🔧 Accord - Water Pump Replacement

The water pump circulates coolant through your Accord’s engine and radiator. If it’s leaking, noisy, or not pumping well, replacing it prevents overheating and engine damage.

Difficulty Level: Intermediate | Estimated Time: 2-4 hours

---

⚠️ Safety & Precautions

• ⚠️ Let the engine cool completely before opening the cooling system.
• ⚠️ Support the car with jack stands—never rely on a floor jack alone.
• ⚠️ Coolant is toxic—catch it in a drain pan and keep away from kids/pets.
• ⚠️ Keep fingers/clothes clear of the belt path when rotating the tensioner.
• ⚠️ Battery disconnect is recommended to prevent accidental starts.

---

🔧 Required Tools

You'll need the following tools for this repair:

• Safety glasses
• Nitrile gloves
• Wheel chocks
• Floor jack (rated 3-ton minimum)
• Jack stands (rated 3-ton minimum)
• 19mm socket
• 3/8" drive ratchet
• 3/8" drive extensions (3" and 6")
• 10mm socket
• 12mm socket
• 14mm socket
• Torque wrench (10-100 ft-lbs range)
• Flat-blade screwdriver
• Hose clamp pliers
• Plastic scraper
• Brake cleaner spray
• Drain pan (at least 2 gallons)
• Funnel
• Shop towels

---

🔩 Required Parts

HowToo sells all the parts you need for this repair:

• Water pump - Qty: 1
• Water pump O-ring / gasket - Qty: 1
• Honda Type 2 coolant (premixed) - Qty: 1-2 gallons
• Serpentine drive belt - Qty: 1 (smart to replace if cracked)

---

📋 Before You Begin

• Park on level ground, set the parking brake, and place wheel chocks behind the rear wheels.
• Disconnect the battery: use a 10mm socket to remove the negative terminal and set it aside.
• Lift the right-front corner with a floor jack and support with jack stands.
• Remove the right-front wheel using a 19mm socket.

---

🔨 Step-by-Step Instructions

Follow these steps in order:

Step 1: Drain the coolant

• Place a drain pan under the radiator drain area.
• Remove the radiator cap (only when cold).
• Open the radiator drain (petcock) carefully using a flat-blade screwdriver if needed, and let coolant drain fully.
• Close the drain when finished.

Step 2: Remove the lower splash shield (if equipped)

• Use a flat-blade screwdriver to release clips, and a 10mm socket for any bolts holding the splash shield.
• Set hardware aside in a small tray so nothing gets lost.

Step 3: Remove the serpentine belt

• Locate the belt tensioner.
• Use a 14mm socket and 3/8" ratchet on the tensioner bolt and rotate to relieve belt tension.
• Slip the belt off one pulley, then remove it completely.
• A tensioner “relieves belt pressure.”

Step 4: Remove the water pump pulley

• Hold the pulley from turning by keeping tension on it with your hand.
• Use a 10mm socket to remove the pulley bolts, then remove the pulley.

Step 5: Remove the water pump

• Place the drain pan under the water pump area—more coolant will spill.
• Use a 10mm socket and extensions to remove the water pump mounting bolts.
• Pull the pump straight off. If it’s stuck, tap gently with the palm of your hand—do not pry hard against the aluminum surface.
• Remove the old O-ring/gasket from the engine side.

Step 6: Clean the sealing surface

• Use a plastic scraper to clean old residue from the engine’s sealing surface.
• Spray a little brake cleaner spray on a towel and wipe the surface until clean and dry.
• Plastic scraper helps avoid gouging aluminum.

Step 7: Install the new water pump

• Install the new water pump O-ring / gasket onto the new pump (lightly wetting it with coolant can help it seat).
• Position the pump onto the engine and hand-start all bolts.
• Tighten evenly with a 10mm socket.
• Torque to 12 N·m (9 ft-lbs) using a torque wrench.

Step 8: Reinstall the water pump pulley

• Install the pulley and hand-start the bolts.
• Tighten with a 10mm socket.
• Torque to 12 N·m (9 ft-lbs) using a torque wrench.

Step 9: Reinstall the serpentine belt

• Route the belt around the pulleys the same way it came off.
• Use a 14mm socket and ratchet to rotate the tensioner and slide the belt on.
• Double-check the belt is seated fully in every pulley groove.

Step 10: Reinstall splash shield and wheel

• Reinstall the splash shield using a 10mm socket and flat-blade screwdriver for clips.
• Reinstall the wheel and snug lug nuts using a 19mm socket.
• Lower the car from the jack stands using the floor jack.
• Tighten lug nuts in a star pattern with a torque wrench: Torque to 108 N·m (80 ft-lbs).

Step 11: Refill and bleed the cooling system

• Reconnect the battery negative terminal using a 10mm socket.
• Fill the radiator with Honda Type 2 coolant (premixed) using a funnel.
• Fill the overflow reservoir to the MAX line.
• Start the engine and let it idle with the heater set to HOT.
• Watch the coolant level and add as needed as air burps out.
• Let the engine reach operating temperature and wait for the radiator fan to cycle at least once.
• Install the radiator cap, then shut the engine off and check for leaks.

---

✅ After Repair

• Check for leaks around the water pump and under the car after the first warm-up.
• After a full cool-down, recheck coolant level in the radiator and reservoir and top off if needed.
• Listen for belt squeal; if present, confirm the belt is seated correctly on every pulley.
• Dispose of old coolant properly (most parts stores accept used coolant).

---

💰 DIY vs Shop Cost

Shop Cost: $450-$850 (parts + labor)

DIY Cost: $80-$220 (parts only)

You Save: $230-$770 by doing it yourself!

Shop labor rates vary but typically run $100-$150/hour. This repair takes a shop approximately 2-4 hours.

---

🎯 Ready to get started?

HowToo makes it easy: same-day/2-day shipping on every part, plus all the tools and specialty tools you need! Check out the parts and tools sections below to add everything to your cart.