Is this my water pump? And whats best way to seal it

mob

the guy who hits on his mom
20+ Year Stangneter :roc</strong><span class=
Oct 3, 2003
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Dallas, TX
Hey guys, so I just recently changed my lower intake gaskets because they were leaking. After I did that it was overheating real bad, to the point where I couldn't drive it down the street without getting to 270. So I took out all the air in the system, I changed the tstat to a Mr. Gasket 180 and got a new radiator cap. It ran fine for about 3 days, didn't over heat even when I got on it. But now its starting to over heat again. I am going off the stock gauge, but itll heat up differently, different times I drive it. But its always like clockwork when it starts to overheat. I can drive it for about 2-4 miles before the gauge starts going up. I can drive like a grandma, or I can be revving it to 5,000 rpm every gear but it doesn't make it over heat any faster, its always at about 2-4 miles of driving. Sometimes the gauge will only go up about half way, other times it'll shoot up to 270, coming to an idle doesn't lower temps, and sometimes it'll lower a tick on the stock gauge when I come to a stop but not always. I've tried to pressure test it and it will loose pressure at about a pound per minute, but i cant see or hear coolant coming out anywhere except at my heater core bypass which I have tightened up, and I also think I can attribute that to having to use the universal cap for the tester and not sealing perfect.

But anyways couple days ago I got under my car and saw some coolant dripping from the lower radiator hose where it goes to the water pump, and I found coolant coming down harmonic balancer, and dripping down the oil pan. I haven't really looked at the weep hole on the pump but It looks like its leaking more out of where the pump meets the timing cover, its hard to tell though with all the gunk underneath there. I am planning on changing the water pump tomorrow because it seems like its leaking anyways, but is it likely that this is what is causing my overheating issues? Water pump hasn't been changed in about 4 years.

And I've been searching and have seen people having problems sealing up there water pumps, you guys that have done it a couple times whats the best way to seal it up? I am thinking using a felpro gasket and a nice bead of blue silicone, on both sides of both gaskets, Sound good? Joe I'll be using your list, hope I don't break any bolts. I'll be using pb blaster, a hammer, a torch, and a breaker bar.
 
sorry I have a similar problem. Good luck with yours. Sounds like the best thing to do is to relpace it like im going to do. I havent looked at them yet. but I think that ill go with a high flow one. like 30% more flow than stock. might as well up grade I have up have up graded everything else.
 
If its leaking from the weep hole on the bottom of the pump you have no choice but to replace the pump. If its just the gasket then you will need to replace the pump to front cover and pump cover to pump gasket. When I get a new pump I pull the rear cover of the pump off and use Mr RTV and seal everything. While your at it replace the studs since they are rusted and old.

GL
 
i just replaced my pump with an advance auto special, i used the cheap gasket that came with it and some ultra black sealant. took off the plate that comes with it put some ultra black on it and bolted it back on. mine was leeking through the weep hole on the bottom. you might have an issue with the water pump not working correctly or maybe you should either get a new radiator or clean the one you have. if either of those are working intermitantly you will overheat. if the radiator is clogged the coolant will not be able to flow properly, so it creates excess heat because the radiator isnt working properly.
 
The radiator is an Advance brand radiator from my work with a lifetime warrenty, I havent noticed anymore leaking, but I am loosing coolant from somewhere. I think the overheating is mostly because I dont have enough coolant. Havent had time to change the water pump, I have a new one laying around so if I change the gasket I'll change the pump anyways. Maybe I'll just swap out my radiator anyways.
 
if your coolant is low that would be another issue with overheating, i would change the pump and bleed out the system. i just let mine run with the cap off and make sure you always have coolant in the radiator so you dont create more air pockets. i just kept dumping coolant in until it settled down spewing out all over my driveway. you will be able to tell when it doesent have any more pockets in it when it stops spewing coolant.
 
get a real gauge on there... go by a cheap one for 20 bucks, it will give you a better idea!

i would change the pump.. could be going... like you said put rtv on bothsides of gasket and will seal up nice! it did on mine...