replacing the water pump in a JD 450B

[Alan VT]

Has anyone replaced a water pump in a JD 450 B? Do I have to remove the front "hood" - the very heavy and thick cowling that protects the top, bottom and sides of the engine compartment.  The manual just says "remove the radiator" but not how to get the radiator.  Yes I am not a mechanic

[Jeff]

I moved this from the collaborated thread board, it must have been posted there by accident a few days ago. Maybe there will be an answer for it here.

[snowstorm]

Has anyone replaced a water pump in a JD 450 B? Do I have to remove the front "hood" - the very heavy and thick cowling that protects the top, bottom and sides of the engine compartment.  The manual just says "remove the radiator" but not how to get the radiator.  Yes I am not a mechanic

      you dont have to remove the rad. fan yes it is a tight fit or slide the nose ahead   dont forget to unbolt the trans filter its the same as engine iol filter.....fan shroud top support.....when you get the pump off take it to the jd dealer and have them put the new shaft and seals in............has to be pressed in

[fishpharmer]

Alan and Snowstorm, Welcome to the forum.  I wonder if that is somekind of record.  Two new members in one post?  Glad you posted here.

 I got an old 4020 JD, the local carquest auto parts store ordered a new pump for me at less cost then the JD Dealers labor on rebuilding my old pump.  That may not be the case with the dozer but may be worth checking out.

[OneWithWood]

The nose is not hard to remove but it is very heavy.  Is this a loader or a dozer?  If it is a loader you can utilize the bucket to help support and slide the nose off.  If it is a dozer you will need some other form of assistance.  Once the nose is off everything is accessible.  Now would be a good time to have the rad serviced.

[Kansas]

I don't know if it would help any, but we run a JD 350B. I bought the complete service manual when we had to replace a steering clutch. Don't if they are the same, but i can fax you those pages if need be.

[Randy88]

I've got a 450 c which is the same except the c has wet clutches instead of dry, mine is a loader version if your is its not bad at all to do a water pump, just raise the laoder and I use channel iron to hold up the cylinders by putting an channel iron over each exetended cylinder and unbolt the nose cone , unbolt the oil cooler and I pick up the nose cone with a skid steer bucket and take it off and set it aside, if I'm at home around the shop I use a cherry picker instead of the skid steer, change the water pump and put it back together, much simplier than trying to do it while the nose is still on, I've done the water pump this way the alternator,radiator, hoses, anything that needs to be done upfront.   I bought the service manuals for my dozer, it really helps and explains how to do those things.   While you have the water pump out and if you take the nose cone off I'd have the radiator cleaned and pressure checked, along with an alternator taken in to have checked over to see if it needs bearings or brushes, most of them ran delco remeys and seems like they always needed something so while its apart any alternator shop can at least bench test it and at least blow the dirt out of it to help it run cooler, seems john deere didn't want anything or anyone to ever see the engine in those dozers which also helped keep all the dirt and debris in the engine compartment along with keepiing it running hoter than need be.  It doesn't take much mechanical ability to work on one of those dozers, just make sure things can't fall on you and a few simple tools are all you need, along with a helper to make sure if something goes wrong you have an extra set of hands.       

[OneWithWood]

Be careful if you opt for the channel iron on the piston to keep the bucket in the air.  I had a channel fold up - fortunately the arm did not come crashing down.  I use a notched 6x6 to support the bucket.

[Randy88]

Sorry about that we made pieces that look like channel irons out of half inch steel welded together one to fit over each lift cylinder so they are the right length and width and put a hole in the bottom side to slip a pin in so if they would flip over for some reason they couldln't fall off, then stood back and dropped the loader to make sure they didn't buckle and we've used them ever since, even its to just change oil or do routine maintance.   We even chain the bucket back so it can't droop down while its up in the air just as a safety otherwise it'll tend to droop and you can't get the cherry picker fit in to replace the nose cone, I guess if we'd repack the cylinders and valves that would elsiminate that problem but since they are not leaking oil out on the ground its on the "when I have time" catagory, otherwise we made a cradle out of iron and blocks to sit in the skidsteer bucket so the nose can't tip and then chain the nose cone with hooks attached to the back of the nose cone to the bucket with hooks that are welded onto the bucket that way you just back up with the cone in the bucket and it can't fall over or tip or slide out.    We just made the cradle to half way fit the bottom of the cone, nothing special just some angle iron slpaped together so it can't slide around and the second person attaches the hooks and directs the taking off and putting on, saves getting out of the skid steer to take bolts out and put them back in.  If your alone its easier to use a cherry picker or hoist.