Jeep Wrangler TJ Water Pump Replacement

TJDave

TJDave

TJ Enthusiast
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This thread should guide you through replacing the water pump and thermostat (optional) on your Jeep Wrangler TJ.

Before reading this thread, please take a look at this thread as well, since it's very informative:
Jeep Wrangler TJ Cooling System Overhaul FAQ

Hardware Needed:
You can also find the part numbers listed below each item (broken down by year and engine), as well as a link to purchase them on Amazon and support this forum in the process.

Note that the majority of the parts I am linking to below are OE Mopar parts. I can't stress enough that you use OE Mopar parts (especially in regards to the water pump) when it comes to replacing anything in your cooling system. There have been so many documented issues with water pumps and other cooling system replacement parts purchased from AutoZone, O'Reiley's, and other local auto part stores. The replacement parts they sell you are sub-par, cheap Chinese crap. Save yourself the hassle of having to do the job twice and stick with OE Mopar parts (which I've linked to below). They may cost more, but believe me when I say, it's worth it, especially in regards to something as important as your cooling system.
Tools Needed: (I used all metric here, no guarantee some of these aren't standard)
  • Factory Service Manual (FSM) used for torque settings
  • 1/2" Breaker Bar
  • Inch lbs. Torque Wrench
  • Middle Range Torque Wrench
  • 11mm socket
  • 13mm socket
  • 14mm socket
  • Gasket Scraper
  • Wire Brush
  • Channel Locks
  • Large Crescent
  • Optional: Stant Pressure Tester

Procedure
I'm not going to bother typing it out. In this say and age, we have something marvelous called YouTube (and videos in general). That being said, check out this step-by-step video on how to replace the water pump in your Jeep Wrangler TJ:

 
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hey any advice on how to remove / break loose the fan nut it just keeps turning the clutch and I can't get good purchase to hold the pulley while turning the nut ccw
 
Jacobs said:
hey any advice on how to remove / break loose the fan nut it just keeps turning the clutch and I can't get good purchase to hold the pulley while turning the nut ccw
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It's a 36mm nut on the fan clutch. A large adjustable wrench will work. You do not need to remove the pulley from the water pump in order to remove the fan clutch. Actually I'd make sure everything is still together, including the fan belt and then get a 13mm open end wrench, a large adjustable wrench, and a hammer.

Then place the 13mm open end wrench on one of the right pulley bolts (facing the engine) and then place the large adjustable wrench on the 36mm nut on the fan clutch. Then while applying downward pressure on the 13mm open end wrench hit the large adjustable with the hammer and it should pop the nut loose and you can then spin the fan/fan clutch off.
 
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Nice right up - Is there a torque value for the bolts on the water pump pulley? I have Alldata and googled it, coming up empty. I've stripped and broke so many bolts in my younger years that I use a torque wrench on almost everything.

Your write up is really thorough so I'm guessing just a tighten 'em up but again, I'd hate to snap a bolt in a new Mopar water pump and I'd also hate to not torque them enough and have one come loose, 'gulp', bounce off the fan and hit the new radiator I'm also installing.

2001 Jeep TJ Sport, 4.0l, auto trans - pretty much stock.
 
AZSobo said:
Nice right up - Is there a torque value for the bolts on the water pump pulley? I have Alldata and googled it, coming up empty. I've stripped and broke so many bolts in my younger years that I use a torque wrench on almost everything.

Your write up is really thorough so I'm guessing just a tighten 'em up but again, I'd hate to snap a bolt in a new Mopar water pump and I'd also hate to not torque them enough and have one come loose, 'gulp', bounce off the fan and hit the new radiator I'm also installing.

2001 Jeep TJ Sport, 4.0l, auto trans - pretty much stock.
Click to expand...

20 ft/lbs. is the torque spec for those bolts. So just a little over hand tight really!
 
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Went with 25 ft/lbs. - felt ok but might back them off.
Is that in the shop manual? Couldn't find it anywhere, have both the 2001 Shop Manual and Alldatadiy (use Alldatadiy more, just easier to search but less complete) In both for replacing the water pump, the pulley is mentioned in Removal section but not Installation and as far as I can find that is the only place the water pump pulley is listed.
 
No, it's just what I've used on mine, and what I was told by someone else. In all reality, they aren't supposed to be very tight. 25 ft/lbs will be more than fine.
 
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No problem at all! I can always get a feel for what S bolt torque should be based off the size of a bolt. For instance, when you've got a tiny 10mm bolt head, you know that it should never be more than about hand tight.

However, when you've got a huge 19mm bolt head, you can expect that it's going to be more than just hand tight.
 
hey im having a hard time loosening the 36mm bolt, it is just squealing the pulley really bad, and it seems to be moving the pully intead of breaking free.
 
I use a big strap wrench to prevent the pulley from spinning as I loosen the nut. If the strap wrench slips, flip it around since it only holds in one direction. Caution that most strap wrenches are not big enough for that pulley, you need a big one. I found my strap wrench in the Home Depot plumbing department. The strap wrench for sale in their tool department wasn't big enough.
 
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Very cool! Sounds like once it's all said and done, you'll be able to have another 100k plus miles of confidence in your cooling system. Always a nice feeling to have, especially on long road trips.
 
The stant superstat thermostat doesn't have a breather hole like the original. i have the 45359 no. thermostat for my 05 wrangler. even says so on the box. anyone else ever notice this? is there a special orientation for this?
 
I'm a little late but it's easy to hold the pulley still with a big strap wrench. I hold the strap wrench with my right hand and pull on the big crescent wrench with my left hand, pops the big nut right off. Lefty-loosey, righty-tighty. :)

A BIG one with a long strap like this one. Sometimes you have to go into the plumbing department to find the big strap wrenches, it seems tool departments often only carry smaller strap wrenches which aren't usually big enough for the fan pulley.

Empire-Locking-Strap-Wrench.jpg
 
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tony'sgfhasajeep said:
Hey chris so the stant superstat thermostat doesn't have a breather hole like the original. i have the 45359 no. thermostat for my 05 wrangler. even says so on the box. anyone else ever notice this? is there a special orientation for this?
Click to expand...

I don't believe it matters. When I put mine in (it was a while ago, so I can't even remember), I just put it in and called it a day.

@Jerry Bransford might know better than I do. I honestly can't remember off the top of my head.
 
tony'sgfhasajeep said:
Hey chris so the stant superstat thermostat doesn't have a breather hole like the original. i have the 45359 no. thermostat for my 05 wrangler. even says so on the box. anyone else ever notice this? is there a special orientation for this?
Click to expand...
No special orientation is needed for the SuperStat. It has a couple v-notches inside that are there to bleed any air present out. Not that the TJ's 4.0 needs them, it is self-bleeding.
 
That's what I thought. I just put mine in, didn't worry about it at all.
 
Great write up. My only area for bitching is that YouTube kid ChrisFix's reassembly order. He says to pit the thermostat back on before the water pump - do that and you won't be able to get your water pump back on (at least with my 05).
 
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