Engine maintenance on a smaller car like the Honda Civic can be difficult because of the smaller engine space in which you have to work. This is definitely true when changing the water pump, which sends coolant to the engine. Changing the water pump on the 2002 model Civic requires removing other parts from the engine to access it. The biggest obstacle is the timing belt.
Disconnect the car's negative battery cable.
Drain the cooling system by removing the drain plug (with pliers if the plug has rust) and letting the coolant drain into a large container. Do the same for the drain plug at the engine block.
Remove each of the drive belts--loosen the upper mounting bolt for the belt's component (the power steering pump or alternator), the adjuster bracket lock bolt and the lower mounting bolt, then loosen the adjuster bolt with the wrench and slip off the belt.
Remove the timing belt, then remove the timing belt tensioner by removing its bolts.
Disconnect the mounting bolts for the water pump with a wrench, and remove the pump.
Clean the corrosion and sealant from the threaded holes in the engine using a wire brush.
Scrape away all traces of the old gasket and O-ring from the engine's surface, then clean the mating surface with acetone or lacquer thinner.
Apply RTV sealant to the replacement pump's O-ring groove, and place a new O-ring within the groove.
Connect the water pump to the engine, and install the bolts by hand, applying a small amount of sealant to the bolt threads and making sure the dowel pins are in the correct locations.
Tighten the bolts to 104 inch ft. pounds, turning them evenly in quarter-turn increments.
Reconnect the timing belt tensioner, timing belt and drive belts in the reverse order of removal, and refill the cooling system; use fresh coolant if the old is contaminated.
Reconnect the battery cable.
