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Tools you need for water pump on a 2016-2021 Honda Civic

Expert · 6-10 hours · Updated 2026-09-28
Must-have tools
  1. Engine support bar or jack with wood block
  2. 19 mm crank pulley socket, 1/2 in drive
  3. Crank pulley holder tool, Honda K/L series
  4. Metric socket set 8-19 mm, 3/8 in drive
  5. Honda liquid gasket (Hondabond HT)

On the 10th-gen Civic there is no belt-driven water pump. Both the 2.0L K20C2 and the 1.5T L15B7 run a pump driven off the timing chain, tucked behind the chain case cover on the passenger side of the block. That means the job is drain the coolant, unload the passenger-side engine mount, pull the crank pulley, take the chain cover off, swap the pump, and reseal the cover with Honda liquid gasket. Budget most of a day and a clean workspace.

What varies is access, not method. The 1.5 turbo adds coolant lines and turbo plumbing to move out of the way; the 2.0 is a bit more open. The mistake that costs people money is treating the chain cover like a gasketed part: they use hardware-store RTV, lay too fat a bead, or overtighten the small bolts into aluminum, and end up chasing an oil leak or a stripped hole. Second most common mistake is a lazy coolant bleed, which makes the car overheat and look like the new pump failed.

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Complete tool and parts list

ItemType
Floor jack
2 ton minimum
Raise the front of the car and support the engine oil pan with a wood block.
Requiredshop
Jack stands
2 ton pair
Support the car at the pinch-weld jack points while you work underneath.
Safetyshop
Lug wrench or impact socket
19 mm, 1/2 in drive
Remove the right front wheel for access to the crank pulley and splash shield.
Requiredshop
Drain pan
6 qt or larger
Catch coolant from the radiator drain and from the chain cover when it comes off.
Requiredshop
Plastic trim clip pliers

Remove the push clips holding the under-engine splash shield and inner fender liner.
Requiredshop
Socket set
8, 10, 12, 14, 17 mm 6-point, 3/8 in drive
Splash shields, coolant hose brackets, chain cover bolts, mount bracket bolts.
Requiredshop
Extensions and swivel
3 in, 6 in, 10 in with wobble
Reach chain cover and mount bolts through the tight passenger-side wheel well.
Requiredshop
Serpentine belt tool
Long-handle belt tensioner tool, 14 mm
Release the automatic tensioner to slip the accessory belt off.
Requiredshop
Engine support bar
Cross-beam over fender rails, or jack plus wood
Holds the engine while the passenger-side mount and bracket are removed.
Requiredshop
Breaker bar
1/2 in drive, 24 in
Crank pulley bolt is very tight; also used on mount bolts.
Requiredshop
Crank pulley socket
19 mm 6-point, 1/2 in drive, deep
Fits the crankshaft pulley bolt on both K20C2 and L15B7.
Requiredshop
Crank pulley holder tool
Honda K-series/L-series pulley holder or strap wrench
Stops the crankshaft from turning while loosening and torquing the pulley bolt.
Requiredshop
Harmonic balancer puller
3-jaw or bolt-on puller
The pulley is often a tight fit on the crank snout.
Recommendedshop
Torx bit set
T25-T40, 3/8 in drive
Some brackets, shields and 1.5T turbo coolant line clamps use Torx fasteners.
Recommendedshop
Gasket scraper and plastic razor

Clean all old liquid gasket from the chain cover and block sealing surfaces.
Requiredshop
Brake cleaner or isopropyl alcohol
1 can
Degrease the sealing surfaces so the new liquid gasket bonds.
Consumablesshop
Honda liquid gasket
Hondabond HT / Honda Liquid Gasket 08717-0004
The chain case cover is sealed with RTV, not a gasket; Honda spec sealant is required.
Consumablesshop
Torque wrench
3/8 in drive, 5-80 ft-lb
Water pump and chain cover bolts are small M6/M8 into aluminum.
Requiredshop
Torque wrench
1/2 in drive, up to 250 ft-lb
Crank pulley bolt and engine mount bolts.
Requiredshop
Torque angle gauge
1/2 in drive
Needed if your service data calls for a torque-plus-angle spec on the crank bolt.
Recommendedshop
Water pump
Honda 19200-5AA-A01 (2.0L) / 19200-59B-003 type (1.5T) - confirm by VIN
The replacement pump, supplied with its O-ring or gasket.
Partsshop
Crank pulley bolt
New bolt if service data calls for one-time use
Cheap insurance on a high-torque fastener; check your model year's spec.
Partsshop
Accessory drive belt
Engine-specific, check by VIN
Replace while it is off, especially if any coolant contaminated it.
Partsshop
Thermostat and gasket
Engine-specific
Worth doing while the system is drained.
Partsshop
Honda Type 2 coolant
Blue, premixed, 5-6 qt
Refill; do not substitute green or universal coolant in this system.
Consumablesshop
Funnel and spill-free bleed kit
Honda/universal coolant fill funnel
Bleeding air out of this engine is fussy; a fill funnel makes it reliable.
Recommendedshop
Shop rags and catch tray

Coolant and oil will run out of the chain cover area.
Consumablesshop
Safety glasses and nitrile gloves

Coolant and sealant contact protection while working overhead under the car.
Safetyshop

Differences within the 2016-2021 generation

Both the 2.0L K20C2 and the 1.5T L15B7 (and the Type R's K20C1) use the same approach: 19 mm crankshaft pulley bolt, chain-driven internal water pump, chain cover sealed with Honda liquid gasket. The 1.5T adds turbo coolant feed and return lines with 10 mm and 12 mm hardware that must be moved aside first, and its pump part number differs from the 2.0L. Order the pump by VIN.

