Hello all,

Bought the van a little over a year ago with 95k on it. Drove a hundred miles and blew the water pump. I'm up to 104k now. Today on my way to work almost the exact same symptoms were duplicated. This time the fan blade isn't loose but I'm thinking it's the pump again. I have a warranty on the one that's in there but now I'm curious. Is this an indicator of a larger problem? Or is it just a bad part?

2000 Ram Wagon 3500 5.9l

Thanks,
Bill

 

Bad new parts do happened. But I'd look at the fan as being possibly bent or off balance. That's something that can kill a water pump quickly.

 

Ok, I'll see if I can find any obvious fan damage. I'm planning on doing the pump today by myself. Has anyone done it before? Is it pretty straight forward?
I have the service manual with all the specs in it but I'm a little bit nervous to start tearing things apart...

Thanks,
Bill

 

I would say changing the water pump is a fairly easy job. Check out the Online Chilton manual for step-by-step information before making the decision to DIY.

https://dodgeforum.com/forum/dodge-r...e-chilton.html

With your Service Manual and the online resource you should be OK -- unless you are the type who hires someone to change light bulbs for you.

 

Agree easy straight forward job only challenge is getting
the pain in the a** nut for the fan loose.

 

Well it's done. Hopefully I won't find any leaks tomorrow morning.
I used the little brass pegs from a book shelf and some channel lock pliers to hold the pulley and a big *** one-size-fits-nothing (crescent) wrench to turn the nut. Is the nut supposed to spin freely of the fan blade? Because mine does... As I posted before I don't know why this is the second water pump I've gone through but I'm a little worried that I have a larger problem... Maybe I need a new clutch? New fan blade assy?

Thanks,
Bill

 

For future reference most auto parts chain stores will loan you the proper tool to hold the water pump pulley for fan removal. This will prevent busted knuckles.

Yes, the fan blade uses a viscous coupling.

Could very well be that your fan blade is bent (as Alloro said earlier) or that the viscous coupling is shot. Last time I did my water pump mine was shot and I decided to install an electric fan on the radiator instead of screwing with the outdated technology of a manual fan.

Without a fan blade spinning on the end of your water pump it would probably be the last time you have to change it, ever. I also picked up one (1) MPG on fuel economy by switching to the electric fan.

 

Hi Bill

Just curious as to what brand water pump you installed as a good one should last way more then 10,000 mi. , unless as was pointed out the fan is bad .

Bob