How To Upgrade Water Pump on an ATV
Preventing mechanical issues is the number one priority of regular vehicle maintenance. Many people find it easy to focus on changing the oil out of their ATV, but often fail to think about the cooling system. A simple upgrade of a water pump on your ATV can do wonders to take care of the entire system and make your rig ride smoother for a long time.
Learning how to rebuild a water pump on an ATV can be intimidating for novice mechanics, but it isn’t something that you should be scared of. In all reality, it’s not too advanced and you can likely get it done by yourself at home with the right tools and a sufficient amount of time and patience for following instructions.
Drain the Coolant
The first thing to do is get all of the old coolant out of the system. The drain for the coolant is located near your water pump cover, typically an 8 mm bolt, that will drain easily into a pan. Be ready with that pan as it will come flowing out quickly. Let this drain and drip until it’s totally finished.
Remove the Hoses
Now you need to remove the old radiator hoses. These often experience a lot of wear and tear, so they’ll need to be replaced. Remember to keep a good idea of where the hoses belong. It’s a good idea to take a few pictures of the routing before taking these off and pitching them.
Remove the Water Pump Cover
To get at the impeller, you’ll need to remove the water pump cover. This only requires taking a few more bolts off. Be careful to keep track of the O-ring unless you have already bought a new one for the new pump cover.
Replace the Impeller
Impellers are designed to increase the flow and pressure of fluids, so they play a very important role in your cooling system, which is why you want to get a new one in there. Removing the impeller will require an electric or air impact gun, so you may need to borrow one from a friend if you don’t have it.
After removing the impeller, check the shaft and seals for any leaks or score marks. If you can move anything with grinding noises, you might need to make further replacements.
If you’re in the clear, install the new impeller and then work backward to get everything else installed.
Install New Pump Cover and Hoses
Simply follow the directions backward. Install the new pump cover, and take care of the O-ring (or you’ll get a lot of leaking coolant). Then reroute all of the hoses as they were beforehand. Once you have everything reinstalled, fill the rig back up with brand new coolant and be ready to go!
