There are two bolts behind the tension pully arm that are impossible to get to unless i take the whole tensioner base (or whatever its called) out to get to them. it's the last two bolts i need. The tensioner base has two very long bolts into it which i took out, but the whole thing just won't come out. ANY help would be appreciated... i will post pics tomorrow but heres one i found online which is the same year and same engine. the bolt is where the arrow is...terrible pic though.

 

I looked at my 03 3.0 tensioner and could only find the one single bolt holding it on (just like the 4 cyl engines).
Mayhaps you're looking at the wrong ones ?

 

If you look to the bottom right of that one thats the hardest to get to, there is another one that is a little more reachable...but not with a ratchet. i'm positive on this because i have my new waterpump with me and i followed the bolts all the way around and if you climb under the truck you can see the second one a lot better. My fan clutch and all that is off as of right now so i have a better chance of seeing it. thanks for the quick reply!

 

just noticed you're talking about the tensioner bolts, i had one that pointed toward the firewall, and another one on the part next to the tensioner which bolted into the tensioner base. there may be more bolts i didn't see because of lack of light from it getting dark. on the attached picture i added two arrows that aren't filled in to show the angles and the area the two tensioner base bolts are that i removed. they are long bolts about the size of my hand.

 

I ended up taking a better look at it today and noticed i need a long 17/32 wrench to get this last one off. it's impossible for a ratchet to get to it, but since i'm only 21...i now have to go buy that tool too. i wish i had some hand me downs! haha


Here's a picture of the annoying bolt

 

What all did you have to take off to reach everything? Im changinf mine out monday and have no clue what i "need" to take off and whats recommended to take off

 

I changed my water pump when I did the timing chain so I never looked at pulling the minimum stuff off the truck. LOL I just pulled the whole bracket, unbolted the AC compressor and hung it off to the side. Got lots of room that way. Then again, I have a few tools, air ratchet and such.

 

leave the bolts on the fan, remove the four bolts inside the pully and you may need to use a flat head screw driver to pound into the back of the pully to bring it forward. take the belt off before you do the pully. put the 4 bolts back into the area the pully was bolted to and then rent a water pump tool kit from autozone or somewhere and place it around the bolts to keep it from spining. use a 22 wrench on the bar INFRONT of the pully and turn it clockwise (this isn't righty tighty, its righty loosey haha) after that remove the two bolts holding the fan shroud on and pull the fan and fanclutch out with the shroud. at this point you should be staring right at the water pump. You may need a strap wrench to put around the pully, or the belt can help if its on, but it can't do it all by itself. if you don't know how to take the belt off, just place a ratchet on the tension pully and turn it as if your tightening it and pull the belt off. here's a website that might help you. sorry about the sloppy description, in a hurry. http://stuffforyourranger.com/How_To...nderdrive.html

 

i found out that i don't need to take anything else off, i just needed a wrench that was 17/32 to reach up to the **** bolt, but i still have yet to do it...i'm hoping the bolt has enough room to come out haha

 

If your fan is mounted like the 2000 model I have (it unscrews)....leave the belt on, break the fan loose and remove it. break the bolts to the pulley loose before you remove the belt. I wish I could remember if the threads on the fan were left hand or right hand for ya but... Good luck, it's not a bad job. I have to change the diesel engine out in my VW Beetle...now that...is a job. I'm told I have to take the whole front end of the car, pull the transmission, drive axle....that's gonna be....interesting.

 

I can't get the pulley back to put the bolts back in, this is such a pain

 

What do you mean, can't get the pulley back ?? In position ?? I have a 2000 3.0 RAnger and I'm not doing anything important at present. I'll be happy to take a look at determine what issues you are having. The bolts can be quite a pain to get in,but you have to be patient and good with the tips of your fingers. Put one in at a time and don't tighten any till you get them all in. Certainly don't put the fan on till last. Did you pull the fan shroud ??

Then again, you could be referring to the idle pulley and moving it out of the way.

Hope you got if but if not reply back.

 

I sent you a text, basicly i have the pulley bolts out, shroud losened. Now i cant get the pulley back out of the way(IE pulled forward on the fan) so i can reinsert the bolts and loosen the fan to remove it

 

Response on the way.

 

You did remove the fan, and it unscrewed didn't you ?

 

Call me at the number I sent you. It's not a cell, it's my home phone I can't get a text on it.

