Leaking water

No its not hard, just time consuming, and not really any shortcuts if you want it to last along time without leaking again.

Are you sure its actually leaking between the timing cover and the block?? I have never had that happen. Could you have had the water pump gasket slip when you installed the new pump or the T-stat gasket slip?? I have had that happen.

Is water running out of a spot that you can clearly see?

If not is it puddling on top of the timing cover, and leaking very slowly?

If that is the case I have two 302's leaking there right now. The trick is to drain out some of the water, dry it up, and plug the two holes in the back of the timing cover with JB weld. Its hard to see these holes, but you can feel them. They will be at the front edge of the puddle that I described. Apparently many of them leak here when they get old. Cardudeusa brought this to my attention. I still havent fixed it because it doesnt leak enough to count, it never runs onto the ground, just seeps.

The last time I got a pump from the Ford Dealer, they gave me the wrong gasket. I had a hard time convincing them that it was wrong because their computer said that the part was correct for my car. All the bolt holes lined up perfectly, but the gasket was still not right. After much arguing with the dealer, they finally took the pump/gasket back. I ended up going to a performance shop here in Charlotte and getting the Ford Racing water pump. As it turns out, it's the exact same pump but it did have the correct gasket. AAAANNNDD it was $30 cheaper than the dealer's OE part. After I got the new pump with the correct gasket, I put it on the copier and faxed a copy to the Ford dealer and told them to match the gasket with the one I had taken back to them earlier. They saw the difference and finally apologized for the error. They said that evidentally ALL their pumps have the incorrect gaskets for our cars.

I'd bet good money that you have been given the wrong gasket as well. That sucks! Just go get a Fel Pro gasket and bolt it back up.

Last December, I replaced my timing cover gasket because it was leaking between the block and the cover [right next to the water passage.] It took the better part of an afternoon to disassemble the front of the engine. The smog pump bolts were the worst.. make sure you clean the gasket surfaces really good and use a small amount of RTV around the passages just to be safe.

take the two bolts out by the passages and load them up with pipe dope sealer mine leaked a bit and it cured my problem.