The water pump is the heart of your car's cooling system. It transports water that was cooled in the radiator to the engine block. Once the cooled water has gone through the engine block, it goes back to the pump and back again to the radiator. The water pump is attached directly to the engine block, and operates through centrifugal force. If the water pump isn't pumping, the coolant will remain stagnant and the engine will over-heat. In this case, you'll have to remove your car's water pump. Locating the water pump is quite easy. Just follow the hoses that are attached to the radiator to the other end, and you'll find the water pump. The water pump gets its pumping power via a belt that connects it to the alternator [source: Freudenberger]. Here's how to remove your car's water pump.
- Turn off the car engine.
- Let the engine cool down. The water in the system must be completely cool.
- Open the valve on the bottom of the radiator and drain the water from the system. Place a pan under the drain to catch the water. Make sure the system is totally drained before proceeding.
- Loosen the alternator from its mounting brackets.
- Remove the drive belts that are attached to the water pump.
- Loosen the water pump from its mounts and remove the engine pulley fans.
- Disconnect all the hoses that are attached to the water pump.
- Loosen all the screws and bolts that are holding the pump in place and remove the pump [source: Schappell].
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