🔧 Water Pump - Replacement

The water pump circulates coolant through your engine to keep temperatures under control. If it leaks, makes noise, or your temperature runs high, replacement is the correct repair. On your Ram, this job means draining coolant, removing the belt drive parts, swapping the pump, then refilling and bleeding the cooling system.

Difficulty Level: Intermediate | Estimated Time: 3-5 hours

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⚠️ Safety & Precautions

• Let the engine cool completely before opening the cooling system. Hot coolant can cause serious burns.
• Disconnect the negative battery cable before working near the belt drive and fan area.
• Keep hands, tools, and clothing away from the serpentine belt and rotating pulleys.
• Use a drain pan and clean up spills right away. Coolant is toxic to people and pets.
• Dispose of used coolant properly.

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🔧 Required Tools

You'll need the following tools for this repair:

• 8mm socket
• 10mm socket
• 13mm socket
• 15mm socket
• Ratchet
• Short extension
• Torque wrench
• Serpentine belt tool
• Drain pan
• Flat blade screwdriver
• Plastic trim tool
• Funnel
• Jack and jack stands
• Safety glasses
• Gloves

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🔩 Required Parts

HowToo sells all the parts you need for this repair:

• Water pump - Qty: 1
• Water pump gasket - Qty: 1
• Engine coolant - Qty: 1-2 gallons
• Serpentine belt - Qty: 1
• Thermostat gasket - Qty: 1

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📋 Before You Begin

• Park on level ground and set the parking brake.
• Let the engine cool to ambient temperature.
• Disconnect the negative battery cable.
• Take a photo of the belt routing first.

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🔨 Step-by-Step Instructions

Follow these steps in order:

Step 1: Drain the coolant

• Place a drain pan under the radiator drain area.
• Use a flat blade screwdriver to open the radiator drain and lower the coolant level below the water pump.
• Close the drain when coolant stops flowing.

Step 2: Remove intake ducting and access covers

• Use an 8mm socket to loosen intake tube clamps if they block access.
• Remove the engine cover by lifting it straight up.

Step 3: Remove the serpentine belt

• Use a serpentine belt tool to rotate the tensioner and release belt tension.
• Slip the belt off and set it aside.

Step 4: Remove shroud and front accessories as needed

• Use an 8mm socket and 10mm socket to remove the fan shroud fasteners and clips.
• Move the shroud out of the way for access.
• Work slowly to avoid breaking clips.

Step 5: Remove the water pump pulley

• Use a 13mm socket to remove the pulley bolts.
• Hold the pulley steady as you remove the last bolt.

Step 6: Remove the water pump

• Use a 13mm socket and ratchet to remove the water pump bolts.
• Pull the pump away from the engine and let residual coolant drain into the pan.
• Remove all old gasket material with a plastic scraper.

Step 7: Install the new water pump

• Position the new gasket and new water pump on the engine.
• Start all bolts by hand using a 13mm socket and ratchet.
• Tighten the bolts evenly in a crisscross pattern.
• Torque to 11 Nm (97 in-lbs) for the water pump bolts.

Step 8: Reinstall pulley and belt drive parts

• Reinstall the pulley with a 13mm socket.
• Torque to 25 Nm (18 ft-lbs) for the pulley bolts.
• Reinstall the serpentine belt using the routing photo you took earlier.
• Use the serpentine belt tool to load the tensioner and slip the belt into place.

Step 9: Reinstall shroud, intake, and cover

• Reinstall the fan shroud with the 8mm socket and 10mm socket.
• Reinstall the intake tube and engine cover.
• Reconnect the negative battery cable.

Step 10: Refill and bleed the cooling system

• Use a funnel to refill with the correct coolant mix.
• Fill to the proper level in the coolant reservoir.
• Start the engine and let it idle with the heater on hot.
• Watch for air bubbles and top off as needed.
• Install the reservoir cap once the level stabilizes.

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✅ After Repair

• Check for leaks around the water pump, hose connections, and drain plug.
• Verify the belt tracks correctly and there is no squeal.
• Bring the engine to operating temperature and watch the gauge.
• Recheck coolant level after the first heat cycle.

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💰 DIY vs Shop Cost

Shop Cost: $650-$1,050 (parts + labor)

DIY Cost: $140-$260 (parts only)

You Save: $510-$790 by doing it yourself!

Shop labor rates vary but typically run $100-$150/hour. This repair takes a shop approximately 3-5 hours.

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🎯 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.