How do you replace the water pump on a 1987 Ford Aerostar 6 cylinder?

Answer 1

If it is anything like the 92 Aerostar, you have to remove the air filter hose, then remove the fan shroud, then remove the fan and pully (along with the belt, then you can unbolt the water pump and it will come straight out toward the radiator because of the impeller shaft on the inside. It is about a 4 hour job for an intermediate mechanic.

Ford Aerostar Water Pump replacement Engine Size: 3.0 V6 Front Wheel Drive

Total time with new belts and hoses, 2.5 hours. I did it on 11/25/2006 for my pops.

Parts and Supplies Needed:

New Water Pump Water Pump Gasket Water Pump Gasket Glue Blue Loctite RTV (I Used Orange) Wire Wheel on Drill (to clean corroded bolts) 13 mm and 8 mm sockets w/ extensions Optional : new belts

Air tools are helpful if you have them.

Large and small ratchets

Where do you start? - drain coolant from lower radiator hose, keep it disconnected - remove top radiator hose - remove airtube from throttle body and airbox, put it aside - remove the fan (turn clockwise with wrench , jam a pulley to keep it from rotating, hit wrench with hammer, loosen it off the mount and keep it there for now. - remove two upper fan shroud screws and remove fan and shroud at same time - remove belts by loosening alternator and loosening Power Steering pump, remove small plastic serp belt pulley to remove serp belt. (13mm socket) (DRAW DIAGRAMS!!!) - remove pulley with impact driver (13mm wrench)

Remove the water pump by undoing all bolts - keep track of which bolt went where (DRAW DIAGRAMS!!! Trace the new pump and poke holes where the screws go.) - clean all bolts with wire wheel if needed - remove the water inlet feed on the old pump

Remove pump when all bolts are out - clean entire gasket surface - use razor blade - dry surfaces

Prepare the new water pump and gasket: - apply gasket goop to the engine side of the water pump gasket - apply goop to the pump side surface of the water pump ITSELF!

Installing new water pump: - make sure engine block surface side is clean - stick the gasket to the surface lining up holes - put the pump on, have bolt in hand to thread in and hold it - torque all bolts down, I do it by feel - reinstall the inlet hose to the new pump

NOTE!

On all bolts going into the pump use rtv on the smooth surface of the bolt and use blue loctite on the threads!!!

Let it sit for about an hour or so, look at your fine mess and appreciate a day�s work.

Then�.

- Reinstall the pulley on the pump - reinstall the belts in correct order (small one first towards the engine) - fat one towards the front., reinstall plastic pulley to keep it all together

Tension the alternator to take up slack in Serp belt. Tension the power steering pump with a �� drive ratchet in the square hole to leverage tighten the accessory belt, hold pressure and tighten bolts simultaneously.

Flush your cooling system at this point in time with a garden hose and sprayer.

Reinstall and secure all cooling system hoses - lower radiator hose - upper hose

Reinstall the air tube

Fill cooling system up with coolant and 50% water

Get in, turn engine on and let it idle to operating temps, check for leaks.

If you suspect a false leak drive it for 20 minutes and come back.

Job well done. Not that hard for a day�s work.