Timing cover leak?

do a pressure test. you can rent one from most auto part stores. it could be coming from the lower intake, a hose, the coolant pipe, t-stat housing ( too name a few areas) and running down the front of the motor. when removing the water pump bolts back them out then turn them back in doing this over & over, it sometimes helps to clear the threads and keep them from snapping.

I would say when you replace the gasket to make sure you have someone to help you put the cover back on, you will need more than one hand. You can keep the water pump and timing cover still together. Although from personal experiance I do NOT recommend this. Be sure to scrap and clean!!! Clean, clean and clean! You want a very clean contact surface. The gakset kit is about $10 plus silicone you will need. If you want to replace the water pump, which you can get a high-flow one from Summit for $75 so while you are there it isn't a bad idea.

I had to do this right after I bought my car. And definently becareful with bolts - I broke a waterpump bolt off in the block and one that holds the thin plate to the pump.

ReefBlueHatch said:

I had to do this right after I bought my car. And definently becareful with bolts - I broke a waterpump bolt off in the block and one that holds the thin plate to the pump.

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Really? I have done 5 different water pumps on different 5.0s three on my own cars. Never had a problem.

7upstang91 said:

Really? I have done 5 different water pumps on different 5.0s three on my own cars. Never had a problem.

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I commonly known fact or one of them when working on the 302/351W. It's something to beaware of . It's was on JRichers "list" when welcoming new people, although I couldn't find the dang thing.

pr1m3 said:

Speaking of a "list", I was wondering if such a thing exists for new fox owners. I used the search but didn't turn up much.

I'm looking for a checklist of things that commonly go wrong and stuff to check on a 100k+ notch.

Thanks in advance, this place is so helpful and full of info.

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I still recommend pressure testing the system to make sure you know where the leak is. okay next..

I found the post that jrichker would put out to new members that covers 99% of the stuff you need + there is a sticky titled Technical thread index above on the tech page that links you to popular topics.

This is fom jrichker not me..

"Not all of us know how to fix everything, but some of us know how to fix some things
with excellence!

If you want to do the fix up & power up thing, make sure that you have some other
form of reliable daily driver. That way the stang can sit while your wallet and hands
take a rest from the last project that didn't quite get finished on that 3 day weekend.
Things always cost more and take longer the first time you do them. Having some
other working vehicle makes life easier since it isn't the big crush to get it running
for the Monday morning drive to work or class.

Plan on spending some money on tools it you don't already have them. The stang
has both metric and american fasteners, so you really need two sets of wrenches.
A timing light, digital voltmeter, vacuum gauge, compression tester, fuel pressure
test gauge and fuel line coupler tools are some of the test & tuning tools you'll need.
Visit the pawn shops and sometimes you can find a deal on tools & test equipment
if you stick to well known name brands.

A sheltered work area is almost a must, someplace that you can leave the car in
pieces without upsetting anyone. Some guys here have changed a transmission in
the parking lot of their apartment in a rainstorm, but they will tell you it wasn't fun.
Depending on where you live, a warm dry garage is a nice place to do the winter
projects that stangs tend to become.

EFI (Electronic Fuel Injection) Computer - every stang after 85 has or had one:
don't let it intimidate you. The computer based EFI systems are not hard to fix
and most of the time they tell you what's wrong with the engine. Here's a book
that will get you started with how the Ford electronic engine control or "computer" works.

Ford Fuel Injection & Electronic Engine Control 1988-1993 by James Probst:
ISBN 0-8376-0301-3.

It's about $25-$35 from Borders.com see http://www.amazon.com/ . Select b... patience and though before you get started."

I have the same leak. Im in the process of changing the timing cover gasket. When installing the bolts do i need to put silicone on any of the bolts? I was told that oil passes through some of them???

MyBlackBeast said:

I have the same leak. Im in the process of changing the timing cover gasket. When installing the bolts do i need to put silicone on any of the bolts? I was told that oil passes through some of them???

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http://www.stangnet.com/mustang-for...r-install-manual-automatic-transmissions.html

Thanks greensvt21. Anyone else ever done this before? What did you use on the bolts?

7upstang91 said:

Really? I have done 5 different water pumps on different 5.0s three on my own cars. Never had a problem.

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Sorry, I wrote that wrong. The bolt that I broke in the block was one of the long stud bolts, not a water pump bolt. But I did also break off a bolt that holds on that thin plate to the pump.

Yeah, in the first two months of having the car I got to do a heater core and then timing cover gaskets. I was loosing antifreeze everywhere.

MyBlackBeast said:

Thanks greensvt21. Anyone else ever done this before? What did you use on the bolts?

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I used plumbers putty on mine where the bolts went into the water jacket and anti-seize on the rest of them.

To the OP... You may want to replace the timing chain while you have it torn down that far. I hate it when someone tells me that they bent all of their valves/pushrods and just had it torn down to replace the gaskets 2 months ago.

ReefBlueHatch said:

Sorry, I wrote that wrong. The bolt that I broke in the block was one of the long stud bolts, not a water pump bolt. But I did also break off a bolt that holds on that thin plate to the pump.

Yeah, in the first two months of having the car I got to do a heater core and then timing cover gaskets. I was loosing antifreeze everywhere.

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Dang that sucks. I feel your pain though, I have replaced everything on my cooling system.

pr1m3 said:

Yeah I was thinking about it. Then I started thinking if I'm replacing the chain, might as well swap out the cam for a 303. Eventually I want to go with a single 70mm turbo setup. B303 + stock heads + turbo; or F303 (supposed turbo cam) + stock heads + turbo?

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It's kinda pointless to put a B cam in with stone stock heads. The B cam is just a lower lift version of the X cam. It really likes to rev and doesn't start making any power until over 3,000 RPM. Put a set of 1.7 rockers on it and you have a nice little cam for a mild build.

Your car will be slower with stone stock heads and a B cam.

Even with 1.6 rockers you'll need to upgrade the valve springs.

Hello I have a 90 mustang 5.o LX having the same problem went to replace my water pump the bolt that goes through the water pump timing cover and into the block broke I got it out ended up replacing the water pump and timing cover still leaks I've taking it apart 3 times cleaned the hell out of the block timing cover and water pump still leaking on me have no idea what to do now