The water pump on a Toyota 4Runner is a mechanical pump. This means that it does not require electricity to function, but the engine must still be running for it to work. The water pump forces the engine coolant throughout the engine to keep it at a certain temperature, and if it fails, the liquid cannot circulate properly and the Toyota will overheat. The procedure to replace the water pump will take you about two hours, and you can do it in front of your house. Before you begin a project of this nature, you will want to be sure the engine is cool.
Instructions
- 1
Place the drain pan under the valve on the radiator and drain the engine coolant by opening the valve with a wrench. Remove the fan shroud by loosening the bolts with a wrench. Loosen the adjusting bolt on the alternator by turning it counter-clockwise with a wrench. Lift the belt from the alternator pulley.
2Remove the belt from the power steering pump by loosening the idler pulley with a wrench. Loosen the hose clamp on the water pump hose and pull it away from the water pump. Remove the water pump mounting bolts using a socket and ratchet. Pull the water pump away from the engine. Scrape any remaining gasket material from the mounting surface with the scraper.
3Install a new gasket and water pump. Loosely install the mounting bolts to hold the water pump in place. Tighten the bolts to 27ft-pounds with the torque wrench. Put the belt on the power steering pump and tighten the idler pulley with a wrench. Place the belt on the alternator pulling and tighten the adjusting bolt with a wrench.
4Attach the hose to the water pump and tighten the clamp with the wrench. Add coolant to the radiator and reservoir. Start the 4runner to check for leaks.
