Assumption: Your QX60 uses the VQ35-style internal (timing cover) water pump; access requires removing the front engine cover and working with the timing chain.

🔧 QX60 - Water Pump Replacement

The water pump circulates coolant through the engine and radiator to prevent overheating. On your QX60, the pump sits behind the front engine cover and is driven by the timing chain, so this is a deep repair with careful sealing and timing-mark handling.

Difficulty Level: Advanced | Estimated Time: 6-10 hours

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⚠️ Safety & Precautions

• 🛑 Work on a cold engine only; hot coolant can cause severe burns.
• 🧯 Disconnect the negative battery terminal before starting to prevent accidental cranking.
• 🧱 Support the vehicle with jack stands; never rely on a floor jack alone.
• 🧤 Keep hands clear of pinch points around the crank pulley and belt path.
• 🧼 Cleanliness matters: dirt in the timing cover can shorten engine life.
• 🧩 Do not rotate the engine with the timing chain loose; you can lose valve timing.

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🔧 Required Tools

You'll need the following tools for this repair:

• Floor jack (rated 3-ton minimum)
• Jack stands (rated 3-ton minimum)
• Wheel chocks
• Safety glasses
• Nitrile gloves
• Drain pan (10-quart minimum)
• Metric socket set (8mm-19mm)
• Metric wrench set (8mm-19mm)
• 3/8" drive torque wrench (10-80 Nm range)
• 1/2" drive torque wrench (60-250 Nm range)
• Breaker bar (1/2" drive)
• Angle gauge (specialty)
• Crank pulley holding tool (specialty)
• Crank pulley puller (specialty)
• Serpentine belt tool (14mm)
• Flat trim clip tool
• Razor scraper
• Plastic gasket scraper
• RTV applicator nozzle
• Shop rags
• Brake cleaner spray
• Paint marker
• Zip ties
• Funnel
• Spill-free coolant funnel kit (specialty)

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🔩 Required Parts

HowToo sells all the parts you need for this repair:

• Water pump - Qty: 1
• Water pump O-ring / gasket - Qty: 1
• Front cover RTV sealant (engine-safe) - Qty: 1
• Engine coolant (Nissan/INFINITI-compatible long life) - Qty: 2-3 gallons (premix equivalent)
• Crankshaft pulley bolt - Qty: 1
• Serpentine drive belt - Qty: 1
• Thermostat gasket - Qty: 1
• Radiator drain plug gasket - Qty: 1

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📋 Before You Begin

• Park on level ground, set the parking brake, and place wheel chocks behind the rear wheels.
• Let the engine cool fully (at least 2-3 hours after driving).
• Disconnect the negative battery cable using a 10mm socket.
• Gather a paint marker and zip ties; you’ll use these to keep timing chain position. (A zip tie is a plastic strap that holds parts together temporarily.)

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🔨 Step-by-Step Instructions

Follow these steps in order:

Step 1: Drain the coolant

• Place a drain pan (10-quart minimum) under the radiator drain.
• Open the radiator drain using a pliers or flat trim clip tool as needed, and remove the radiator cap by hand to speed draining.

Step 2: Raise the right-front corner and remove splash shields

• Lift the right-front with a floor jack (rated 3-ton minimum) and support with jack stands (rated 3-ton minimum).
• Remove the right-front wheel using a 19mm socket.
• Remove the inner fender liner / splash shield clips with a flat trim clip tool and bolts with an 10mm socket.

Step 3: Remove the serpentine belt

• Rotate the belt tensioner using a serpentine belt tool (14mm) and slip the belt off.
• Tip: Take a quick belt-routing photo.

Step 4: Remove the crankshaft pulley

• Install the crank pulley holding tool (specialty) to keep the crank from turning.
• Loosen the crank bolt using a breaker bar (1/2" drive) and correct metric socket for the crank bolt.
• Remove the pulley using a crank pulley puller (specialty).

