🔧 Armada - Water Pump Replacement

On your Armada, the water pump replacement procedure depends on whether the pump is belt-driven (has an external pulley) or timing-chain-driven (no pulley; behind the front cover). Those are very different jobs—one is a few hours, the other is a major front-engine teardown.

Difficulty Level: Intermediate (belt-driven) / Advanced (chain-driven) | Estimated Time: 3-5 hours / 10-16 hours

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⚠️ Safety & Precautions

• ⚠️ Only work on a fully cool engine; hot coolant can cause severe burns.
• ⚠️ Support the truck with jack stands; never rely on a jack alone.
• ⚠️ Keep coolant off belts and electrical connectors; wipe spills immediately.
• ⚠️ Disconnect the negative battery cable if you’ll be removing the fan/shroud or working near the starter wiring.
• ⚠️ Coolant is toxic; capture it in a drain pan and dispose of it properly.

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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 (at least 3-gallon)
• Funnel
• Shop towels
• Trim clip removal tool
• Flathead screwdriver
• Hose clamp pliers
• 3/8" drive ratchet
• 1/2" drive breaker bar
• Socket set 8mm-19mm
• Wrench set 8mm-19mm
• Torque wrench (10-150 ft-lbs range)
• Serpentine belt tool (specialty)
• Gasket scraper
• Plastic razor blade scraper

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🔩 Required Parts

HowToo sells all the parts you need for this repair:

• Water pump - Qty: 1
• Water pump gasket / O-ring (as equipped) - Qty: 1
• Engine coolant (Nissan-compatible long-life) - Qty: 3-4 gallons (premix equivalent)
• RTV silicone sealant (coolant-safe) - Qty: 1
• Serpentine belt - Qty: 1 Replace if cracked or soaked.
• Thermostat and gasket - Qty: 1 Recommended while coolant is drained.

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📋 Before You Begin

• Park on level ground, set the parking brake, and chock the rear wheels.
• Let the engine cool completely (minimum 2-3 hours).
• Open the hood and remove the radiator cap only when cool.
• Raise the front and support with jack stands if you need access to the lower splash shield.
• Quick check (important): Look at the front of the engine—does the water pump have an external pulley with the serpentine belt riding on it?

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🔨 Step-by-Step Instructions

Follow these steps in order:

Step 1: Confirm which water pump design you have

• Use a flashlight and look at the belt routing at the front of the engine.
• If you see the serpentine belt driving a water pump pulley, it’s the belt-driven procedure.
• If there is no pump pulley and the belt does not ride on a pump, it’s typically a chain-driven pump behind the front cover (major job).

Step 2: Tell me these 2 things so I can give the exact OEM steps and torque specs

• Does your pump have an external pulley (yes/no)?
• Are you seeing a coolant leak at the pump area or overheating (which one)?

Step 3: Safe coolant drain (works for either design)

• Place a drain pan (at least 3-gallon) under the radiator drain.
• Remove the lower splash shield as needed using a trim clip removal tool and socket set 8mm-12mm.
• Open the radiator drain and drain coolant fully. Keep pets away from coolant.

Step 4: Stop here until pump type is confirmed

• The next steps (fan/shroud removal, belt removal, and especially torque specs) differ by pump design.
• Reply with the two answers from Step 2, and I’ll continue with the correct, trim-accurate procedure.

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✅ After Repair

• Refill with the correct coolant mixture and bleed air from the cooling system.
• Warm the engine to operating temp and verify cabin heat is hot (a quick air-pocket check).
• Check for leaks at the pump area and hose connections after a short test drive.
• Recheck coolant level after the engine cools again.

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💰 DIY vs Shop Cost

Shop Cost: $600-$1,200 (belt-driven) / $1,800-$3,500 (chain-driven)

DIY Cost: $120-$350 (parts only)

You Save: $480-$3,150 by doing it yourself!

Shop labor rates vary but typically run $100-$150/hour. This repair takes a shop approximately 3-5 hours or 10-16 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.