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Hi, I'm Don from 1A Auto. I hope this how-to video helps you out, and next time you need parts for your vehicle, think of 1AAuto.com. Thanks.
In this video, we're going to show you, how to replace the water pump on this 2003 Nissan Altima with a 2.5 liter, four-cylinder engine. It's the same part and process on these Altimas from 2002 to 2008 and on Sentras from 2002 to 2009. The items you'll need for this are a new water pump from 1AAuto.com, 10mm to 14mm sockets and ratchet with an extensions, 5mm Allen bit, 14mm wrench, pry bar, Phillips screwdriver, drip pan, and funnel with a screen.
Start off by removing the radiator fill cap as well as your overflow bottle cap. Now, under the vehicle, in this hole right here, you'll see this is your coolant drain. Using a Phillips screwdriver just twist that plug out and make sure you have a drain pan that's clean to collect all that coolant. Once coolant stops pouring out, replace the plug.
Using a 10mm socket and ratchet, you just want to disconnect your negative battery cable. Now, you want to just remove this engine cover and it's held on by four 5 mm Allen bolts. Just go ahead and remove those. On your alternator, you'll see there is one 10mm bolt right here and another 10mm bolt right here. You want just to go ahead and remove those. Now, disconnect your alternator harness, just press the tab and pull it free. Under this cap here, you'll see that there is a 12mm bolt, you want to just go ahead and remove that. Now use a 14mm wrench and just place it on to the tensioner right here. When you press down on this wrench, it's going to loosen the belt. Pull the belt off the alternator and try and keep it on the other pulleys, and then slowly release the tension on the wrench.
The alternator is secured by two 14mm bolts right here. We will fast forward as Don removes those. The lower bolt, you're going to realize, it's a very long 14mm bolt. We actually have to lift up the fuse box so that we have better access. You want to pull off that cap, and then you want to remove this 10mm bolt right here. He did actually need some penetrating oil for that. Then, you just want to lift it up just enough, so you can get that lower bolt out the rest of the way. We actually just push it down with the pry bar, and it pulls right out. Take the pry bar and pry your alternator out.
With the alternator out of the way, you can see water pump's right here, and it's held in by these three 12mm bolts. You want to just go ahead and remove those. When you get to this lower bolt, you realize it can't come out all the way because of the pulley. You just need to grab your 14mm wrench, and push down on the tensioner. Now, you can just twist that bolt right out. Then you want to just carefully release the tension. Using a pry bar, pry your water pump out, make sure you have a drip pan under it, because coolant will come out. Using a razor blade, we're just going to clean up the area where the water pump was.
On the right is the old part, on the left is the new part from 1AAuto with a new gasket. You can see it's identical and it will mount exactly the same. Make sure your gasket is in place and then just push the water pump into place. You want to just replace the easier-to-get-to bolts, and for now you can just put each of them by hand. For the lower bolt, again, just use that 14mm wrench on the tensioner and then just twist in the bolt by hand. Now, using your 12mm wrench, tighten up those three bolts the rest of the way.
Take your alternator and put it into place. You want to put it into place with that lower bolt. Again, just kind of do it from underneath the fuse box. You can leave that bolt a little bit loose. Now, replace the upper bolt and once you hand thread that in, then tighten both those bolts up. Now, you just want to replace these two 10mm bolts along the top here, and make sure that you have that wire in place as you do that. Be sure to put this bracket back in place properly. Reconnect your alternator harness and put the battery wire back on, and tighten up that nut. Now, you just want to replace that 10mm bolt that secures the fuse box in place, and replace the fuse box cover.
Take a 14mm wrench, get it down on the belt tensioner, push it down and pull the belt on. You can see here, we get it partway up. Then we reposition the wrench and get the belt all the way on. Reconnect the native battery cable. The engine cover back into place and replace those four 5mm Allen bolts. Now, using a funnel with a screen, pour you coolant back into the radiator and replace your radiator cap.
We hope this video helps you out. Brought to you by www.1AAuto.com, your source for quality replacement parts and the best service on the Internet. Please feel free to call us toll-free, 888-844-3393. We're the company that's here for you on the Internet and in person.