Step 5: Set cylinder #1 to TDC and mark the timing

• Rotate the engine clockwise using a breaker bar (1/2" drive) on the crank bolt (temporarily installed) until timing marks align (Top Dead Center).
• Mark the timing chain-to-sprocket relationship using a paint marker.
• Add zip ties to hold the chain to the sprockets so it can’t slip.

Step 6: Remove the front engine cover

• Remove obstructing brackets/bolts using a metric socket set (8mm-19mm) and metric wrench set (8mm-19mm).
• Remove the front cover bolts using a 10mm socket and 12mm socket.
• Carefully break the RTV seal and remove the cover using a plastic gasket scraper.
• Clean mating surfaces with a razor scraper, then wipe with brake cleaner spray and shop rags.

Step 7: Remove the timing chain tension from the water pump area

• Relieve/remove the water-pump-side timing chain tensioner (as equipped) using a 10mm socket.
• Keep your paint marks aligned and chain zip-tied in place.
• Torque to 12 Nm (9 ft-lb) on reinstall for small timing cover/tensioner bolts.

Step 8: Remove the water pump

• Remove water pump bolts using a 10mm socket.
• Pull the water pump straight out; expect more coolant to drain into the drain pan (10-quart minimum).
• Remove the old O-ring/gasket and clean the sealing area using a plastic gasket scraper.

Step 9: Install the new water pump

• Install the new O-ring/gasket on the new pump by hand.
• Install the pump and start bolts by hand to avoid cross-threading.
• Tighten water pump bolts in a crisscross pattern using a 3/8" drive torque wrench (10-80 Nm range).
• Torque to 12 Nm (9 ft-lb) for typical VQ35 water pump bolts.

Step 10: Re-seal and reinstall the front cover

• Apply a continuous bead of RTV using an RTV applicator nozzle (follow sealant instructions for bead size and skin time).
• Install the cover carefully without smearing the bead.
• Tighten cover bolts evenly using a metric socket set (8mm-19mm).
• Torque to 12 Nm (9 ft-lb) for typical small front cover bolts.

Step 11: Reinstall crank pulley and belt

• Install the crank pulley and NEW crank bolt by hand first.
• Hold the crank with the crank pulley holding tool (specialty).
• Tighten the crank bolt using a 1/2" drive torque wrench (60-250 Nm range).
• Torque to 180 Nm (133 ft-lb), then angle-tighten an additional 60 degrees using an angle gauge (specialty).
• Reinstall the serpentine belt using a serpentine belt tool (14mm).

Step 12: Reinstall splash shields and wheel

• Reinstall splash shields using an 10mm socket and clips with a flat trim clip tool.
• Reinstall the wheel using a 19mm socket.
• Tighten lug nuts with a 1/2" drive torque wrench (60-250 Nm range).
• Torque to 113 Nm (83 ft-lb) for typical INFINITI/Nissan 12x1.25 lug nuts.

Step 13: Refill and bleed the cooling system

• Lower the vehicle from the jack stands (rated 3-ton minimum) using the floor jack (rated 3-ton minimum).
• Refill coolant using a spill-free coolant funnel kit (specialty) and funnel.
• Reconnect the battery using a 10mm socket.
• Start the engine and set HVAC to hottest temp with fan on low.
• Let the engine warm up and watch for air bubbles in the funnel; top off as needed.
• Shut down, let it cool, then recheck the reservoir level and fill to the MAX line.

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✅ After Repair

• Check for leaks around the front cover and water pump area with a flashlight after the first warm-up.
• Verify the heater blows hot air (this confirms coolant circulation through the heater core).
• After a short test drive, let the engine cool and recheck coolant level again.
• If you hear rattling from the front cover area, shut off immediately and recheck timing-chain tensioner installation.

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💰 DIY vs Shop Cost

Shop Cost: $1,200-$2,200 (parts + labor)

DIY Cost: $180-$450 (parts only)

You Save: $750-$1,900 by doing it yourself!

Shop labor rates vary but typically run $100-$150/hour. This repair takes a shop approximately 6-10 hours.

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🎯 Ready to get started?

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