Dogde Stratus timing belt / water pump replacement

    So the water pump on the
    Dodge Stratus 2002 (vin x)
    started leaking. Instead
    of taking it to a shop we
    decided to go at it
    ourselfs.

    		dodge stratus 2002 vinx vin x
    large crowbar
    I highly recamend a large crowbar!

    We got the car into the garage, jacked it up.

    • 1 remove the resevor
    • 2 discharged the air conditioning system
    • 3 remove the air conditioning lines
    • 4 un hook the radiator hoses
    • 5 un hook the power steering resivor
    • 6 pull the resivor up and out of the
      way (we ducked taped it to the hood)

    • 7 disconect the power cables from the altenator
      (vin X has the alt mounted on the front of the engine)
    • 8 remove the altenator
    • 8.5 un bolts the water pipes that run over the
      engine mount (there are two bolts, one in the front,
      one in the back), you can get to it from underneth
      the car.
    • 9 remove the 3 engine mount bolts
    • 10 the 2 long bolts that go through the cars frame
    • 11 with the water pipes loose, move them around to
      snake the engine mount out.
    power steering pump

    • 12 remove the 3 bolts for the engine
      mount braket from the front of the engine.
    • 13 take off the front of the top
      timing belt cover.
    • 14 from underneath the car loosen the
      power steering pump
      and remove the small belt.
    • 14.5 There are 3 bolts, two in front
      and one on the back of the pump. you can
      reach the secound front bolt from the
      top of the engine.

    15 use the crystler harmonic balancer puller to remove the
    lower pully (harmonic balancer). Be Careful! We have heard
    that it is very easy to break it, This might be due to
    people using the wrong king of puller.
    You can see the puller in the pictures. NOTE! this puller is
    too short to remove the harmonic balancer, you have to make
    the push rod longer by inserting a small dowel pin first. We
    used one from my shelf.

    		harmonic balancer puller dowel pin
    pulley_pulley_with_extention
    16 With the harmonic balancer removed you can remove the bottom cover.
    17 The timming belt should be completly
    18 ussing the hamonic balancer's bolt and a big rachet, rotate the engine unti the timming marks line up.
    19 locate the Tensioner pully and clean it off so that you can see the three holes.
    17.5 MAKE SURE TO INSERT THAT DAM #6 WRENCH ALL THE WAY, the tensioner holes are very easy to break!
    18 Using a #6 allen wrench, rotate the tentioner conter clock wise to loosing the belt, then pull it off.
    19 Now you can remove the tentioner and the ideler pullys.
    20 Using one of these two "speacial" tools, Remove the cam gears.
    21 Um, I think now we can finnally remove that plastic shroud.
    22 remove the water pump bolts.
    Return to the AUTO page
    Return to the MAIN PAGE