 

I just opened my hood, I have a 2000 3.0. I've done the heads twice on this engine and a few weeks ago I pulled the timing chain cover to fix an oil leak. I'm going to say the freakin seal was a POS from the beginning, because that's what I changed and it leaked from the beginning. With that said.....

I don't see how you changed the water pump without pulling all that crap out of the way, but... the pulley on the water pump looks easy to get to. I hate to keep repeating but the fan is the last thing I put on....well that and the radiator shroud. YOu can't get the fan off without removing the shroud. Is this helping at all ??

 

I know what he means. take a flat head like i was saying and put it behind the pully and hammer all around it. its just a little stuck. ALSO, i found that i do need to move some more stuff, i'm going to post pics in a second.

 

OK, I'm a lil slow. LOL So you removed the pulley bolts without loosening the fan. Yes' you'll have to get at least two of the bolts back in and tighten them, I find it much easier to remove the fan with the belt on. Then I still use a pipe wrench, however gently to make sure the pulley jams, so I can loosen the fan. Much care must be used so as not to damage the pulley at all. Another reason I like to leave the belt on, it serves as a cushion for the pipe wrench or clamp to hold the pulley.

 

Ok, so this is my problem as of right now.

1st pic: I have the line i'm pointing at in my way to pull the whole part out.

2nd pic: The circled bit is in my way and where it connects....i'm afraid to disconnect it and get sprayed. but, i need this out of my way because i have to move the whole thing that it connects to. the two arrows are the bolts i removed.

3rd pic: More bolts i removed to get the whole thing free...but, the line i pointed at and the circled part are just in the way. the big circles are the things that need to be removed.

4th pic: I need some info on what i should do to get the pully parts out of the way so i can get to the bolt on the 4th pic.

 

you can leave the belt on, but i just used a strap wrench so i didn't fray my belt. the strap wrench can rest against a pully when its around the waterpump pully. after that, place the bolts in BEHIND the pully after you pully it forward and then put the waterpump wrench around the bolts, use all four just in case the two break. more the merrier. push the pully back toward the bolts and place your wrench around the rod part and it should be righty loosey...you may need to bang on it hard with a hammer. you will know when it loosens, remove the two bolts on the fan shroud and pull the fan up with the shroud...after that you're stuck where i'm at.

 

Pull the A/C compressor, do not disconnect the lines...do not. Also be careful you do not kink or bend the A/C line from the condensor (front near the radiator. I used a couple of rubber straps but you can tie the AC compressor out of the way and not damage anything and not lose the freon.

If it was me, I'd pull both brackets, alternator and A/C power steering pump brackets. It's not that difficult andyou'll have all the room you need for the water pump.

There is also a hidden bolt or two in the A/C bracket. YOu ahve to move the idler pulley out of the way to get a socket on it.. You have a couple of bolts on the left side of the engine to remove as well. This bracket is more difficult than the alternator bracket. When you remove the alternator bracket, you'll be able to reposition the hose that is in your way.

It's good to have a mirror. Just be patient and tie the stuff out of the way. The water pump is pretty easy. You might want to replace the thermostat and gasket while your there. If the hoses are old, I'd change them also. Put some pans under there, you'll need to catch all the coolant to save from making a BIG Ole Mess.

To bad you don't live around the corner from me. The weather is beautiful outside and a good day for a water pump... LOL

Then again, I have the VW engine to R&R and I'm not doing that anytime soon.. Take CAre man.

 

That'll work !! One day I might get me a strap wrench....nah...prolly not. I'm 53 haven't need one yet. LOL Good luck all !!

touchdowns everyone.... LOL

 

It is helping trust me haha. I really appreciate the help. Now i got the fan off, and all but 1 bolt out. The one right under the tensioner pulley. Do you have to remove it? We backed the bolt out all the way but it hits the tensioner and wont go any farther.

I did this, and it worked. Now my problem is as I stated above. All but one bolt out, and cant get the other out.

 

haha, cool. we are both now at the same point. etemp just told me how to do it, most the stuff i'm somewhat knowledgeable about but i'm going to kind of wing it now haha. since you had the tool to get that last bolt started, you could probably just remove some bolts to the piece blocking it and have someone pull it to the side while you pull the bolt out/put it back in. i'm just trying to get to the bolt since i don't have the wrench on me right now, picking it up from a friend tomorrow. i will post pics to walk you through it if what i said above doesn't work, and i end up getting to it. thanks for the help etemp! and good luck PA. if you figure it out, let me know please...you may end up saving me a lot of time! haha