How to Remove the Water Pump in a 2001 Chevrolet Silverado

The 2001 Chevrolet Silverado base model came with a 4.3-liter six-cylinder engine and a five-speed manual transmission. The water pump is mounted on the front of the engine, just below the intake manifold. The water pump drive is driven by the crankshaft via the serpentine belt and is also responsible for providing rotational power to the engine cooling fan. The No. 1 thing working against your engine is the excessive heat built up by friction and combustion, so it is imperative to replace a faulty water pump before driving the vehicle even a short distance.

Instructions

Park the vehicle on a level surface and set the parking brake. Lift the vehicle hood and support it with the hood prop rod (if equipped). Allow the engine to cool completely before continuing.

Lift the front of the truck into the air with the floor jack. Place the jack stands under the front frame rails of the truck and lower the floor jack until the truck rests securely on the jack stands. Loosen the coolant pressure cap one quarter-turn to relieve the cooling system pressure. Once the pressure is completely relieved, remove the coolant pressure cap.

Place the large drain pan under the right side of the radiator. Loosen the radiator drain cock until coolant begins to pour from the radiator drain valve. Once all the coolant is drained, tighten the radiator drain cock. Remove the drain pan and store it in a safe place for later disposal.

Place the second drain pan under the rear of the engine toward the driver's side wheel. Remove the left coolant drain plug with the hex bit and ratchet. Once all of the coolant has drained, remove the right coolant drain plug with the hex bit and ratchet and allow the rest of the coolant to drain. Both coolant drain plugs are about six inches below the cylinder head, on the side of the block, about mid-center of the rear cylinders.

Clean the threads of the coolant drain plugs with the wire brush and apply a thin layer of thread sealer to each plug. Install the coolant drain plugs back into the engine block and tighten to 15 foot-pounds with the hex bit and torque wrench. Remove the drain pan and store it in a safe place.

Disconnect the PCV hose at the air intake tube. Loosen the clamp securing the air intake tube to the mass airflow sensor with the screwdriver. Remove the wing nut that secures the air intake resonator to the throttle body. Tilt the air intake resonator toward the front of the engine and remove the air intake resonator and air intake tube.

Remove the bolts securing the upper fan shroud to the lower fan shroud and radiator core support with the socket and ratchet. Lift the fan shroud out of the engine bay.

Place the fan clutch holding tool onto the water pump pulley bolt heads. Place the fan clutch wrench onto the fan clutch. Rotate the fan clutch nut clockwise using the fan clutch holding tool to prevent counter-rotation of the water pump pulley. Remove the fan and fan clutch from the engine bay.

Draw out a sketch of the belt routing with a pen and paper. Place the 3/8-inch ratchet head into the square opening on the belt tensioner and rotate the tensioner counterclockwise to relieve the belt tension. Slide the belt from around the tensioner pulley and slowly release the tensioner to its natural position. Remove the serpentine belt from the crankshaft and engine accessories.

Locate the short, curved coolant bypass hose right above the water pump. Squeeze each of the pressure clamps with the pliers and slide them to the middle of the hose. Remove the coolant bypass hose. Squeeze the clamp for the radiator hose at the water pump and slide the clamp up the radiator hose. Remove the radiator hose from the water pump.

Place the fan clutch holding tool over the bolts on the water pump pulley. Loosen the opposite bolts with the socket and ratchet; keep pressure on the fan clutch holding tool to prevent the pulley from rotating. Place the holding tool on the loosened bolts and keep pressure on the holding tool while loosening the opposite pulley bolts. Remove all four pulley bolts and remove the pulley from the water pump.

Remove the four water pump mounting bolts and remove the water pump from the engine. Remove the water pump gaskets and clean the mating surface at the engine with the wire brush.

Clean the water pump mounting bolts with the wire brush and apply a thin coat of thread sealant to the bolts. Install the new water pump and water pump gaskets to the engine. Tighten the mounting bolts to 33 foot-pounds of torque.

Install the water pump pulley to the new water pump. Tighten the pulley bolts to 18 foot-pounds with the torque wrench and fan clutch holding tool. Install the coolant bypass hose and slide the pressure clamps to each end of the hose. Install the radiator hose to the water pump and slide the pressure clamp into place.

Inspect the serpentine belt for any cracks, fraying or glazing and replace as necessary. Route the serpentine belt around the engine accessories according to the sketch made previously. Rotate the tensioner counterclockwise and slide the belt around the tensioner pulley. Slowly release the tensioner to apply tension to the belt.

Thread the fan and fan clutch onto the water pump drive shaft in the counterclockwise rotation. Place the torque wrench head into the square hole on the fan clutch wrench and tighten the fan clutch to 41 foot-pounds.

Install the upper fan shroud and tighten its retaining bolts with a ratchet and socket. Align the air intake resonator hinge under the lip on the throttle body and tilt the resonator backward. Install the resonator wing nut. Install the air intake tube to the MAF sensor. Install the PCV tube to the intake tube.

Pour fresh 50-50 Dex-Cool coolant into the surge tank until the coolant level in the tank stabilizes and the level is above the split line in the tank. Start the engine and allow it to idle for one minute. Fill the surge tank back to the split line.

Loosely install the pressure cap (so the system cannot build pressure) and increase the engine speed to 3000 RPM for 30 seconds and drop to idle. Continue to increase engine speed and drop the speed to idle in 30-second intervals until the engine reaches its normal operating temperature and the thermostat opens.

Remove the pressure cap and fill the surge tank to the warm full line. Install the coolant pressure cap and shut off the engine.

Lower the truck to the ground and take the used coolant to a shop for disposal.