changing the waterpump on a 99 durango

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Dave - 11 Mar 2008 15:58 GMT

I have a leaky waterpump on a 99 durango with the 5.9L engine. It looks
like I have to remove the radiator to pull the waterpump. Is there a
special trick to disconnecting the tranny cooler, either leaving it bolted
to the radiator and pulling it out, or disconnecting the tranny cooler from
the radiator from the radiator and leaving the tranny cooler in the car?
One of the tranny cooler lines looks like it will be very difficult to
disconnect and pull out with the radiator.

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Christopher D. Thompson - 11 Mar 2008 21:53 GMT

> I have a leaky waterpump on a 99 durango with the 5.9L engine. It looks
> like I have to remove the radiator to pull the waterpump. Is there a
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
> in the car? One of the tranny cooler lines looks like it will be very
> difficult to disconnect and pull out with the radiator.

why don't you use a 36mm fan wrench and take the fan off like is intended
and leave the radiator in? A couple of whacks with a rubber mallet on the
handle of the fan wrench and the fans come right off. thus giving you
plenty of room. Seems like i remember having to pull the fan/fan shroud
up at the same time though, maybe on a 4x4 model...it's been a while
since i done one.

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Chris

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Tom Lawrence - 12 Mar 2008 05:21 GMT

>I have a leaky waterpump on a 99 durango with the 5.9L engine. It looks
> like I have to remove the radiator to pull the waterpump.

Nope - just need to unbolt the fan shroud from the radiator. Remove the fan
and shroud together.

As to removing the fan itself, check and see whether your waterpump pulley
is bolted to the pump (there will be four bolts around the center of the
pulley), or if it's pressed on. I know the '00s are pressed on, not sure
about the '99s.

If it's bolted on, you just need the 36mm fan wrench to remove it, as you
can hold back on the pulley via one of the mounting bolts. If it's pressed
on, you'll need a spanner wrench to keep the pulley from turning (there are
holes in the face of the pulley for the spanner prongs).

You may get lucky, and the belt tension may be enough to hold the pulley
while you smack the wrench to loosen the clutch nut - however, this wasn't
the case on my friend's '00 Durango.... sucker was on there TIGHT. It
broke two of my in-house-custom-made spanner wrenches... pays to rent the
correct tool. If you do, make SURE it's designed for a pressed-on pulley...
most of the kits are made for bolt-on pulleys (they assume you'll have some
bolts to grab on to).

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