DIY 2nd Gen Water pump replacement

DIY 2nd Gen water pump.

This write up is for information only, I take no responsibility for damages, and it is your choice to perform work on your vehicle. I purchased parts from rockauto.com. Please use common sense, don’t work on your truck when the engine is hot.


Tools needed:
Socket extension, Ratchet , 10mm, 12mm, 14mm socket, Vise grips , Flat head, Thread lock.

Parts:
Thermostat with black housing (do not buy just the thermostat once I removed it and looked at the one they sent me it is not correct), Water pump w/ gasket (Aisin is what I used), thermostat O ring, water pump O ring, new radiator hoses (optional), hose clamps (optional).


Step 1.
Remove the Radiator top shroud.


Step 2.
Empty the radiator fluid the peacock is next to the driver side tire. Take care not to break it.
Empty the coolant in the engine, there is a drain plug on each side of the engine block.


Step 3.
Remove the top and bottom radiator hose, remove radiator hose from over fill tank.


Step 4.
Unbolt the fan from the water pump, unbolt the fan shroud, holding both lift up and out of engine compartment.



Step 5.
It is optional to remove the air box all the way to the throttle body but not required, I did not do this.


Step 6.
Remove serpentine belt.





Step 7.
Unbolt water pump in a star pattern, and thermostat assembly. Look in picture of water pump. Use your hand to feel around for hidden bolts. The upper assembly where the top radiator hose attaches to has two hidden bolts, one on each side of the bottom. Also you’ll need to move the belt tensioner to get to the bolt behind it. Unbolt 2 pulleys.





Step 8.
Place towels to catch excess coolant from water pump. Remove water pump . it’s a little tricky with the upper assembly but you can manage to slide it out. Next remove water pump gasket.






Step 9.
With new water pump add the O ring, remove old thermostat w/ housing and place in new O ring and thermostat w/ housing (you can see the black housing in pic one).



OEM water pump is made by Aisin.



so is the block.

Step 10.
Repeat steps in reverse for installing water pump. Bolt with a little thread lock and in star pattern, Do not over torque the bolts, and it would seem like they’ll keep spinning.



New pump new pulley's.

Step 11.
Fill radiator with Toyota super long life coolant, or whatever one is compatible. Start engine with heater on full, thermostat is at 180-185 degree’s to open. Warm up, cool down, add more coolant. I.E. Burp the system. You are more than welcome to flush the radiator and engine, but my coolant was pink, clean, and non burnt smelling.

 

wow no one even cares.

 

of course we care...nice job and great sharp pictures too...thanks...hopefully i wont have to do this for quite a while. this should be stickied

 

Thanks, the whole job cost the equivilent of a water pump bought from the dealer.

Water pump $92
Thermo w/shroud $31
Thermo gasket $2
Water pump O ring $1.50
Coolant $50 or reuse

 

Good job Ken!!!!

 

Ken, how many miles on the Taco when the water pump went bad? Great job and nice write up.

 

Yea, what he said! How many miles?

Nice write up with pics!

 

nice write up! + rep'd

 

the pump went out around 85k, but searching theforums shows that itsbeen going out at low miles, like between 10-100k which is a large spread.

 

That sure is one strange looking water pump

 

THANX KEN. Well Im going to replace the wifes truck water pump tomorrow. She only has 54,000 miles on it. I had to replace mine at 80,000. Great pics as well.

 

good post

what were the symptoms?

Never had a water pump go bad -- i guess the engine temp light comes on and it either the thermostat or the pump

 

Nice write up.

 

Water pump usually "fails" by form of leak, or by making noise. Never seen the fins actually fail.

 

Just replaced my water pump this weekend, this thread was extremely usefull and saved me a mechanic bill. Thanks!

 

I know this is an old thread but where did you get the parts from? Do you possibly have the part #'s.

 

I got mine cheapest from Rock Auto and Amazon.com

4.0L V6

$116 Aisin WPT-802 New Engine Water Pump with Gaskets - Compatible with Select Toyota 4Runner, FJ Cruiser, Tacoma, Tundra

Aisin WPT-802 Engine Water Pump (comes with Gasket)
Sold by: Amazon.com LLC

Dayco 7PVK2120 Serpentine Belt
Sold by: Amazon.com LLC

Stant 48778 XACTStat 180 Degrees Fahrenheit Thermostat (comes with gasket)
Sold by: Amazon.com LLC

x2

$40 Gates 36173 DriveAlign Belt Drive Idler/Tensioner Pulley

Gates 36173 Idler Pulley - Amazon
x1

$97 Gates 38411 DriveAlign Automatic Belt Drive Tensioner

Gates 38411 Belt Tensioner - Amazon
x1

$71 Gates 36174 Idler Pulley

Gates 36174 Idler Pulley - Amazon

Coolant Outlet O-Ring FEL-PRO 35654 - Rock Auto

I think that covers it. Please don't hate me if I missed a gasket and you have your rig torn apart :]

 

subed for future use.. nice write up

 

Every time I've replaced a timing belt, the suggestion was to also replace the water pump. Would this be a lot of the similar steps a timing belt/chain replacement would require? Does it make any sense to change the timing belt/chain on the truck at the same time?

 

Totally different.

Tacoma water pumps are driven by the serpentine belt which is comparatively easy to get to. For vehicles that use the timing belt to drive the water pump (common example: every pre-2006 Honda Civic), since the lifetime of the water pump will probably not be two timing belts (lots of cars this is 200k+ miles), and it's a lot of labor cost to take it apart that far, it's cheap insurance to change it out when you're in there.

We have timing chains. Good for a quarter million or more miles.