Water pump question

blue66tang

Founding Member

Jan 20, 2001

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Medford, OR

Oct 22, 2006

#1

• Oct 22, 2006

• #1

I am working on a 89 5.0 water pump. I just put the engine in a jeep and went to fill it up with water and it started running out from somwhere around the pump. I cant figure out where its from. Its not coming out the water pump weep hole i dont think. Is there a comon place that these things leak water. My pump also had some plate on it. Is this nessasary? If i took it off would it be ok, My 66 mustang doenst have that plate. Im hoping its not comeing from the timeing cover somewhere.

 

Maryland Stang

Active Member

Aug 21, 2002

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39

Greenville, NC

Oct 23, 2006

#2

• Oct 23, 2006

• #2

There are 2 gaskets behind the w/p. On my 5.0 the gasket between the timing chain cover and the block was leaking. The plate is required since it is the back of the w/p. You may be able to remove it but I would imagine you would run into coolant circulation problems. Ford put it in there for a reason.

 

S

seijirou

Founding Member

Aug 15, 2002

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DFW

Oct 23, 2006

#3

• Oct 23, 2006

• #3

Without that plate it's not going to pump right so leave it there. There is a gasket however between the plate and the pump that needs to be good, and between the pump and the timing cover that needs to be good, and the timing cover gasket needs to be good. Make sure you're not missing a bolt somewhere or have one of the wrong length in the wrong position. Other than that, you have the upper and lower hoses, the bypass hose and the heater hose. If the bypass hose is leaking from the underside of where it connects to the water pump it can be hard to identify.

Really what I recommend is get yourself a pressure tester and pump up your cooling system and it'll start hissing and bubbling from where the leak is.

 

trbkrb

Founding Member

Jun 4, 2001

1,976

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Houston, TX

Oct 23, 2006

#4

• Oct 23, 2006

• #4

That backing plate is actually exposed along the back of the WP in a spot. It it is missing, the whole circulation system is not sealed. And if you don't put sealant in between the backing plate and pump, you will have many leaks. As for the mount to the timing cover, you only need to seal around the water inlet and outlet, not the parts that go from side to side. The timing cover is not designed to be exposed to water except at the inlet & outlet.

Good luck on the pump R&R.

 

blue66tang

Founding Member

Jan 20, 2001

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Medford, OR

Oct 23, 2006

#5

• Oct 23, 2006

• #5

Hmm i bet i know wht i did. Is there a few small bolts that hold the backing late on. I put the water pump on several weeks ago and for the life of me i cant remember if i put the bolts back on it.

 

8

8950HO

New Member

Mar 31, 2005

658

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Oct 23, 2006

#6

• Oct 23, 2006

• #6

Yes,there is a couple of small bolts for the backing plate.

 

trbkrb

Founding Member

Jun 4, 2001

1,976

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39

Houston, TX

Oct 23, 2006

#7

• Oct 23, 2006

• #7

Yes, those are the bolts for the exposed edge of the pump. If they are missing, the backing plate is most likely not sealing against the pump in that spot. You might get lucky and be able to squirt some silicon sealant into the gap, and then tighten up the two bolts. Worst case, remove the pump and reseal the backing plate with the bolts in place before installing the pump on the timing cover.