Tools you need for water pump on a 2015-2020 Ford F-150

Which F-150 you have decides whether this is an afternoon or a weekend. The 5.0L V8, the 3.5L Duratec V6 in 2015-2017 trucks, and the 3.3L V6 in 2018-2020 trucks all use a conventional water pump bolted to the front of the engine and spun by the serpentine belt - drain, belt off, a handful of 8 and 10 mm bolts, new gasket, done. The 2.7L and 3.5L EcoBoost use an internal pump driven off the rear of the timing chain, buried behind the engine front cover, and that means the accessory drive, crankshaft damper, the front of the oil pan and the chain guides all have to come apart.

The thing people get wrong on the EcoBoost is treating it like a normal pump job and only replacing the pump. When that internal pump seal fails it usually dumps coolant into the oil pan, so you also need an oil and filter change at minimum, and you should inspect for bearing damage if the truck was driven on diluted oil. The second mistake is the crankshaft damper: it is a keyless press fit, so you need a puller to remove it and a threaded installer to put it back on, plus a new single-use damper bolt. On the belt-driven engines, the mistake is over-torquing pump bolts into aluminum threads - use the manual's value.

Complete tool and parts list

Differences within the 2015-2020 generation

Fastener sizes are broadly the same across the generation (8 and 10 mm for pump and cover bolts, 13-18 mm for brackets, 3/8 in square tensioner), but the tool list diverges sharply: the 2.7L and 3.5L EcoBoost additionally require a crankshaft damper puller and press-type installer, a crank holding tool, timing chain/phaser holding tools, and Motorcraft TA-357 RTV for the front cover. The 5.0L, 3.3L and 3.5L Duratec need none of those - just belt tools, sockets and a gasket. The 5.0L Coyote also needs the cooling fan and shroud out for clearance, while the V6s are usually reachable with the fan in place.

Torque specs

How the job goes

1. Identify your engine and pump type. 5.0L V8, 3.5L Duratec V6 (2015-2017) and 3.3L V6 (2018-2020): belt-driven pump on the front of the engine. 2.7L and 3.5L EcoBoost: internal pump behind the engine front cover, driven by the timing chain.
2. Let the engine cool completely. Disconnect the negative battery cable (10 mm). Note that 2015-2020 F-150s with stop/start or the hybrid-style charging strategy may relearn after a battery disconnect - no dealer registration needed, but expect a few miles of idle relearn.
3. Raise the front of the truck, support it on jack stands, and remove the front wheels if you need room. Remove the lower engine splash shield and radiator air deflectors (8 mm bolts and plastic push clips).
4. Place the drain pan and open the radiator drain (or pull the lower radiator hose with the spring-clamp pliers). Drain the coolant into a sealed container - it is toxic to animals.
5. Remove the engine cover and air intake tube. Release the belt tensioner with a 3/8 in breaker bar in the tensioner square hole and remove the serpentine belt. Note the routing or photograph it.
6. BELT-DRIVEN PUMP PATH (5.0/3.3/3.5 Duratec): Remove any brackets, the upper radiator hose and the coolant tube blocking access. Unbolt the pump pulley if the pump body sits behind it. Remove the pump bolts - keep them in order, they are different lengths and some pass into the coolant jacket.
7. Pull the pump, scrape the sealing face clean with a plastic scraper and Scotch-Brite, and wipe with brake cleaner. Do not gouge the aluminum.
8. Fit the new gasket or O-ring dry (unless the manual specifies sealant), set the pump in place, run all bolts in by hand, then torque in the manual's sequence and value. Reinstall the pulley, hoses and brackets.
9. ECOBOOST PATH (2.7/3.5): Remove the cooling fan/shroud, upper hoses, accessory drive components, A/C compressor or its bracket as needed, and support the engine. Remove the crankshaft damper bolt with a breaker bar while holding the crank, then pull the damper with the puller - it is a keyless press fit and will not slide off.
10. Loosen/drop the front of the oil pan as the manual directs so the front cover can come off, then remove the front cover bolts in sequence and break the RTV bond with a padded pry bar at the designated pry points.
11. With the chains exposed, pin the tensioner and hold the phasers so timing does not shift. Remove the chain guide and drive gear covering the internal pump, then pull the pump cassette out of the block.
12. Clean the pump bore and all sealing surfaces, lubricate the new O-rings lightly with clean coolant or the specified lube, and seat the new pump without twisting or cutting a seal. Reinstall the chain guides and verify timing marks before releasing the tensioner.
13. Clean the front cover and block face down to bare metal, apply a continuous 2.5-3 mm bead of Motorcraft TA-357 RTV, and install the cover within the cure time. Torque cover bolts in sequence, then re-torque the oil pan bolts.
14. Install the damper with the threaded installer only - never hammer it or use the damper bolt to draw it on. Fit a new single-use damper bolt and torque plus angle per the manual.
15. EcoBoost: drain the engine oil (it will likely look milky if the pump was leaking internally), fit a new filter, and refill with fresh oil.
16. Reinstall belt, hoses, shields and wheels. Torque lug nuts to 150 ft-lb in a star pattern.
17. Reconnect the battery. Fill the cooling system using a spill-free funnel with the heater on full hot, run the engine to operating temperature with the funnel in place, and burp all air out. Top off after it cools.
18. Pressure test the system to 15-18 psi cold and check for leaks. Drive it, recheck the coolant level the next two mornings, and watch for oil-in-coolant or coolant-in-oil signs on EcoBoost trucks.
19. Recycle the old coolant and oil at an auto parts store or municipal collection site.

Watch out

Socket sizes (8, 10, 13, 15, 18 mm), the 3/8 in tensioner square drive, and the 150 ft-lb lug nut spec are solid for this generation, but water pump, front cover and crankshaft damper torque values and sequences vary by engine and year - pull them from the Ford workshop manual or Motorcraft service information for your exact VIN before assembly.

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