Tools you need for water pump on a 2012-2016 Honda CR-V

The 4th-gen CR-V's K24 keeps the water pump inside the timing chain case, driven by the chain itself. That turns what looks like a simple pump swap into a front-of-engine teardown: accessory belt, crank pulley with its 181 ft-lb bolt, right side engine mount bracket, lower oil pan, then the chain cover and tensioner before the pump is even visible. Plan on the better part of a day and treat it as a chance to also do the crank seal, tensioner, guides, belt and thermostat.

The 2012-2014 cars use the K24Z6 and 2015-2016 use the K24W9 Earth Dreams engine; the layout and tool sizes are essentially the same, though bolt lengths and the pump part number differ, so order by VIN. The mistake people make is trying to hold the crank pulley with a strap wrench or by jamming the flywheel, and the second is reassembling with RTV silicone instead of Hondabond on the cover and pan, which leaks within a few thousand miles.

Complete tool and parts list

Differences within the 2012-2016 generation

Both the 2012-2014 K24Z6 and 2015-2016 K24W9 use a 19 mm crank pulley bolt, 10 mm heads on the water pump and oil pan bolts, and a mix of 10 mm and 12 mm heads on the chain cover, so the tool list is the same. What changes is the pump part number and some chain cover bolt lengths, plus the K24W9's different oil pan and mount bracket hardware layout. AWD models add a driveshaft heat shield and extra 10 mm splash panel bolts compared with FWD.

Torque specs

How the job goes

1. Park on level ground, let the engine cool completely, disconnect the negative battery terminal, and note that the radio may need its presets reset afterward.
2. Loosen the right front lug nuts, raise the front of the vehicle, support it on jack stands, and remove the right front wheel and the plastic inner fender liner and lower splash shields (10 mm bolts, Phillips screws, and push clips).
3. Open the radiator cap, then open the drain cock at the lower driver side of the radiator and drain the coolant into a pan. Reinstall the drain plug hand tight.
4. Drain the engine oil (17 mm drain plug) and remove the oil filter; the oil pan has to come off, so the oil is coming out anyway.
5. Rotate the accessory belt tensioner with a 14 mm wrench or belt tool and slip the serpentine belt off. Inspect it and plan to replace it if it is glazed or cracked.
6. Support the engine from below with a jack and a block of wood under the oil pan, or set up an engine support bar from above. Remove the right side engine mount and its bracket from the block so the timing cover area is clear.
7. Set the engine to TDC on cylinder 1 by turning the crank clockwise with a 19 mm socket and lining up the crank and cam marks before anything comes apart. Never turn the engine backwards.
8. Hold the crank pulley with the Honda-style pulley holder and break the 19 mm center bolt loose with a long breaker bar or a strong impact wrench. Remove the bolt and pull the pulley off.
9. Unbolt and remove the lower oil pan (10 mm bolts all around) so the bottom edge of the timing chain cover is free.
10. Remove the timing chain cover bolts (mixed 10 mm and 12 mm heads, various lengths - keep them in order on a board) and separate the cover from the block with a plastic pry tool. Do not pry on the sealing flanges.
11. Release and remove the hydraulic chain tensioner, then remove the chain guides and slip the timing chain off the water pump sprocket. Mark the chain and sprockets first and keep the crank and cams from rotating.
12. Unbolt the water pump (6 mm bolts, 10 mm heads) and pull it out of the block. Remove the old O-ring and clean the machined bore carefully.
13. Clean every sealing surface: block face, chain cover, oil pan and pump bore, using a plastic scraper and parts cleaner until dry and oil free.
14. Install the new pump with a fresh O-ring lightly lubricated with coolant, torque the bolts evenly to 9 ft-lb, and spin it by hand to confirm free rotation.
15. Reinstall the chain onto the pump sprocket with the timing marks aligned, fit the guides, then install the tensioner (compressed and pinned per its instructions) and confirm the marks still line up after rotating the crank two full turns by hand.
16. Replace the front crankshaft seal in the chain cover, apply a continuous 2-3 mm bead of Hondabond HT to the cover flange, and install the cover within the sealant's working time. Torque bolts in a spiral pattern to spec.
17. Seal and install the oil pan the same way with fresh liquid gasket, torque to 9 ft-lb, and let the sealant cure before adding oil (check the tube, usually 30 minutes minimum, longer is better).
18. Reinstall the crank pulley and torque the bolt to spec using the pulley holder, then refit the engine mount bracket and mount and remove the engine support.
19. Reinstall the serpentine belt on the correct routing, refit the splash shields and fender liner, mount the wheel and torque the lugs to 80 ft-lb.
20. Install a new oil filter and drain washer, refill with 0W-20, then fill the cooling system with Honda Type 2 using a spill-free funnel. Run the engine with the heater on full until the thermostat opens, burp all the air out, and top the reserve tank.
21. Drive the vehicle, then recheck coolant level and look for leaks at the pan, chain cover and pump area after it has fully cooled.

Watch out

Socket sizes (10/12/14/17/19 mm) and the chain-driven pump layout are solid for the 4th-gen K24, but bolt head sizes vary slightly between the 2012-2014 K24Z6 and 2015-2016 K24W9 (Earth Dreams) blocks, so verify the crank pulley bolt torque and mount bracket torques in the year-specific Honda service manual before final assembly.

Other jobs on the 2012-2016 Honda CR-V

Water Pump Replacement on other vehicles