1979 Ford Thunderbird water pump

Replacement procedures for your vehicle's water pump are as follows.

REMOVAL:
Disconnect the negative battery cable.
Raise and safely support the vehicle on jackstands.
Drain the cooling system into a container.
In some cases, it is easier to remove the fan shroud and/or the radiator
On vehicles equipped with belt driven radiator fans, loosen and remove the bolts securing the fan to the water pump pulley. With the bolts removed, lift the fan out of the engine compartment and place aside.
On 4-cylinder engines, remove the cam belt outer cover.
If the car is equipped with an electric fan, remove the fan as an assembly for working clearance. Loosen the water pump pulley bolts.
Remove any accessary belts. This could include power steering, air conditioning, Thermactor and alternator. Because some vehicles use standard V-belts, while others use serpentine belts, or a combination of the two types, mark the belt for ease of reinstallation. Belts may be loosened by unfastening the adjusting bolts or belt tensioners.
Remove the water pump pulley from the pump shaft. Since the bolts were removed earlier, the pulley should come off without any problem.
If the radiator is installed in the vehicle, disconnect the lower and upper radiator hose, along with the heater hose and bypass hose from the water pump.
On cars equipped with a water pump mounted alternator, loosen the alternator mounting bolts, and remove the alternator adjusting arm bracket from the water pump. If interference is encountered, remove the air pump pulley and pivot bolts. Remove the air pump adjusting bracket. Swing the upper bracket aside. Detach the air conditioner compressor and lay it aside. Do not disconnect any of the air conditioning lines. Remove any accessory mounting brackets from the water pump.
Remove the water pump retaining bolts and remove the pump from the engine. In many cases, a plastic-faced hammer may be used to tap the water pump housing lightly to free the pump from the gasket.
Some engines originally used a one-piece gasket for the cylinder front cover and the water pump. Trim away the old gasket at the edge of the cylinder cover and replace with a new service gasket.

INSTALLATION:
Clean any gasket material from the pump mounting surface on the engine block. If using the original water pump, clean any gasket material from it as well. On engines equipped with a water pump backing plate, remove the plate and clean the gasket mounting surfaces. Install a new gasket to the backing plate using sealant only if recommended by the gasket and/or water pump manufacturer.
If replacing the water pump, and the original was equipped with a threaded heater hose fitting, remove the heater hose fitting from the original pump, and coat the fitting threads with sealer. Install it on the new pump being careful not to crossthread during the installation.
If recommended by the gasket or water pump manufacturer, coat both sides of the new gasket with a sealer, then install to the water pump, aligning the holes on the gasket with the holes on the pump. Install the pump to the engine block, reversing the procedure. Tighten the attaching bolts diagonally, in rotation, to the following:
12-15 ft. Lbs. (16-20 Nm) for 3.3L, 4.1L, 4.2L, 5.0L, 5.8L engines
12-15 lbs. (16-20 Nm) for 2.3L, 3.8L and 7.0L, 7.5L engines
20-25 ft. Lbs. (27-34 Nm) for 6.6L engines
Connect the lower and upper radiator hose, as well as the heater hose, and water pump bypass hose at the water pump.
Install the cam belt cover, if removed from the 4-cylinder engine.
Install all accessory brackets attaching to the water pump. Install the pump pulley on the pump shaft. Fill the cooling system.
Lower the vehicle. Start the engine and check for leaks. Finally, when the engine is cool, check the fluid level and add coolant if needed.

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