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Sealant on water pump yes or no?

losh1971

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So I replaced the gasket on the water pump as I saw a green tinge around the edge when I used the acid on the engine. I ended up replacing the gasket and used sealant. Trouble is I now have a weep. I can't tell for sure where it is coming from, other than I know it's the pump. I really hope it's not a third or fourth failed pump in three years as this is getting beyond a joke if it is.
I am probably going to pull the pump again but not sure whether to go back to before and only use sealant on the bolts and not the mating surfaces?
 

losh1971

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I am also wondering if I should instead of removing the pump, I just remove and reseal each bolt. PITA because i just used all new coolant and each time you catch and recycle you lose some.
 

_R_J_K_

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If it comes with a gasket it typically doesn't need sealant, just to clean the mating surfaces and make sure they're not pitted. Make sure they're torqued up to the same spec, doesn't really matter how tight (20nm is a good number) just that they're all the same so you don't have any high or low spots.
 
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losh1971

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Pump looks ok, no seepage from the hole. I have removed all the sealant and thinking I will sit it back on with no sealant except on the two lower bolts that come into contact with coolant. Before I pulled it off last week it wasn't leaking but I saw a green tinge once the acid brought out the colour. I am guessing now that may have just been normal for a paper gasket, as the coolant would naturally soak into it a little?
Wishing I didn't remove it with the rad install now. Anyway too late.
 
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losh1971

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All back together be interesting to see if it is leaking anywhere. Probably won't know until the morning though, as these old V6's tend to leak once things get real cold not so much when the engine is hot.
 

BlackVXGTS

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Just replaced the water pump on my wife's VS Clubsport because I noticed the shaft was very loose when I replaced the radiator recently.
  • Pulled off the water pump and spent a lot of time removing the original gasket.
  • Replaced the water pump with a with a good GMB brand pump and used the supplied (quite useless) paper gasket.
  • Put everything back together (shroud, fan unit, fan, alternator belt, HSV CAI), and there was a leak from around the bottom of the water pump.
  • Pulled everything apart again, used sealant on the water pump, put everything back together, let the sealant dry for a day, refilled with coolant, ran the engine and everything looked good.
  • Went for a drive the next day, and when I pulled into the carport could see all this coolant on the concrete. The leak was coming from somewhere and dripping down onto the crankshaft bearing and onto the ground.
  • Tightened all the hose clamps that I could reach with everything installed, particularly the heater hoses at the top of the water pump. Remembered that I had problems with them in the past. Still had a leak, but this time I could see that it came down onto the water pump, but the pump itself wasn't leaking.
  • Pulled everything apart again (except for the water pump) to get clearance and make sure I could get at all the clamps. Re-adjusted the clamps on the heater hoses at the top of the water pump and tightened the clamps really, really tight with a small spanner.
  • Put everything back together and haven't had a leak since, which was good, because my next step was to replace all the heater hoses and that looked like being a PITA.
Bottom line recommendations:
  • Use sealant on the water pump instead of the standard paper gasket.
  • Make sure that the clamps on the heater hoses at the top of the water pump are done up very, very tightly. Use hose clamps that have a nut that you can tighten with a spanner and not just a screwdriver.
 

losh1971

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I will be bummed Black GTS, if I have to remove it again because the gasket fails. I have had so many leaks on this V6 it aint funny. It was sorted too until I replaced the rad. Good thing about the V6 pump is you don't have to touch the bypass hose to remove the pump. Damn bolts are the main problem I have found where leaks develop on the V6, once all the main things have been attended too.
 

Immortality

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I coat the gasket with a very thin smear of sealant both sides to kinda seal the gaskets as these days they are cheap paper...

If the hoses are old enough that they don't seal unless you need to torque the crap out of the clamps either shorten the hose slightly so the clamp is on a new section of hose or replace the hose for long term peace of mind.
 

losh1971

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You blokes have me second guessing myself now, lol. I'm now wondering if it was the bolts leaking and not the mating surfaces at all?
I Was chasing a leak over 12 months ago. It took me weeks. Mech wasn't sure i replaced bypass hoses, clamps and all sorts. Turns out it was the bolt used to provide a ground to something, that goes into the timing cover. Bastard would only leave a drip when the engine sat all night and was fully cold.
Hopefully i should know in the morning if i still have any coolant leak issues.
 
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