The water pump in your vehicle circulates the coolant through the engine to keep it cool. If the pump fails, the coolant won't circulate and the engine may overheat. One of the reasons a water pump may fail in the 1984 LeBaron is that the gasket between the housing and pump may go bad. When this happens, there isn't a proper seal and the pump will leak. If the water pump leaks, it can't create enough pressure to push the coolant through engine properly, causing it to overheat. If this happens, the water pump will either need to be replaced or serviced.
Tools Used: Floor jack, Clean empty container, Flathead screwdriver, Torque wrench, New water pump gasket (Optional), New O-ring (Optional)
Install a Water Pump
Secure the vehicle by first disconnecting the battery so there are no possibilities of electrical shorts during the process. Pull the parking brake lever to engage the parking brakes so the vehicle doesn't roll away while the drive wheels are off the ground. Place a wedge or heavy object behind the rear wheels to ensure that the car doesn't roll away in case of parking brake failure.
Jack up the front of the vehicle and remove the coolant from the cooling system. You can remove the coolant by opening the drain cock located at the bottom of the radiator. Make sure to empty the coolant into a clean, reusable container.
Remove the three hoses that are connected to the water pump by loosening the hose clamps with a flathead screw driver and pulling them off. Watch for any residual coolant that may be left in the hoses.
Unscrew the two bolts that are holding the water pump onto the vehicle and take off the shield covering the drive pulley. Finish removing the pump by unscrewing the pivot screw. You should now be able to remove the belt from the pulley and pull the pump out of the engine.
Replace the gasket inside the water pump by removing the bolts that hold the housing and pump assembly together. Clean the surface that the gasket rests on and the O-ring groove before replacing the gasket and O-ring. Insert the new gasket and O-ring into their respective places and put the pump back together by replacing the attachment bolts at 6.6 lb-ft. You may skip this step if you're installing a new water pump.
Place the pump on the engine, making sure it is in the correct position over the holes for the mounting bolts. Place the drive belt over the pulley and lightly tighten the pivot and mounting bolts with your fingers. Make sure they aren't too tight or you won't be able to move the pump to put tension on the belt.
Add tension on the drive belt by moving the pump according to the slot where the pivot screw is located. Once the belt is tensioned on the pulley, tighten the pivot screw and the mounting bolts to 16.9 lb-ft of torque.
Replace the cover over the drive pulley and the three hoses that were connected to the water pump. Tighten the hose clamps to secure the hoses onto the water pump.
Make sure that the drain cock is closed and pour the coolant back into the radiator. Ensure that the radiator is full before starting the vehicle. Reconnect the battery wires and start the car to test the installation of the water pump.
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