This is one of the harder jobs on a 9th gen Accord because neither engine has an externally mounted, belt-driven pump you can just unbolt. The 2.4L K24W pump is driven by the timing chain and sits behind the chain cover, so you are removing the drive belt, right engine mount, crank pulley and the chain cover to get at it. The 3.5L V6 pump is behind the timing belt covers, so you should treat it as a timing belt service and replace belt, tensioner and idlers at the same time.
The part that catches people out is the crankshaft pulley bolt. It is torqued around 181 ft-lb and needs a proper holder tool plus a long breaker bar or a strong impact gun; improvising by jamming the flywheel or shocking the starter damages the chain or the ring gear. The other common mistake is refilling with the wrong coolant or not bleeding the system properly, which shows up later as an overheat or a heater that blows cold.
| Item | Type | |
|---|---|---|
| Floor jack 2 ton minimum Raise the front of the car and later support the engine oil pan. | Required | shop |
| Jack stands 3 ton pair Support the car at the front pinch-weld/subframe points. | Safety | shop |
| Lug wrench or impact socket 19 mm, 1/2 in drive Remove the right front wheel for access to the crank pulley. | Required | shop |
| Drain pan 6+ quart capacity Catch coolant from the radiator drain cock and block. | Required | shop |
| Socket set 8, 10, 12, 14, 17 mm, 3/8 in drive, 6-point Splash shields, covers, water pump bolts, mount bolts and brackets. | Required | shop |
| Ratchet and extensions 3/8 in drive, 3 in and 6 in Reach chain/belt cover and pump bolts in the tight right wheel well. | Required | shop |
| Serpentine belt tool Long 3/8 in breaker bar or belt tensioner tool with 14 mm Release the auto-tensioner to remove the drive belt. | Required | shop |
| Breaker bar 1/2 in drive, 24 in Crack the crankshaft pulley bolt, which is torqued very high. | Required | shop |
| Crankshaft pulley socket 19 mm 6-point impact socket, 1/2 in drive Fits the crank bolt on both the K24W and J35Y. | Required | shop |
| Crank pulley holder Honda-style pulley holder tool or strap wrench Stops the crankshaft turning while loosening and torquing the bolt. | Required | shop |
| Impact wrench 1/2 in drive, 500+ ft-lb Fastest safe way to break the crank bolt loose without straining the chain or belt. | Recommended | shop |
| Engine support bar Overhead support bar, or jack plus wood block Holds the engine while the right-side mount and bracket are removed. | Required | shop |
| Socket set, large 14, 17, 19 mm, 1/2 in drive Right engine mount and mount bracket bolts. | Required | shop |
| Torx bit socket set T30, T40, T45 Some chain cover, guide and bracket fasteners on the K24W use Torx. | Recommended | shop |
| Torque wrench 1/2 in drive, 25-250 ft-lb Crank pulley bolt and engine mount bolts must be torqued to spec. | Required | shop |
| Torque wrench, small 3/8 in drive, 5-80 ft-lb / in-lb capable Water pump, cover and low-torque bolts into aluminum. | Required | shop |
| Gasket scraper and plastic razor Plastic/nylon Clean sealing surfaces without gouging the aluminum block or cover. | Required | shop |
| Timing chain cover sealant Honda HondaBond HT or Hondabond 4 equivalent RTV Required to reseal the K24W timing chain cover. | Consumables | shop |
| Camshaft/crank locking or alignment marks reference Paint marker plus service manual timing diagram Mark chain/belt to sprocket timing before removal so valve timing is preserved. | Required | shop |
| Timing belt kit J35Y only: belt, tensioner, idlers, crank seal Replace as a set any time the V6 timing belt is removed for the pump. | Parts | shop |
| Water pump with gasket/O-ring K24W chain-driven pump, or J35Y belt-driven pump The new pump; use OEM Honda or Aisin. | Parts | shop |
| Coolant Honda Type 2 blue, premixed, about 2 gal Honda coolant is silicate-free; do not use generic green. | Consumables | shop |
| Funnel / spill-free filler Radiator fill funnel kit Bleeds air out of the cooling system during refill. | Recommended | shop |
| Thread locker Medium strength blue Some chain guide and bracket bolts call for locking agent. | Consumables | shop |
| Shop rags and brake cleaner Clean coolant and oil residue off sealing surfaces before assembly. | Consumables | shop |
| Safety glasses and nitrile gloves Coolant spray and sharp timing components. | Safety | shop |
The 2.4L K24W uses a chain-driven pump behind the timing chain cover and needs HondaBond-type RTV to reseal the cover; the 3.5L J35Y uses a belt-driven pump behind the timing belt covers and needs a complete timing belt kit. Both share the 19 mm crankshaft pulley bolt and 19 mm lug nuts, and both require the right-side engine mount to come out. The V6 also has more accessory bracketry and a lower radiator hose routing to clear, but no chain cover sealing step.
| Wheel lug nuts | 80 ft-lb (108 Nm) |
| Crankshaft pulley bolt (K24W and J35Y) | 181 ft-lb (245 Nm) - verify in the service manual |
| Water pump mounting bolts | verify in the service manual (low, roughly 9 ft-lb / 12 Nm into aluminum) |
| Timing chain cover bolts (K24W) | verify in the service manual |
| Timing belt tensioner and idler pulley bolts (J35Y) | verify in the service manual |
| Right engine mount through-bolt / bracket bolts | verify in the service manual |
| Radiator drain cock | Hand tight only - plastic |
Socket sizes (19 mm crank bolt and lug nuts, 10/12/14 mm covers and brackets) are standard for this generation, but water pump, cover and tensioner torque values vary by engine, so confirm them and the timing mark procedure in the Honda service manual for your exact engine.
Yes. The K24W pump sits behind the timing chain cover and is driven off the chain, so the accessory belt, right engine mount, crank pulley and chain cover must come off to replace it. Budget 5-8 hours for a first-timer.
Practically, yes. The J35Y pump is behind the timing belt, so the belt must be removed anyway - replace belt, tensioner, idlers and the crank seal as a kit rather than reusing a disturbed belt.
Honda Type 2 blue coolant, premixed. It is silicate and borate free; using universal green or orange coolant can shorten water pump seal and gasket life. Capacity is roughly 5-6 quarts for the 2.4L and slightly more on the V6.
Look for coolant dripping or crusty pink residue from the weep hole area behind the crank pulley or lower timing cover, a low coolant level with no visible hose leak, or on the V6 a whine/growl that changes with engine speed. Overheating with a full system is also a clue the impeller has failed.