How to Install a Water Pump in a Ford F-Series

The Ford F-series includes several heavy duty truck models, including the F-150 through F550 trucks. Powering these immense vehicles produces a lot of engine heat that's cooled by the water pump. When the water pump stops working, so do you. Following some basic instructions for replacing your Ford F-Series truck's water pump makes this DIY job fairly simple.

Instructions

Remove the Fan Assembly

1

Lay out a drop cloth underneath the car to protect the floor or ground from coolant spills. Designate an area to lay out each part alongside its bolts and connecting hoses and wires.

2

Pop the hood and use a screwdriver to unscrew the clamp that connects the negative battery cable to the battery post.

3

Open the radiator cap slowly. Remove the drain plug located underneath the radiator with an adjustable wrench. Drain the fluid into a large container and dispose of it properly.

4

Use an adjustable wrench to remove the air cleaner assembly. Disconnect the lower radiator hose and overflow hose from the radiator, position them out of your way. Remove the coolant reservoir hose from the fan shroud.

5

Loosen the fan clutch assembly with the special fan clutch removal tools. Rotate the fan and clutch assembly slowly counterclockwise until they release from the water pump.

6

Place the entire assembly into the hole the fan shroud came out of. Remove the fan clips from the fan shroud, if it has any.

Remove the Water Pump

7

Elevate the Ford F-Series truck with a jack, using jack stands to shore up the jack. Place an engine support underneath the truck, position it under the motor, according to the manufacturer's instructions.

8

Disconnect the lower radiator hose clipped to the fan shroud. Move the jack stands, release the engine support and jack and bring the F-Series truck to the ground.

9

Remove the rest of the components in front of the water pump. This includes: the mounting bolts that still connect the fan and fan assembly, accessory drive belt, engine harness connected to the water pump mounting stud and bypass tube and A/C support bracket bolts. Set the bracket aside.

10

Unbolt and remove the pulley from the water pump. Also, remove the bypass tube from the pump.

11

Use the jack to elevate the Ford F-Series truck once again. Take off the underbody splash shield and lower radiator hose still connected to the water pump. Release the jack.

12

Take off the bolts on the water pump, which include nine bolts and stud bolts. Clean the surface of the mount.

Install the New Pump

13

Arrange the new gasket onto the water pump. Instead of sealant, Ford recommends lubricating your gasket with coolant. Hold the gasket in place on the new water pump as you mount the entire assembly on the area where the old pump sat on the F-Series.

14

Place the new stud bolts and nuts into the holes in the Ford F-Series water pump in a cross configuration beginning with the bottom bolt. Use a torque wrench to tighten with 18 foot pounds of torque.

15

Reassemble the other engine parts in the order they came off the Ford F-Series tightening key components with a torque wrench to the proper torque. The A/C support bracket bolts require 30 to 41 foot pounds and the stud 15 to 22 foot pounds torque. The water pump pulley bolts need 18 foot pounds torque, the fan shroud fasteners need 53 inch pounds torque and the fan clutch assembly bolts require 41 foot pounds torque.

16

Replace the radiator's drain plug and refill the radiator with the amount and type of coolant specified in your owner's manual. Attach the negative battery cable to the post and tighten the screw on the clamp.

17

Crank the engine and check for leaks. Close the hood and take the truck on a test drive.