HOW TO REPLACE WATER PUMP ON 1999 5.2/5.9 DODGE RAM

There are a few potential snags on this replacement procedure.

1. First, i highly recommend removing the A/C compressor and bracket rather than attempting to change the water pump without removing the accessory bracket. There are a couple of reasons for this. It's easier to see and get to the pump mounting area, and it allows you to access the bypass hose, which is very difficult to get back on the water pump with nothing to hold it. In my case, i could get the pump on, but until i removed the A/c i couldn't snug the bypass hose down on the pump and clamp it propery.
Removing the A/c compressor is not hard at all. i think it's like 5 bolts, 3 of which are just to a plate holding the back of it down. the hardest part for me was disconnecting the two electrical connections. took me longer to figure those out than to remove the bolts, which just takes like 60 seconds. So, don't fear taking off the compressor because it sounds like you're getting in too deep. Just remove the air cleaner first, then the connections, then the 5 bolts or however many holding the compressor down, then remove about 5 more bolts holding the bracket and just lift the bracket and the alternator up to get to the bypass hose. you don't have to do anything to the alternator. the way i did it, i replaced the pump, but the bypass hose wasn't all the way down, snug on the pump. so i went ahead and bolted the pump down and then removed the A-c compressor and bracket, and lifted it up to get to the bypass hose. once you lift up the bracket you can get to that damn hose and it is very satisfying to be able to push that little hose onto the pump snugly and clamp it down where it is supposed to be. Then you just put everything back like it was and you're good.

2. One other thing to note, the fan nut is 36mm. The way i removed it was with a 15" crescent wrench and a 22oz estwing hammer. it broke free on the 2nd hit. Just put the wrench down there in the crack between the shroud and the motor, it will slide right on at 12 oclock. then take the hammer and hit the end of the wrench lefty loosy. i left the belt on to do this. maybe i was lucky mine came off so easy. but you don't have to hold the pulley still, a good hit will free the nut. now, if you try that a few times and it doesn't you might try some of the other ways, but i would definetly try that first. to put back on, i used a 12" crescent wrench which is a little easier to work with than a 15" to get the thread started.but not being as long handled as the 15",you can't use the 12" to hit with a hammer unless you put some sort of pipe extension on the 12" wrench. When you are re-installing the fan, there's no need to tighten it down real hard.

3. Also, i would like to comment on the gasket. If you attempt to replace the pump without removing the accesory bracket for easy access, it will be very difficult to get the paper gasket on there dry, and working blind. Especially if you are using the flimsy one that often comes with a the replacment pump. I tore the one that came with the pump trying to put it on dry, on a humid windy day the gasket was impossible to hold in one place where it needed to be. I then bought a blue stripe Fel-pro gasket and used permatex water pump gasket maker to adhere the gasket to the pump, and used nothing on the engine side. This is the way that Scotty Kilmer does it, so it must be right. I was tempted to put it on both sides of the gasket, but the only reason to use permatex in this application is to hold the gasket to the pump during installation. If your mounting surface is pitted, i would use sealer on that side also. In my case it was not. Just make sure you have a clean, flat surface and the gasket will do its job.
I bought the Permatex water pump/ thermostat product because they didn't have permatex #2 at the auto parts store i went to. But all you need is just a small tube to go around the pump mounting surface, then smooth it out with your finger and put the gasket on and go over it with your clean finger a few times to smooth it down. Then clean the bolts with a wire brush and let the pump and gasket sit there a few minutes before continuing. I used a small amount of thread locker on the water pump bolts, just the last 3 threads or so. Once you have the pump on, snug the bolts down, and then in a few more minutes tighten to specifications which is 30 foot lbs. There is a 50 torx head on the top middle bolt. You don't need to buy the special tool for that bolt. A 9/16 wrench and/or a 3/8 drive 9/16 socket can be used on the torx head bolt.

4. And finally, i want to comment on the heater tube that goes into the water pump. If you are replacing an old water pump, you will likely need to buy this new tube also. It should come with a new o-ring. If you are able to easily remove the old pump, you could possibly re-use it with just a new o-ring. In my case i buggered up the old one pretty bad trying to remove it because someone before me had used silicone to stick it in. There is no need for any sealant on this tube. When you put the tube back in, just use some grease to go around it a few times at the o-ring and it will slide easily back in without damaging the o-ring and it will hold water like that, no need for any sort of sealant.

There are several youtube videos on 5.2/5.9 water pump replacement which i recommend watching to help you become familiar with this procedure, and then you will more clearly see what i am talking about above.