go bad.
 

CostaRam

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The leak can be also from a corroded fusion opening plug.
As already said, clean your engine very well, let it dry, start it and and look where the leak is.
As you changed the hose and the leak appeared after my first guess is that it's there.
Chris
 

lharrell79

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I agree with CostaRam. Since you just had a hose changed recently, that would be the first place to start. The leak could very easily be coming from higher up and then trickling down a hose to the bottom of the motor.
 

Core-Lokt

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The leak can be also from a corroded fusion opening plug.
I had this happen. I replaced a water pump only to have another leak ~ a year later. I can't prove it, but I suspect it might've been due to having to use "universal" anti-freeze rather than G-05. In small towns, you take what you can get and that's all they had.
 
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Ian_Olivas

Ian_Olivas

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Yea im at 204,000 miles on my truck. And i paid 50 for the pump tomorrow after class I'm going to change it out. Any tips on what I need to know? And I also did clean it up and can visibly see the coolant streaks come from the pump. It's very hard to see with everything in the way but once you see it you can tell right away. After tomorrow I gotta find a fit for my other leak lol only bad thing about a older truck. Thank you guys for all the knowledge and help
 

usaf2006

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Take your time doing it. Trace the new pump on some card board and as you take bolts off the old one, put them on the cardboard where they're supposed to go. Lots of bolts with different lengths etc. Makes it easier to remember.

I have a picture of what I'm talking about in my build thread linked in my signature.
 

bulrid8

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Freeze plugs

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Blue_Smoke13

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I'm assuming you've already completed your project. For future reference, the water pump on the 4.7 has a purge valve on the top that will displace coolant if the pump is malfunctioning.

To find out if it is malfunctioning, pressure check your coolant system (you can borrow the tools from AZ or Advance), wait a few minutes, look for coolant on the top of your water pump (about 1-2 o'clock).

I'd replace thermostat, thermostat gasket, and water pump gasket while you've got it off. That's so you don't have to drain the coolant again. It's also recommended you replace the fan clutch because they both have the same service life, and you've got to take the fan assembly off to get to the water pump. (Water Pump should be $45-50, fan clutch is an additional $45-50).

I recently changed out my water pump and got a bad fan clutch from the store. So I'm with a new pump and old fan clutch. Because sometimes you've gota live a little.
 
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Ian_Olivas

Ian_Olivas

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San Antonio,Tx
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I'm assuming you've already completed your project. For future reference, the water pump on the 4.7 has a purge valve on the top that will displace coolant if the pump is malfunctioning.

To find out if it is malfunctioning, pressure check your coolant system (you can borrow the tools from AZ or Advance), wait a few minutes, look for coolant on the top of your water pump (about 1-2 o'clock).

I'd replace thermostat, thermostat gasket, and water pump gasket while you've got it off. That's so you don't have to drain the coolant again. It's also recommended you replace the fan clutch because they both have the same service life, and you've got to take the fan assembly off to get to the water pump. (Water Pump should be $45-50, fan clutch is an additional $45-50).

I recently changed out my water pump and got a bad fan clutch from the store. So I'm with a new pump and old fan clutch. Because sometimes you've gota live a little.
Yea I did it the 10th or 11th can't remember exactly but it runs and doesn't leak anymore I just have the damn power steering leak now. And I did not replace the fan clutch I still have the original on but I did replace the serpentine belt because that was original and on rainy days when I drive over a puddle the water would cause the old belt to slip and i temporary lost power steering until it caught back again. It rained today and I drove over puddles and kept my power steering so that's a plus lol
 

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