2003 edge 3.0 5 spd 150K on it, 2wd. coolant leaking downside block front pass side. research showing it's a front cover gasket gone bad? sounds and looks right as I see the water pump bolts to the front of this cover, and the leak is coming where this cover bolts to the block. where the pump bolts to cover is all dry.

my question is how bad is it to do this job? I've done water pumps before (not the 3.0 specifically). is this easy walk in the park or pretty in depth and lengthy? deciding if I wanna do it or take it to someone.

 

I recently read it wasn't *too* involved, but can't offer up more than that.

I'm assuming you accurately traced it to there? and not anything higher up?

 

yes sir, deffinetly appears to be coming form timing cover gasket

 

The water pump itself isn't terrible, but you do have to move the bracket that holds the ac compressor and power steering pump out of the way to get to some of the pump bolts. That bracket is a pain because two of the bolts are hard to reach. I got to them by removing the drivers side tire and coming through the fender well.
I suspect that once you're that far in the rest is pretty painless.

 

Mine is leaking from the front cover too. In typical fashion I keep a eye on it but will put it off as long as possible because I don’t have the spare time to fix it now.

 

found a post in another website online that stated the edge package with tortion bar front suspension, 2wd, rack and pinion steering; the oil pan will drop right down. crawl under my truck and it looks wide open and easy as possible. does anyone have experience in the oil pan removal? asking cuz it looks like the correct way to do this job is remove the oil pan to change the gasket when timing cover is removed.

as far as timing cover it looks like remove the drive accessories, fan assy, radiator, and ps pump/ac comp bracket; and then the water pump and timing cover can be removed. am I missing anything else?

 

I have the same issue in my 04 edge 2wd. There is a posting few lines below this one where Jeff R 1 gives insight to the oil pan and front cover removal. I don't know my rangers well enough to say if oilpan removal is easier on certain models like mine with rack and pinion and no 4wd drive stuff on the way.