🔧 Durango - Water Pump Replacement

The water pump circulates coolant through your engine and radiator. When it leaks or the bearing fails, you can overheat quickly, so replacing it promptly helps protect the engine.

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

---

⚠️ Safety & Precautions

• ⚠️ Only work on a fully cool engine; hot coolant can cause severe burns.
• ⚠️ Support the SUV with jack stands; never rely on a floor jack alone.
• ⚠️ Keep hands clear of the electric cooling fan; it can turn on unexpectedly.
• ⚠️ Clean spilled coolant immediately; it’s toxic and attractive to pets.
• 🔋 Battery disconnect is recommended if your hands/tools will be near the fan or wiring.

---

🔧 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 (at least 3-gallon)
• 3/8" drive ratchet
• 3/8" drive extensions (3" and 6")
• Metric socket set (8mm, 10mm, 13mm, 15mm)
• Serpentine belt tool or long 3/8" breaker bar
• Torque wrench (3/8" drive)
• Flathead screwdriver
• Hose clamp pliers
• Trim clip removal tool
• Gasket scraper or plastic razor scraper
• Shop rags
• Brake cleaner spray
• Spill-free coolant funnel kit (specialty)

---

🔩 Required Parts

HowToo sells all the parts you need for this repair:

• Water pump - Qty: 1
• Water pump gasket / O-ring seal - Qty: 1
• Engine coolant (Mopar OAT 50/50 premix, purple) - Qty: 2-3 gallons
• Serpentine belt - Qty: 1 Optional but smart if cracked.
• Upper radiator hose clamp - Qty: 1 Optional if yours is weak.

---

📋 Before You Begin

• Park on level ground, set the parking brake, and chock the rear wheels.
• Let the engine cool completely (overnight is best).
• Disconnect the negative battery cable using a 10mm socket.
• Raise the front and support it securely on jack stands.
• Place a drain pan under the radiator area.

---

🔨 Step-by-Step Instructions

Follow these steps in order:

Step 1: Drain the coolant

• Remove the lower splash shield as needed using a trim clip removal tool and 8mm socket.
• Open the radiator drain (petcock) if accessible, or loosen the lower radiator hose clamp using hose clamp pliers and carefully crack the hose loose.
• Let coolant drain into the drain pan.

Step 2: Remove the intake ducting for access

• Loosen intake clamps using a flathead screwdriver.
• Remove the air inlet duct/airbox pieces as needed using a 10mm socket.

Step 3: Remove the cooling fan/shroud assembly (if it blocks access)

• Unplug the fan electrical connector by releasing the lock tab by hand or with a flathead screwdriver.
• Remove fan/shroud fasteners using a 10mm socket, then lift the assembly out carefully.
• Electric fans can be tight; go slow.

Step 4: Remove the serpentine belt

• Rotate the belt tensioner using a serpentine belt tool or long 3/8" breaker bar on the tensioner drive.
• Slip the belt off the easiest-to-reach pulley and slowly release the tensioner.
• Take a photo of the belt routing before removal for an easy reinstall.

Step 5: Remove the water pump pulley

• If the pulley bolts are easiest with the belt still on, crack them loose first using a 13mm socket, then finish after belt removal.
• Remove the pulley bolts using a 13mm socket and take the pulley off.
• Torque to 28 Nm (21 ft-lbs) during reassembly.

Step 6: Disconnect hoses from the water pump

• Release hose clamps using hose clamp pliers.
• Twist the hose gently to break it free, then pull it off the water pump.
• Catch leftover coolant with the drain pan and use shop rags.

Step 7: Remove the water pump

• Remove the water pump mounting bolts using a 10mm socket with a 3/8" drive ratchet and extensions.
• Note bolt locations if any are different lengths (lay them out in order on a towel).
• Pull the water pump straight off; a small amount of coolant will spill.

Step 8: Clean the sealing surface

• Carefully clean the timing cover mating surface using a gasket scraper or plastic razor scraper.
• Finish with brake cleaner spray on a shop rag until clean and dry.
• Do not gouge the aluminum surface.

Step 9: Install the new water pump

• Install the new gasket/O-ring onto the new pump.
• Position the pump and start all bolts by hand to avoid cross-threading.
• Tighten evenly in a crisscross pattern using a 10mm socket.
• Final tighten with a torque wrench (3/8" drive): Torque to 21 Nm (15 ft-lbs).

Step 10: Reinstall pulley, belt, and fan

• Install the pulley and bolts using a 13mm socket, then torque wrench: Torque to 28 Nm (21 ft-lbs).
• Route the belt and rotate the tensioner using the serpentine belt tool or long 3/8" breaker bar, then release slowly.
• Reinstall the fan/shroud using a 10mm socket and reconnect the fan connector.
• Reinstall the intake ducting using a flathead screwdriver and 10mm socket.
• Reinstall the splash shield using a trim clip removal tool and 8mm socket.

Step 11: Refill and bleed the cooling system

• Lower the SUV off the stands using the floor jack.
• Reconnect the negative battery cable using a 10mm socket.
• Fill the coolant reservoir and radiator fill point using a spill-free coolant funnel kit (specialty) with Mopar OAT 50/50 premix.
• Start the engine and set HVAC to full heat; let it idle until the thermostat opens and heat blows hot.
• Top off as the level drops, then install the cap once bubbles stop.

---

✅ After Repair

• Warm the engine to operating temperature and confirm the temp gauge stays normal.
• Inspect for leaks at the water pump and hose connections with a flashlight.
• After your first drive and full cool-down, recheck coolant level and top off as needed.
• If you had an overheating or coolant-temp light, scan for codes and confirm none return.

---

💰 DIY vs Shop Cost

Shop Cost: $750-$1,250 (parts + labor)

DIY Cost: $180-$420 (parts only)

You Save: $330-$1,070 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.