Any Reason I Can't Use A Little Sealer On Water Pump Gaskets?

[oz]

My water pump gasket has leaked a little - mostly in the winter - since I installed it 10 years ago. I've got the thing torn down for other reasons (another thread) so I'm going to install fresh gaskets.

I got the pump off and the plate that seals that back side is a little pitted (and may not be perfectly flat) so I wonder if there's any reason why I can't use a little RTV silicone on the metal surfaces and then sandwhich the gasket? I installed the gaskets dry last time so I want to do something different this time...

THANKS!

 

[srtthis]

i always put RTV on those gaskets.

 

[89stang1]

imho first thing i would do is go buy another waterpump since you have the 10 year old pump off already and yes to rtv

 

[Rick 91GT]

RTV wont hurt a thing...

 

[oz]

Thanks.
In general I think it's a pretty crappy design - having that little plate held in place with two bolts at the bottom and thinking that a gasket and those two bolts will hold the water in. I usually use RTV on gaskets but didn't this time.

I have one of the heads off - should I put something around the water passage hole when I put the head gasket on?

 

[srtthis]

i put my head gaskets on dry... thought about copper spray but didnt this time

 

[Rick 91GT]

NO, just make sure all the surfaces are clean. Use liquid teflon or Permatex on the lower head bolts since they go into water jackets, the upper just use oil or moly they are blind holes.

 

[rd]

Had the best results with Hi tack gasket cement on these. Next up is old fashioned Permatex No 2, it seals well, but is a pita to remove. Have used rtv w/o gaskets, but went back to gaskets. The rtv always made the gaskets slippery when I tried both at once.

 

[redwings06]

Ditto on the Hi-Tac, i love that stuff