Chrysler Repair: 94 LeBaron water pump replacement procedure???, timing belt tensioner, bettsville ohio

Question
I have worked on cars my whole life but have no idea where to start on this one.
Mike Hickle
305 Sullivan St.
P.O. Box 565
Bettsville, Ohio 44815-0565

Answer
Hi Mike,
The reason this is different is that the pump is built-in to the front of the block, and to get to it you have to remove the accessory drive belts, the pulleys, and the timing belt (which drives the water pump) and then you have access to the water pump. To get to the point of R&R on the pump, you will find it helpful to read the procedure for changing the timing belt at
WWW.allpar.com/fix/3liter-timing-belts.html
Then:
drain the cooling system
remove the mounting bolts for the pump
separate water pump from the inlet pipe that runs along the V of the engine and remove
Clean all gasket and O-ring surfaces on pump and inlet pipe
Install new O-ring on pipe (wet surface if necessary for assembly of pipe at ring)
Install new gasket on water pump and install pump inlet opening over water pipe, press assembly to cause water pipe insertion into pump housing
install pump to block mounting bolts and tighten to 20 foot-pounds
install timing belt, reassemble engine. Fill cooling system.
The proper procedure for installing the timing belt is important to get the timing correctly:
I assume that you have identified the location of the timing marks for the crankshaft and the two camshafts. The procedure then is:
1.Install timing belt on crankshaft sprocket first and while keeping belt tight on tension side install belt on front (radiator side) camshaft sprocket.
2. Then install on the water pump pulley and on the rear camshaft sprocket and finally on the timing belt tensioner.
3. Apply rotating force to the front camshaft sprocket in opposite direction to tension the belt tension side and check that all timing marks are lined up.
4.Install camshaft sprocket flange.
5. Loosen tensioner bolt and allow spring to tension timing belt.
6.Turn crankshaft two full turns smoothly, in clockwise direction only.
7.Again line up the timing marks on the sprockets and tighter the timing belt Tensioner locking bolt to 25 N-M (250 in-lbs).
8. Reassemble belt cover, engine bracket, insulator, crankshaft pulleys, accessories and drive belts in reverse order.
That is the direct quotation from the shop manual.
So those are the sources for doing the job. If you haven't changed the timing belt in the past 60,000 miles it is prudent to do that at the time you do the water pump so as not to have to redo the job unnecessarily soon.
Roland