The water pump on your Buick once removed resembles a mini fan. When the engine is running the serpentine belt continually spins the water pump's pulley which attaches to its mini fan blades. As the water pump spins, it forces the circulation of coolant throughout the entire cooling system. If the water pump fails, the coolant becomes stagnant and the engine begins to immediately over heat. The water pump is a necessity to your engines performance. You can remove it from your 1995 Buick if it's defective right at home. The job should take no more than 90 minutes to do.
Instructions
- 1
Raise the hood on your Buick. Disconnect the negative battery cable with a socket wrench and then remove the radiator cap. Slide a coolant drain pan beneath the radiator directly under the drain plug. Loosen the drain plug by turning it counterclockwise until coolant starts to flow out of the radiator. Allow the coolant to completely drain then close the drain plug.
2Locate the water pump on the side of the engine. It sits directly below the alternator. Squeeze the little tabs together on the spring tension clamp on the radiator hose connected to the water pump with a pair of pliers. Drag the clamp back on the hose 5 inches.
3Slide the coolant drain pan over so that it's beneath the water pump. Pull the radiator hose off its connection on the water pump. Allow any remaining coolant in the hose to drain into the drain pan below.
4Locate the small tensioner pulley. It mounts just above and to the left of the water pump, between the alternator and the power steering pump. Place an 18-mm box end wrench over the nut on the face of the tensioner pulley. Rotate the pulley upward to relieve its tension on the serpentine belt and then take the belt off the water pump's pulley, only. Release the tensioner pulley and remove the wrench.
5Remove the four bolts holding the water pump's pulley in place with your socket wrench. Set the bolts and the pulley to the side of your work area.
6Remove the eight bolts from around the base of the water pump with your socket wrench. Place all of the bolts in a safe location separated from the pulley's bolts.
7Pull the water pump away from the side of the engine using both hands. If its seal does not come off with it use a plastic putty knife to scrape the seal off the mounting area. Discard the seal and set the old water pump to the side of your work area. Wipe down the water pump's mounting area with a shop rag.
