hey, just bought a 01 dakota v6 4x4 and the water pump is out. since I want to learn how to work on my new to me truck..any tips/tricks i'll need to replace this thing? i've gotten it unbolted, but couldn't get neither of the hoses off due to the clamps. the tube was easy to take off, haven't tooken it off the hose tho, seemed like a problem too haha. guess put some more *** behind it to get the hoses off? I'm 15 btw, so just trying to get my hands dirty!

 

Are the hoses still attached to the water pump? can you get any pictures to show?
the clamps from the factory are a pain, a lot of people replace them with better ones, although i didnt when i replaced my water pump. I usually use a pair of vice grips and use them to hold the clamp open.

 

Pretty straight forward - just do your best to loosen the clamps. If they are rusted to crap just replace them. It helps to dunk the whole thing in a bucket of coolant just to help lube the hose. Then gently pry the end with a screwdriver and wiggle the hose.

Make sure you remember exactly which bolts come from where... Don't want to accidentally drive 1 of the 4 longer bolts into where one of the shorter ones go and crack your timing cover.

 

yeah the hoses are still on the pump. got the one bottom clamp to move, but couldn't get the lower hose to move. should probably put a bolt back in it to hold the pump and try to twist it out?

Lower Hose:
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Upper Hose:
7RlcKkp.jpg

 

Got the new pump laid out in the passenger seat and set all the bolts according to where they came out, since i'm new to this and all figure I'd be safe than sorry than trying to remember where what went where in the bolts haha

 

Wrap a rag around the hose (prevents 'damage) then use a pair of channel-locks (opened wide) to grip and twist the hose right where the clamp was. Should break loose

 

Smart kid, you learn fast.

 

That was the ticket for the lower hose! Thanks for that piece of advice, but now what about the upper hose? The grips that I have can only go so far in the space above and its hard to wiggle a screw driver under the hose and around the grips.

Edit: My pops is in the hospital, hence me doing this all myself and just trying to learn. Hopefully I can get it done before he is out (hopefully soon) so I can make him have a smile on his face

 

Blunt the head of a large nail (so it doesn't rip thru the hose), then bend a hook into the end of the nail. Use the channel lock to grip the head of the nail then insert the hook end up under the hose and pull. Twist hose by hand while pulling.

Also, not sure how much hose you have. If you have enough, you could split the hose with a blade - just enough to get it off. Then cut the hose up at the split and reattach. Just make sure you have enough. Worse come to worse, the hoses are cheap at the auto store.

 

Yes very fast learner! As for using the channel locks to break the hose loose from the pump thats what i was going to suggest but Dodgevity beat me to it! Lol
For that top hose you you could maybe try a pair of needle nose pliers?
and wiggle the clamp back some, if i remember the piece on the water pump that the hose is clamped to doesnt stick out more than an inch.

in my first post i made a mistake, i did end up replacing the smaller hose clamp on the top with a better one when i did my intake plenum so i didnt have to mess with the factory clamps