So, I'm a water pump moron

I built an engine and welded up coil-overs. I can mount my own tires and rebuild a carburetor. But apparently, installing a water pump is beyond me.

Water pump on the Celica has leaked since I built the engine. Not too bad, just kind of seeping. I got tired of it the other day and pulled it off, cleaned everything up really, really well (and that took a long time!), got a new gasket, put some RTV on it and put it all back together. Now it leaks worse.

What am I doing wrong? Or, rather, I kinda know what I'm doing wrong, but how do I not do it anymore? I get that I'm cranking the bolts down and the RTV is all smooshing out. I saw something on the internet that made it look like I should be putting the RTV on the front cover and the pump, not the gasket. Am I supposed to let it set up some before I put it all together?

I feel like an idiot not being able to do this simple job. Any help is appreciated.

You may just need the RTV in couple of spots and, yeah it needs to set up for a bit before you assemble it.

Remember: Room Temperature Vulcanizing --> its gotta Vulcanize.

Torque spec? They generally are not held down with much force at all and over squeezing can weak havoc on flat surfaces and therefore mess up the sealing . I miss read the spec on my honda and did it in ft lbs instead of in lbs and it leaked before I got it right.. just a thought.

Is it leaking around the shaft? I got three bad waterpumps in a row (same day) for a Corrado VR6 from Napa. R&R requires unbolting and jacking up the front of the engine.

Time for the "Right Stuff" Permatex's expensive but invincible RTV.

last one I changed a few months ago was '02 GP, used gasket shellac on gasket and torque wrench w/ no leaky

I went through that last year with my ti.. for years I had a slow seep that I thought was the thermostat.. which is right above the waterpump.. last year the pump went.. I replaced it and the seepage stopped.. so all those times I pulled the thermostat and put it back on.. and even replaced it once.. were totally useless as it was not the problem.

Gasket shellac. My new best friend when it comes to this sort of thing. I've never had much luck with RTV sealing a damn thing and I'm a real stickler for torque specs.

No, it's not leaking at the shaft. The water pump is fine. I can see it seeping out where I did a crappy job putting it on.

I know it doesn't need much torque. It uses like eight 10mm bolts. I use the little 1/8 ratchet and kind of plam it when I'm putting it on. I don't think I'm over torquing it. I'm sure it's in inch lbs.

I know some of the front covers on 22Rs aren't true, but I checked this one with a straight edge when I did the motor. Amazingly, it doesn't leak where the cover meets the block, so at least I did that right.

I'm pretty sure I'm just doing a crappy job. If it comes down to it, I guess I could read the directions on the RTV. Kinda hate to thrown in the towel like that, though.

Humm. I'll investigate this gasket shellac. That sounds interesting.

Try Yamabond instead of RTV, and when assembling go hand tight on the bolts for 20 minutes, then fully tighten.

Yamabond, Hondabond, Permatex Grey, etc.. They're all the same stuff.

Put it on THIN and smooth, on both surfaces. Then do what Don said above ^^

a good gasket doesn't need any sealer when it's sealing one flat surface against another flat surface.

use a gasket and a shelac

OR

a good RTV like permatex grey

whenever i try and use both, i have a problem.

Tyler H wrote: Is it leaking around the shaft? I got three bad waterpumps in a row (same day) for a Corrado VR6 from Napa. R&R requires unbolting and jacking up the front of the engine.

their Tru-flow brand of water pump has gone from great to crap, and it happened really fast too.

we used to get a handful of warranty claims a month. then a couple months back, all of a sudden we started getting half a dozen every week.

Gray stuff, on the WP flange, then put the gasket on, then another layer of gray stuff on the gasket, then install on the cleaned up block flange.

I had a problem when trying to use RTV on the 86 MR2's water pump. A Toyota dealership parts guy (that I trust) said not to use the RTV, just use the gasket by itself. He was right.

fast_eddie_72 wrote: I know it doesn't need much torque. It uses like eight 10mm bolts. I use the little 1/8 ratchet and kind of plam it when I'm putting it on. I don't *think* I'm over torquing it. I'm sure it's in inch lbs.

Wait... are you using a torque wrench? You probably should, if it's giving you this much trouble.

dculberson wrote:

fast_eddie_72 wrote: I know it doesn't need much torque. It uses like eight 10mm bolts. I use the little 1/8 ratchet and kind of plam it when I'm putting it on. I don't *think* I'm over torquing it. I'm sure it's in inch lbs.

Wait... are you using a torque wrench? You probably should, if it's giving you this much trouble.

This, as well as RTV + gasket = no from what I understand, use one or the other.

tuna55 wrote: This, as well as RTV + gasket = no from what I understand, use one or the other.

Yup.

novaderrik wrote: a good gasket doesn't need any sealer when it's sealing one flat surface against another flat surface.

True !

Not to threadjack, but perhaps the answer will be pertinent to the OP as well...

If "no" to RTV plus gasket, when would you guys use RTV instead of a gasket?

Only when no gasket available?
Gasket is of questionable construction?
Surfaces aren't smooth/flat?
Always?
????

ransom wrote: Not to threadjack, but perhaps the answer will be pertinent to the OP as well... If "no" to RTV **plus** gasket, when would you guys use RTV instead of a gasket? Only when no gasket available? Gasket is of questionable construction? Surfaces aren't smooth/flat? Always? ????

RTV over gasket:

When it's relatively permanent

When OEM used RTV

When the surfaces are clean and dry and smooth

When you want to build up height (valley/intake gaskets on domestic V8s)

Gasket over RTV:

When you need to get in there again

When scraping off RTV would wreck the sealing surface (like a carb)

When fluid is around (the PT Cruiser and the van both have tilted transmission pans resulting in a continuous drip over the sealing surface)

When the sealing surface is irregular (exhaust manifolds, although heat would ruin the RTV too)

I won't use RTV with an O-ring (like on a Honda water pump) but with a paper gasket - yep, the gray stuff.

RTV is gasket maker, not gasket sealer.

Gearheadotaku wrote: Time for the "Right Stuff" Permatex's expensive but invincible RTV.

"I put that E36 M3 on everything!"