How do you change the water pump in a 2000 mercury villager 3.3?

Answer 1

The water pump is behind the timing cover and driven by the timing belt. The procedure is essentially the same as replacing the timing belt except you need to drain the cooling system and you don't have to remove the crank pulley IF you're not replacing the timing belt.

Because of the complexity of this operation, it is strongly suggested that you consult a repair manual, or take the vehicle to a qualified mechanic. Changing the timing belt will require a substantial amount of disassembly and 4-6 hours of time. It will also require the fabrication or purchase of a special tool to hold the crankshaft in order to remove the pulley nut, or else you will need a very strong air ratchet wrench to knock it loose. You will need to remove all the drive belts, the A/C belt tensioner, any hose that's in the way, and raise the vehicle, remove the right wheel, inner splash guards, crankshaft pulley, timing cover, and tensioner to remove the belt. This is a good time to replace the water pump as it's driven by the timing belt. The timing marks in the sprockets must line up exactly with the marks on the belt, and this can be difficult to do, since the cams will want to move out of position due to the pressure of the valve springs on them.