🔧 Durango - Water Pump Replacement

The water pump circulates coolant through your engine and radiator. When it leaks or the bearing fails, the engine can overheat fast, so replacing it is a “fix it now” repair.

Assumption: Your Durango has the 3.6L Pentastar with an electric radiator fan and standard OAT coolant.

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

---

⚠️ Safety & Precautions

• ⚠️ Work only on a fully cool engine; hot coolant can cause severe burns.
• ⚠️ Disconnect the negative battery cable to prevent the electric fan from turning on unexpectedly.
• ⚠️ Support the vehicle with jack stands; never rely on a floor jack alone.
• ⚠️ Keep coolant off belts and pulleys; it can cause belt slip.
• ⚠️ Dispose of used coolant properly; it’s toxic to people and animals.

---

🔧 Required Tools

You'll need the following tools for this repair:

• Safety glasses
• Nitrile gloves
• Floor jack (rated 3-ton minimum)
• Jack stands (rated 3-ton minimum)
• Wheel chocks
• Drain pan (10-quart minimum)
• Funnel
• Trim clip remover
• Flathead screwdriver
• Pliers
• Hose clamp pliers (specialty)
• Ratchet (3/8-inch drive)
• Socket set: 8mm, 10mm, 13mm, 15mm
• Extension set (3-inch and 6-inch)
• Torque wrench (in-lb, 20–200 in-lb range)
• Torque wrench (ft-lb, 10–150 ft-lb range)
• Serpentine belt tool (specialty)
• Gasket scraper
• Shop rags

---

🔩 Required Parts

HowToo sells all the parts you need for this repair:

• Water pump - Qty: 1
• Water pump gasket / seal - Qty: 1
• Engine coolant (OAT, 50/50 premix or concentrate + distilled water) - Qty: 2-3 gallons
• Serpentine belt - Qty: 1 (optional but smart if worn/cracked)
• Hose clamp set - Qty: 1 (optional if clamps are weak/corroded)

---

📋 Before You Begin

• Park on level ground, set the parking brake, and chock the rear wheels.
• Let the engine cool completely (at least 2–3 hours).
• Disconnect the battery negative cable using a 10mm socket.
• Raise the front and place it securely on jack stands.
• Take a photo of the belt routing.

---

🔨 Step-by-Step Instructions

Follow these steps in order:

Step 1: Remove the lower splash shield

• Use a trim clip remover and 8mm socket to remove the fasteners holding the lower splash shield.
• Set the shield and fasteners aside in a small pile so nothing gets lost.

Step 2: Drain the coolant

• Place a drain pan under the radiator drain (petcock).
• Open the petcock slowly using pliers or a flathead screwdriver (varies by style).
• Remove the coolant reservoir cap to help it drain faster.
• When drained, close the petcock snugly (do not overtighten; it’s plastic).

Step 3: Remove the air intake duct (for working room)

• Loosen the hose clamps using an 8mm socket (or flathead screwdriver depending on clamp type).
• Lift out the intake duct/resonator and set it aside.

Step 4: Remove the serpentine belt

• Install a 15mm socket on the belt tensioner bolt.
• Rotate the tensioner to relieve belt tension, then slip the belt off one pulley.
• Slowly release the tensioner back to rest.
• Serpentine belt tool (specialty) is a long, thin handle that helps you reach the tensioner in tight spaces.

Step 5: Disconnect coolant hoses from the water pump

• Use hose clamp pliers (specialty) to compress the spring clamp, then slide it back on the hose.
• Twist the hose gently by hand to break it free, then pull it off.
• Have shop rags ready—more coolant will spill.

Step 6: Remove the water pump

• Remove the water pump mounting bolts using a 10mm socket and ratchet.
• Support the pump as the last bolt comes out, then pull the pump straight off.
• If it sticks, tap lightly with the handle of a ratchet; do not pry hard on aluminum surfaces.

Step 7: Clean the sealing surface

• Use a gasket scraper to carefully clean the engine’s mating surface.
• Wipe clean with shop rags.
• Don’t gouge the aluminum—scrape gently.

Step 8: Install the new water pump

• Install the new gasket/seal onto the new pump (match the original orientation).
• Position the pump and start all bolts by hand to avoid cross-threading.
• Tighten bolts evenly in a crisscross pattern using a 10mm socket.
• Torque to 12 Nm (106 in-lb) using an in-lb torque wrench.

Step 9: Reconnect hoses

• Push hoses fully onto their fittings.
• Use hose clamp pliers (specialty) to reinstall the clamps in the same position as before.

Step 10: Reinstall the serpentine belt

• Route the belt using your photo (or the under-hood belt routing label).
• Rotate the tensioner with a 15mm socket and slip the belt into place.
• Double-check the belt is seated in every pulley groove.

Step 11: Reinstall the intake duct and splash shield

• Reinstall the intake duct and tighten clamps with an 8mm socket.
• Reinstall the lower splash shield using an 8mm socket and trim clip remover.

Step 12: Refill and bleed the cooling system

• Lower the vehicle off the jack stands using the floor jack.
• Reconnect the battery negative cable using a 10mm socket.
• Fill the coolant reservoir using a funnel with the correct OAT coolant mix.
• Start the engine and set HVAC to heat: HI heat and fan medium.
• Let it idle until warm, watching the temperature gauge and checking for leaks.
• Shut it off, let it cool, then top off the reservoir to the correct mark.

---

✅ After Repair

• Inspect for leaks around the water pump and hose connections with the engine running.
• Take a short drive, then recheck coolant level after the engine cools.
• Verify the heater blows hot and the temperature gauge stays normal.
• If you hear belt squeal, recheck belt seating on every pulley.

---

💰 DIY vs Shop Cost

Shop Cost: $700-$1,200 (parts + labor)

DIY Cost: $120-$320 (parts only)

You Save: $380-$1,080 by doing it yourself!

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