Water pump keeps leaking please help!!

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exranger06

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94 Ford Explorer in my sig...Replaced the water pump last week. When I installed it, I used the supplied gasket. As soon as I started refilling antifreeze, it started leaking profusely. I took it apart and took the gasket off and used blue RTV instead. Both times I cleaned the gasket surface well. It held up well for a few days, but now it's starting to leak again. I'm about to head to Napa and pick up a tube of "The Right Stuff." I heard nothing but good things about it. If anyone has any other recommendations or suggestions I'm all ears. If it leaks after this, I'm taking it to a shop because I have HAD it with this thing.
mad.gif
 
When you removed the first pump, did you get the gasket surface cleaned? I can't think of anything else unless you got a bad pump leaking out the weep hole, hose/clamp, bolts tightened enough.
 
I dont know about this pump but sometimes a stud will need to have sealent put on it to keep anifreeze from leaking,this could be the problem you are having.
 
Without seeing it
it will be hard to say ...but here are some ideas check the hoses very carefully sometime the simple things are the cause...also when installing the new one was the old gasket completly removed with no traces of old gasket on the engine side? if not that could be the problem..The other thing could be and i have seen this many times the rebuilt water pump could be bad..Before taking it apart again be sure where it is leaking.. Sometimes we all overlook the obvious..
 
When I did my pump, I used the supplied gasket in the box plus gasket sealant as per the service manual. I used the Permatex Form a Gasket #1 Sealant.

I did a whole writeup on changing the pump in my explorer here on my site with pictures.

http://wrenchheads.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=79&t=131

I did this in the spring in my truck and the summer in my friends 94 sport. Both are sealing great.

You need to use the supplied gasket plus a gasket sealant on both sides, not a gasket maker, just a sealant.
 
These days you never know where a new water pump was made. And some of the imports are junk out of the box.

I had a new pump leak the first time it was used a few years ago. But also saw a neighbor have a leaking stud problem on a very old buick.
 
I cleaned off the gasket surface really well, but it may have been a little wet. Antifreeze just kept dripping out of the block no matter how much I tried to mop up. I didn't put any sealant on the bolts. I may try that first. If that doesn't work, I'm gonna seal it up again and make sure the surface is dry.
 
get permatex thread sealant, it is a white color and I use it for cooling system bolts, prevents coolant from getting past the bolts and leaking. The surface must be dry, and let the sealant cure a little. sand the surface with light sand paper then polish with steel wool. Torque the bolts to proper torque as well.
 
Did you let the RTV sit on the parts for 15 mins or longer before installing? I generally let RTV sit on my parts for at least an hour before installing them. Never had a leak afterwards. Also, some Fords specifically require thread sealant and you might be able to get around buying thread sealant by putting RTV on the threads. I use red RTV on my parts.
 
A little bit of an update: I got the pump off and cleaned the surfaces on the pump and engine thoroughly. I ran out of daylight so tomorrow morning I will reinstall it using some Permatex "The Right Stuff" and thread sealant on the bolts. For some reason I'm pretty confident it won't leak this time. If it does, I'm letting a shop deal with it.
 
i know a cat that was the factory rep for fel-pro. he said they would NOT warranty a valve cover gasket if RTV was used on it. i like prematex #2. course i dont work on my truck any more, but when i did it only #2 for me. NEVER had it fail, over 3 1/2 decades.
 
I think the title of this thread is inaccurate. Should be titled: "I keep screwing up a water pump installation".

Cheap aftermarket water pump gaskets are often junk- they're often thin, hard, even porous... NOT ideal for sealing a thin liquid like antifreeze. As such, unless it's obviously a good quality gasket, I generally put some kind of goop on to help it seal. Over the years I've successfully used various RTV's, gasket shellac, anaerobic sealant, high-tack, Permatex #2... and probably several other types of goop. All worked well enough. I happen to like High-Tack because it's easy to apply (aerosol), sticks the gasket in place, and allows for easy gasket removal should the need arise.

But it really doesn't matter that much what kind of goop you use. Peanut butter would probably work. Just don't over-torque the bolts- goop lubes the gasket and will increase its tendency to be damaged and squeezed out by over-torquing. So be careful. Better yet, use a torque wrench.

And make sure the gasket surfaces are clean.
 
RTV should never be used to seal waterpumps or thermostat housings. In my 22 years in the business I've seen maybe 50 comebacks from technicians because they used RTV as a coolant sealant. It's possible to get it to work but definitely isn't very durable. When paper gaskets are supplied I use the contact adhesive Gaskacinch. RTV is slippery so when you use it on paper gaskets it has the tendency to slip. Also when pressure builds in the cooling system it is easier to force it's way between the gasket and mating surface. Gaskacinch is a contact adhesive so it can work its way into any minor dings or scratches in the mating surfaces. It also prevents slippage because it's very tacky. There are other good adhesive brands. I know Permatex makes one and there is a GM brand that technicians swear by.
 
Originally Posted By: Scott_Tucker
RTV should never be used to seal waterpumps or thermostat housings. In my 22 years in the business I've seen maybe 50 comebacks from technicians because they used RTV as a coolant sealant. It's possible to get it to work but definitely isn't very durable. When paper gaskets are supplied I use the contact adhesive Gaskacinch. RTV is slippery so when you use it on paper gaskets it has the tendency to slip. Also when pressure builds in the cooling system it is easier to force it's way between the gasket and mating surface. Gaskacinch is a contact adhesive so it can work its way into any minor dings or scratches in the mating surfaces. It also prevents slippage because it's very tacky. There are other good adhesive brands. I know Permatex makes one and there is a GM brand that technicians swear by.


well there goes gm tech school....
 
Originally Posted By: QuadDriver
Originally Posted By: Scott_Tucker
RTV should never be used to seal waterpumps or thermostat housings. In my 22 years in the business I've seen maybe 50 comebacks from technicians because they used RTV as a coolant sealant. It's possible to get it to work but definitely isn't very durable. When paper gaskets are supplied I use the contact adhesive Gaskacinch. RTV is slippery so when you use it on paper gaskets it has the tendency to slip. Also when pressure builds in the cooling system it is easier to force it's way between the gasket and mating surface. Gaskacinch is a contact adhesive so it can work its way into any minor dings or scratches in the mating surfaces. It also prevents slippage because it's very tacky. There are other good adhesive brands. I know Permatex makes one and there is a GM brand that technicians swear by.


well there goes gm tech school....


What you're taught in school and what you observe in practice can be two different things. I have no doubt you can install a waterpump and have it properly sealed. I'm sure you have seen jobs done by professional techs and guys doing it in their garage where RTV was way over-applied. Those are likely to leak. Ultimately it's up to the people who read this to decide what method they want to use.
 
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