Coolant leak

mrfomoco · Apr 23, 2007

Ok so after searching a bit I couldn't come up with anything. Here's my problem, just replaced my water pump gasket for the millionth time it seems and no matter what I do I always end up with some sort of leak. My car isn't overheating, after some spirited driving it barely kicks up past 180 (its a 180 tstat) like to 185. And getting home I can smell a bit of antifreeze, but I'm at a loss as to where it is coming from.

enferno · Apr 23, 2007

well, gotta find where the leak is first . . .

did you use any silicone sealant on the gasket when you put the water pump on? what about on the t-stat housing?

geostang351 · Apr 23, 2007

mrfomoco said:
Ok so after searching a bit I couldn't come up with anything. Here's my problem, just replaced my water pump gasket for the millionth time it seems and no matter what I do I always end up with some sort of leak. My car isn't overheating, after some spirited driving it barely kicks up past 180 (its a 180 tstat) like to 185. And getting home I can smell a bit of antifreeze, but I'm at a loss as to where it is coming from.

If you don't know where it is coming from, why would you keep changing the water pump gasket? Do you see antifreeze under the car or just smell it? Maybe your heater core is leaking inside your passenger compartment, thus the heavy smell?

1966conv · Apr 23, 2007

Most auto stores have a dye/black light combo for sale (roughly $30). Put the dye in your coolant, run up to temp or drive around for awhile and use the blacklight to find the leak. Works great if you can darken a garage or something.

rbohm · Apr 23, 2007

get in close and check every core plug. check the hoses, especially the ends and under the clamps. check the heater core as mentioned. check the radiator core, and the tank seams. torque the intake manifold down to 30ft/lbs.

mrfomoco · Apr 28, 2007

ok sorry for the lack of info on the post, it is leaking from the bottom of the water pump. It's an edelbrock pump, and a new timing chain cover. Do yall think it could be from the little notch on the bottom of the timing chain cover? Yes I'm using silicone sealant with my gasket, does it matter if the sealant goes on the w/p or the timing chain cover? Could it be my motor is revving too fast with my 4.57 gears and thus causing such a sporradic increase in pressure to blow through the gasket? Maybe I should change my gears again?

FLStang · Apr 28, 2007

Without knowing mustang pumps in particular:

In general, when water pump shaft/bearing seals go bad, they usually have a "weep hole" on the underside of the pump housing that allows water to trickle out from the pump bearings. A sign of failed or failing pump, time for a new one. See if that's the case. Is it an old pump? Have you run it dry, or with plain water?

wash and dry the engine, then run it for a while without driving (To eliminate road draft from spreading the leaking water out all over the place). You may be able to spot the leak source.

Jan

mrfomoco · Apr 28, 2007

Its a new edelbrock pump, their victor jr. series. I think I might have 300 miles on the pump?

Rusty67 · Apr 28, 2007

Shot in the dark but I had this problem on my friends car.

The pump he got had bolts to hold the block plate in but the head on them was too tall. This caused the pump not to seat all the way. I called Edlebrock about it and they mailed us some allen head bolts that had a small head. If the pump isn't flush to the timing cover then you would have a leak. We noticed it on his before we even started the car because the serpentine pullies wouldn't line up but I don't know if it would cause the same kind of trouble on a v-belt setup.

mrfomoco · Apr 29, 2007

Thanks for the reply. the bolts on the backing plate of the water pump are small round screws with an allen head. I really am having a horrible time trying to figure this out.

Rusty67 · Apr 29, 2007

Are you sure that the timing cover is good ? Maybe it is warped and the sealing surface isn't flat so it isn't sealing well. Also, you should put sealer on both sides of all the gaskets including the one that goes on the inside of the block plate for the pump.

10secgoal · Apr 29, 2007

Please don't torque those aluminum heads to 30 ft/lbs. A good gasket and proper torque sequence, the intake will seal with only 15 ft/lbs.

mrfomoco · Apr 29, 2007

Silicone on both sides? Thanks, I'll try that! After my broken finger heals I'll jump on it.

Rusty67 · Apr 30, 2007

I only use RTV on the threads that go into the water jacket. For the gasket I use a permatex sealer. It comes in a white plastic jar and is red in color. Works great. I'll get the part number off the bottle next time I'm in the garage.

mrfomoco · Apr 30, 2007

Ok so you only use silicone on which of the bolts? And that'd be great if you could get that part number for me. Thanks for all of your help so far.

Rusty67 · May 1, 2007

Permetex #80062 is what I use on ALL the gasket surfaces of the water pump. All sides of ALL gaskets. I put Anti-sieze on the top bolts of the water pump, the ones that don't go in through the timing cover into the block. The ones that go through the timing cover into the block I put RTV on.

mrfomoco · May 1, 2007

Awesome! Thanks for the help. Any suggestion on a sealant for the rear end? I'm changing gears in a month or so...

Rusty67 · May 1, 2007

Utra Black RTV on both sides of the gasket.

mrfomoco · May 1, 2007

You use a gasket? I was told not to. Do you use a cork gasket, or rubber?

chemeng · May 1, 2007

water pump gasket

Always use the water pump gasket. The only gaskets I don't use are the front and rear intake manifold gaskets.

Coolant leak

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