OEM 2003 Dodge Dakota Water Pump

2003 Dodge Dakota Water Pump Parts and Q&A

• Q: How to Remove and Install a Water Pump on a 3.9L/5.9L Engine on 2003 Dodge Dakota?

  A: To take out the water pump, unplug the battery negative cable, drain the cooling system and save any reusable coolant in a clean container. Wear safety glasses and make sure you have a special clamp tool (number 6094) or Snap-On clamp tool (number HPC-20) available whenever you service hose clamps. Take away the upper radiator hose and its clamp, followed by taking the thermal viscous fan drive off the hub shaft of the water pump by loosening the connecting nut counterclockwise. To do this, you need a Snap-On 36 MM fan wrench (number SP346) and special tool 6958 spanner wrench with adapter pins 8346 so the pulley can't rotate. During a water pump change, steer clear of removing the fan blade from the thermal viscous fan drive. Remove the hardware that holds the shroud in place, then remove the fan shroud and the fan blade/viscous fan drive in one piece and make sure the thermal viscous fan drive does not get stored horizontally. Then, remove the accessory drive belt, the lower radiator hose and the heater hose, uplift the heater hose coolant return tube mounting bolt to let you remove the old tube O-ring. Unscrew the seven water pump mounting bolts and relax the hose clamp at the water pump's side of the bypass hose, taking off the bypass hose and throwing out the old gasket. Be careful when cleaning the gasket mating surface, then examine the water pump for any signs of cracks, leaks or wear. During installation, clean the parts where the gaskets touch again, fit a new gasket onto the pump, guide the nipple through the bypass and secure the mounting bolts to a torque of 40 Nm (30 ft. lbs.). Install the bypass hose clamp, see that the pump impeller is not touching the timing chain case/cover and put a new antifreeze-coated O-ring onto the return hose end. Secure the return tube's bolt and then assemble the lower radiator tube and heater tube with the clamp. Fasten the accessory drive belt, put the fan shroud and fan blade/viscous fan drive assembly together and then put the fan shroud in place. Set the fan blade or viscous fan drive onto the water pump shaft, add water to the cooling system, fasten back the battery negative wire, start the engine and check for leaks.