How-to: V8 Waterpump and Timing Chain Replacement

[V8BoatBuilder]

Vehicle is my 1997 Mercury Mountaineer, 160,000 miles. The truck had a growing coolant leak from the front seal in the waterpump. My plan had been to simply replace the pump, but a broken bolt (read on...) caused me to tear down into the timing cover.

The job took me several weeks, but only about 20 hours. Most of that was due to the broken bolt.

Parts Needed, Waterpump Only:
1) New Waterpump. I used Motorcraft #PW343. Included Gasket.
2) New Serpentine Belt. Motorcraft #JK6942AA
3) Lower Radiator Hose: Gates #21909
4) Upper Radiator Hose: Gates #22310
5) Pump to Oil Cooler Hose: See Below Comments Below, Autozone #"397" or "14-2565-2 M 61326"
6) New Stainless Steel Worm Drive Clamps, Various sizes
7) Blue RTV Sealant
8) Gasket Remover Goop

Parts Needed for Timing Chain, in addition to above:
9) Double Roller Timing kit, including Chain, Cam Gear, Crank Gear. Cloyes #C3057X
10) Timing Cover Gasket Kit, Fel-Pro #TCS45449

Special Tools Needed for Waterpump Replacement
1) 36mm Fan Clutch Wrench. Pep Boys "Performance Tool" P/N: W80585 Note, the Autozone Loan-A-Tool wrench is not a true 36mm. See Below
2) 72mm Fan Clutch Wrench, Autozone Loan-A-Tool #OEM: P/N 27141
3) Thread Restorer/Bottoming Tap Set, Autozone Loan-A-Tool #

Special Tools Needed for Timing Chain Replacement, in addition to above
4) Harmonic Balancer Puller Kit, Autozone Loan-A-Tool #
5) 2-Jaw Gear Puller, Autozone Loan-A-Tool #

You also need a good torque wrench.

STEP ZERO: FINDING THE RIGHT TOOLS
No job on my Mountaineer is without difficulty, and this waterpump change was filled with surprises. First one was that the Autozone Loan-A-Tool fan clutch removal tool was not a true 36mm.

My "diagnostics" were originally posted in this thread: http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=209262

I found success at Pep Boys, with their "Ford 4.9L fan clutch kit" Performance Tool" P/N: W80585

The difference is staggering! (Pep Boys wrench on bottom)

Picture of the pulley holder, it's an odd tool:

As always, work on your truck at your own risk. Please use common sense before following my directions. Please disconnect the battery, wear proper safety gear, and THINK!

 

[V8BoatBuilder]

STEP ONE: Pepare
Remove the air intake tube, disconnecting the Intake Air Temp (IAT) sensor, and breather hose. Disconnect the battery.

STEP TWO: Drain the Cooling System
On the V8s, there is a drain petcock on the lower passenger side of the radiator. Put a small section of 1/4" clear plastic tube over the petcock, and run it into an old container. Put a drainpan under everything, as the petcock leaks when opened. Remember, Antifreeze is very toxic and attracts animals like dogs. Your local Auto Parts store collects and recycles it. Expect to drain out about 4 gallons of antifreeze. Drain out the overflow tank as well.

STEP THREE: Remove Fan Clutch From Waterpump
Place the 36mm wrench on the clutch nut, and the 72mm holder on the waterpump pulley bolts. I braced the pulley bolt holder against the frame using a ratchet, and then put a cheater bar on the 36mm wrench. For reference, pull the wrench on the fan clutch to the passenger side while holding the pulley stationary to loosen it up.

The fan clutch should then spin off the waterpump threads, let it hang in the shroud.

Fan Removed, Showing 36mm Clutch Nut:

STEP FOUR: Remove Fan Shroud & Radiator Hoses
Once the radiator is drained, remove the lower radiator hose from the radiator and oil cooler, then the upper radiator hose from the radiator and thermostat. Keep the drain pan handy.

The fan shroud is held in by two 8mm bolts, about 4" down, and two clips about 16" down. Once the bolts are loose, the fan shroud can be uncliped by pulling straight up. The fan and clutch assembly will come out as well.

More room to access everything with the fan and shroud removed:

The glove over the thermostat housing adds -10 degrees of cooling power and +10hp. I also removed the upper idler pulley, and later the belt tensioner pulley for easier access. The Idler is a 14mm bolt, the tensioner is 10mm.

STEP FIVE: Remove Waterpump
This deep into the ol 302, bolts aren't metric anymore! The nine holding the waterpump in are 5/16-coarse, and therefore have heads that take a 6pt 1/2" socket. Please be careful removing them, I broke one, and turned my simple waterpump job into something much bigger.

Remember the position of the bolt, it matters, they are not the same! Some bolts go into the aluminum timing cover, others pass through the timing cover and go into the iron block.

Picture of the timing cover, after the pump has been removed:

I chose the simply cut the small hose between the pump and the oil cooler with a utility knife since I was replacing it, but you could try and save it by pulling it off with the waterpump.

Here is where I ran into another snag, one of the bolts that passes through the timing cover broke, flush with the TC.

My process for remedying the situation is described in the following thread:
http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=209508

 

[V8BoatBuilder]

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[V8BoatBuilder]

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[V8BoatBuilder]

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[lizardflats]

I also had a major headache trying to replace the water pump in our ’96 Explorer 5L V8. The car only has 70,000 miles on it, but being 20 years old it’s starting to have various failures. The water pump bearing failed, causing the belt to get thrown and cut through the idler pulley.

After pulling the fan/clutch, fan shroud, idlers, tensioner, and hoses, I bravely started on the water pump bolts. 7 of them came out without issue. The 8th one was VERY stiff, but repeated heat/cool cycles and liberal amounts of PB Blaster got it moving a little and I was carefully able to get it out.

The last bolt wasn’t so cooperative. After many cycles of heating and applying PB Blaster, it felt like it was going to cooperate and come out, but instead it snapped off at the head. At least I was able to get the pump off now. There was about ½ inch of stud sticking out of the timing cover, but even several days of repeated soaking in PB Blaster wouldn’t loosen the stud enough to get it out with my vice grips. I took it to my favorite local shop, but even with their special stud extractor tools and a big torch, they couldn’t get it out either.

Their quote to take the timing cover was over $2500 because they said they have to pull the engine to get the oil pan off, otherwise the oil pan gasket would probably get damaged and I’d always have an oil leak. I just started a new office job and don’t have the time or patience to pull the timing cover myself the way many of you have.

The broken stud was the right hand most stud on the top row (as you look at the pump). Same one as in the bottom photo of post #2 here. Since there are two bolts pretty close to it, I decided to try just putting it together with lots of RTV and hope it sealed up. So far, it’s been holding OK. At least now all the pulleys, tensioner, fan clutch, and belt are new as well.

After a week of driving, I’m happy to report that there aren’t major leaks, although I got a few drops when shutting down after a longer commute for the first few days. I might need to do some JB Weld application around the pump/block seam at the broken bolt and in the bolt hole where the broken stud is to make sure water can’t seep out the bolt hole.