Torque specs

Wheel lug nuts80 ft-lb (108 Nm)
Crankshaft pulley boltverify in the service manual (high value, may be torque-plus-angle)
Water pump mounting bolts (M6)verify in the service manual (typically about 9 ft-lb / 12 Nm)
Chain case cover boltsverify in the service manual
Engine side mount bracket boltsverify in the service manual
Radiator drain plugHand-tight only, plastic

How the job goes

  1. Park on level ground, let the engine cool completely, and disconnect the negative battery terminal.
  2. Remove the engine cover and the radiator cap, then drain the coolant at the radiator drain plug into a pan; drain the block if a block plug is accessible on your engine.
  3. Raise the front of the car, set it on jack stands, and remove the right front wheel.
  4. Remove the under-engine splash shield and the right inner fender liner (10 mm bolts plus plastic push clips).
  5. Release the automatic belt tensioner with the belt tool and remove the accessory drive belt. Note its routing.
  6. On the 1.5T, move aside or disconnect any turbo coolant lines and brackets that block access to the chain case cover.
  7. Support the engine from underneath with a jack and a block of wood on the oil pan, or fit an engine support bar across the fender rails.
  8. Remove the passenger-side engine mount and its bracket from the engine, lowering or raising the engine slightly as needed for clearance.
  9. Lock the crankshaft with the pulley holder and break loose the 19 mm crank pulley bolt, then remove the pulley (use a puller if it is stuck).
  10. Remove all chain case cover bolts, noting their different lengths, and carefully break the cover loose with a plastic wedge. Do not pry on the sealing faces.
  11. With the cover off, remove the water pump bolts and lift the pump out of the chain drive. Note how the pump sprocket engages the chain before removing it.
  12. Clean every trace of old liquid gasket from the cover and block with a plastic scraper, then wipe both surfaces with brake cleaner or alcohol.
  13. Fit the new pump with a fresh O-ring/gasket, mesh it correctly with the chain, and torque the bolts evenly in a criss-cross pattern.
  14. Apply a continuous 2-3 mm bead of Honda liquid gasket to the cover, install it within the sealant's working time, and torque the bolts in sequence.
  15. Reinstall the crank pulley, holding the crank, and torque the bolt to the factory spec (use a new bolt and angle gauge if required).
  16. Refit the engine mount bracket and mount, torque them, then remove the engine support.
  17. Reinstall turbo coolant lines, belt, shields, wheel liner and wheel; torque lugs to 80 ft-lb.
  18. Refill with Honda Type 2 coolant using a fill funnel, run the engine with the heater on full, and bleed until the thermostat opens and the level stabilizes.
  19. Reconnect the battery, let the sealant cure for at least an hour before the first start if your sealant instructions require it, then check for leaks and top off the reservoir after a few heat cycles.

Watch out

Sizes here (19 mm crank bolt and lug nuts, 10/12/14 mm cover and bracket hardware, Honda Type 2 coolant, chain-driven internal pump) are correct for both the 2.0L K20C2 and 1.5T L15B7, but you should confirm the crank pulley bolt torque and reuse policy and the chain cover bolt sequence in factory service data for your exact year.

Frequently asked

Is the water pump on a 10th-gen Civic belt driven or chain driven?

Chain driven. On both the 2.0L K20C2 and the 1.5T L15B7 the pump sits behind the timing chain case cover and is turned by the timing chain, so the crank pulley and chain cover must come off to reach it.

Do I have to remove the timing chain to change the water pump?

Usually no. The pump comes out of the chain drive once the cover is off, but you must not rotate the crank with the cover removed, and you should mark the chain and sprocket positions before touching anything.

How do I know the water pump is bad?

Look for coolant dripping from the bottom of the chain cover area on the passenger side, crusty pink or blue residue behind the crank pulley, a bearing whine that changes with engine speed, or unexplained coolant loss with no visible hose leak.

What coolant does a 2016-2021 Civic take and how much?

Honda Type 2 blue premixed coolant only, roughly 4.5 to 6 quarts depending on engine and how much you drain. Do not use green or universal coolant, and bleed the system with the heater on until the thermostat opens.

Other jobs on the 2016-2021 Honda Civic

Oil ChangeFront Brake Pads and RotorsRear Brake Pads and RotorsBattery ReplacementSpark Plug ReplacementAlternator ReplacementStarter ReplacementCoolant FlushSerpentine Belt ReplacementTire RotationHeadlight Bulb ReplacementWiper Blade ReplacementThermostat ReplacementFront Strut ReplacementCabin Air Filter ReplacementEngine Air Filter ReplacementTransmission Fluid ChangeFront Wheel Bearing ReplacementOxygen Sensor Replacement

Water Pump Replacement on other vehicles

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