How to change a water pump on a volvo 960 (1995)

remove the belts and the top cover of the timing belt. you now need a 10 mil wrench to remove the nuts and bolts and the parts to replace .

Hi, i would check the thermostat first unless the water pump is leaking as the water pump is where the timing belt is is the timing belt needs removing to get to the pump, take the thermostat out and place it in a tub of boiling water and check if it opens up if it dont then it will need replacing.

you need to bare in mind that it could also be head gasket failure so make sure you get this tested if the thermostat is found to be in working order.

let me know if you need further assistance ok

why would you want to do the job twice,do the whole kit,same as clutch unit.(you wouldnt change one plug would you......)

Replacement of the timing belt on B230F engines is fairly straightforward. Note that you will need the proper tool to secure the crankshaft sprocket during removal procedures. Obtain the timing belt tensioner as well; it is designed to last only as long as the timing belt.
Begin by cleaning the area around the timing belt upper cover.
Remove the upper cover.
Remove the drivebelts on all accessory components.
Remove the fan (if you have a mechanical fan). Carefully leverage it out of the shroud. It may be necessary to remove the shroud as well - two 7mm bolts secure it to the radiator.
Remove the lower bellhousing cover at the rear of the engine.
Turn the crankshaft to bring the engine to Number 1 cylinder, TDC, firing. The timing marks will align when this is done.
Remove the crankshaft sprocket bolt. It may be very tight, and clearance is quite limited. Take care not to move the crankshaft from its set position.
Inspect all front oil seals before continuing, along with the water pump condition. If anti-boil weeps from the weep hole on top, you must replace the water pump or else it will contaminate the new belt.
Lock the timing belt tensioner in position. This can be done with a small nail, bringing it back and out of the way.
Remove the timing belt.
Replace all oil seals that leak, are weak or missing. Oil will ruin the new timing belt.
Installation is essentially a reversal of removal, after the tensioner is replaced and unlocked, spin the crankshaft sprocket two complete turns, noting if the timing is correct by way of the pointers aligning with the marks in the rear timing cover. Push down on the belt to ensure it seats correctly. Tighten the tensioner to the specified torque.
Install the cover, rear bellhousing cover (if removal was necessary) and nuts. Screw the backplate onto the front timing cover.
Install the fan and fan shroud.
Refill the coolant if the water pump was changed.
After double-checking installation items, road test the vehicle after allowing it to warm up to check for coolant or oil leakage.
After 600 miles, remove the rubber plug at the front of the timing cover. Loosen and tighten the tensioner bolt. Place your labels indicating mileage and date of timing belt drive maintenance at the front of the engine.

this is most likely the water pump if it is leaking at front of engine, the water pump is under the large timing belt cover and driven by the timing belt, so both are changed at the same time.

Changing a water pump is pretty basic. Since the coolant system is a closed system you only need to be concerned with that system. For instance you since you have to mess around with it anyway you might as well change the thermostat and flush the coolant system. Make sure your radiator hoses are in good shape and that's about it.
If you have basic mechanical skills and tools you will have no problem replacing a water pump.


As far as information with the actual replacement there are a number of experts here including myself that could explain how to do it.
However no matter how good our explanations are it just can't compare to a good repair manual.
A repair manual for your car at Auto Zone would likely cost between $12 and $15. It is a great investment if you are going to keep your car for any length of time. When you sell, it shows the buyer you took the time to maintain and repair it right.
I personally like Haynes Manuals.
I hope this helps.

Not too bad,you have to remove fan,to get the water pump mounting bolts.take off the belt,remove the pump.Some people remove the radiator for more room ,this no big deal,just remove the top 2 bolts,remove upper,lower hoses,pull the fan cover off.You don't put RTV on gasket,also there's an small o ring that has to be replace,behind the pump.

if this helps.. I had the 1998 model S70. the water pump was driven by the timing belt. you had to take the timing belt off just to replace the water pump. it was just a simple bolt on replacement. the only difficult issue is resetting the hydraulic tensioner on the timing belt. the hydraulic tensioner has to be completely taken off and compressed VERY SLOWLY in a vise. then insert a very hard drill bit or (special volvo tool) into a keeper hole, reinstall hydraulic tensioner onto car and reinstall timing belt.very quickly remove drill bit from keeper hole in tensioner and the tensioner snaps back out to put tension on belt. and you are done.

If leaking on the driver's side, check the heater hoses - two connections at the firewall, and two on the block. You'll have to remove the air intake box and hoses to see these.

If leaking on the passenger side, check the coolant reservoir for cracks or splits, and the small hose coming from the reservoir. Only other thing that could be leaking on this side of the car is the water pump -- It should appear that coolant is coming from behind the timing belt cover if this is the case.

If it is the water pump, go ahead and have the timing belt and tensioner done at the same time...should be no additional labor. Expect most shops to charge at least 6 hrs for this job + parts. 850s are pretty tight on that end of the engine, so it might be best to take it to someone familiar with Volvos. Hopefully there is an independent Volvo specialist in your area, as their labor rate is usually around half that of the dealer.