Working on truck need advice

[Sly8795]

Im taking a weekend to get a bunch of things needed fixing..fixed. My brother has worked as a mechanic (sort of) at a few different places. He is working on going to school for it. So he will help and knows a fair amount from working at a Jeep Dealership. Problems are listed below. Im looking for any things I might run into that a manual wont tell me and any other suggestions.

1. Waterpump is leaking. Going to Replace this. This looks like a big job so help would be greatly appreciated.

2. Brakes. Front and Rear.

3. Squishy brake pedal. I replaced the master cylinder but the pedal still bad. Bleed them and everything. I'm hoping redoing the brakes will help this problem any suggestions here. Has this happened to anyone?

Thanks in advance

 

[dingus]

not trying to be a prick, but if your bro is a mechanic, at least sort-of, and works at a jeep dealership, you should have no problem. try bleeding the brakes before throwing a new master cylinder at it, but it seems like you're on the right track. new water pump; just make sure you replace the gasket on the housing.

 

[bchcky]

brakes are a cinch. should take an hour tops for front, and maybe a bit more for the rear if they're drums.

what do you mean by squishy brake pedal though? squishy in the sense that it goes all the way to the floor? or halfway before you feel it braking? be more specific. but as dingus said, if your bro is the mechanic you say he is, these things should be pretty straightforward to replace.

 

[TerryMason]

squishy brakes are usually from air in the brake lines. were they squishy before the master cyl? brakes should be easy, but it can be a pain for just one person to do. you need one person to pump the brakes while the other opens and closes the bleeder valve.

I've never done a jeep water pump, but I've always heard (on cars in general that is) that you should do the timing belt if you do the water pump. any truth to that?

 

[Utah_jeepster]

I've never done a jeep water pump, but I've always heard (on cars in general that is) that you should do the timing belt if you do the water pump. any truth to that?

I heard the same thing and I do replace it if its an uni-belt( one that runs everything) since re-tensioning it can cause it to wear wrong and break some where you dont want it to...50 miles from no-where and ma and pa autos garage doesnt carry that new fangled things

 

[Sly8795]

I should have been more specific about the bro.. he helps the mechanics work on stuff and does oil changes and the 100 point inspections not a full mechanic yet thats why i said sort of.

The brake pad was squishy before the master cylinder and after i replaced it ive bleed the brakes multiple times. The pedal seems like it brakes some what when i get half way but even if i slam it to the floor trying to stop fast i cant lock them up.

By time belt what do you mean. I replaced the serpantine belt this summer do you mean that or the timing belt? or same thing?

As for the water pump does the radiator need to come out?

 

[dingus]

radiator does not need to come out, just remove the serpentine belt and follow the lower radiator hose to the block. that is your water pump housing. replace that serpentine belt if it squeals or looks cracked or dryrotted.

the jeep 4.0 motors use a timing CHAIN (not a belt), which does not have specified maintenence interval replacement requirements like timing BELTS. timing chains are known for lasting a LONG time. timing BELTS are prone to snapping, often causing internal engine damage while timing CHAINS are more known to just stretch out and make noise until your replace them (hopefully before it snaps, but at least it gives a good warning).

 

[Saurian]

The water pump is sadistically easy, once hoses are removed, if I recall correctly, it was not more than 3 bolts... Unbolt it, take it off, clean the gasket surfaces with a razorblade to make sure that no old gasket material is still on there, put on the new one with the gasket, and you're all set...

Things of note... Check the fins on the waterpump impeller... If there is an R stamped into one of them, you must replace with that of the same, it means it's a reverse-flow... This is important. Also, when you take it off, you will have lots of coolant all over the place very quickly if you don't drain the system first... After getting it back together, fill it up, and then start it... Keep filling it as it runs, this is getting all the air and such out of the system... You'll be wanting the heat on too, so you're not getting air trapped in that part of it. Once it's stopped dropping level, close the cap, and add coolant to the reserve tank, you should be in good shape.

Biggest thing to remember, and this is a textbook example, is that it's just replacing one with the other. Simple as changing a lightbulb, the new one will go on in the same way that the old one came off... And like I said, if I recall correctly, it's literally 3 bolts...