The water pump is the heart of the Mazda 6's cooling system, circulating the coolant. A faulty water pump can cause some serious damage to the engine of your vehicle. Make sure to change out a bad water pump.
Instructions
Remove the Old Pump
1. Disconnect the negative battery cable after removing the battery cover. Also remove the under cover and splash shield assembly.
2. Place a drain pan underneath the radiator. When the engine is cool, drain the cooling system from the radiator into the pan.
3. Move the coolant reservoir tank to the side while the hose is attached and take out the plug hole plate.
4. Loosen and remove the pump pulley bolt, moving the drive belt to the side and remove the water pump pulley.
5. Remove the water pump bolts and remove the pump. Also take out the o-ring and discard.
Install the New Pump
6. Clean the mating surface of the water pump and install the new o-ring.
7. Install the new pump, tightening the bolts to 71 to 101 inch pounds (8 to 11 Nm).
8. Reinstall the drive plate, the plug hole plate, the coolant reservoir tank, the splash shield and the undercover.
9. Reconnect the battery cable and reinstall the battery cover.
10. Refill the cooling system.
11. Start the car and check for leaks when the engine reaches normal operating temperature.
Tips Warnings
Loud noises coming from the cooling system in your Mazda6 could be a sign that your water pump needs replacing. A leak in the coolant may also be an indicator.
Disconnecting the negative battery cable may reset the on-board computer system or parts of the computer system, so be aware that you may have to reset certain settings.
Never attempt to drain the radiator when the engine in your Mazda6 is hot. The steam and the hot coolant within the radiator can cause serious burns.
Never leave antifreeze open or in puddles. Cats and dogs are attracted to the ethylene glycol in the antifreeze and if they drink it, it can be fatal.
Tags: water, pump, mazda, water pump, cooling system, battery cable, battery cover, computer system, coolant reservoir, coolant reservoir tank
