Water Pump Relacement

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454cid

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Permatex makes a very good gasket sealer, that's what I used the second time. My first replaced water pump leaked, probably from the RTV on the gaskets moving, or maybe it really was a defective pump. I also used the permatex on the mounting bolts...

Why would you use rtv on top of a cardboard gasket...its so thick. I've got some spray stuff from Permatex that I use to hold the gaskets to the pump during installation.

Do the bolts need to be sealed on the late small block? My gen6 big block has blind holes and I use Loctite.
 

HotWheelsBurban

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On the later 305/350/4.3 they probably should be. All these motors are the same. I used the RTV sparingly, just to stick the gasket on the pump legs. When I took it apart after less than a month of driving, the gaskets were deteriorated (l suppose from the silicone? )and it looked like it had been leaking from there for a while. I had put the silicone on the bolts too and had to clean them up. Put it all back together with permatex #2 and it's stayed OK.
 

CW73

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Why would you use rtv on top of a cardboard gasket...its so thick. I've got some spray stuff from Permatex that I use to hold the gaskets to the pump during installation.

Do the bolts need to be sealed on the late small block? My gen6 big block has blind holes and I use Loctite.
On the Vortec 5.7 water pump bolts 3 are blind and one is open to coolant. I believe it's the drivers side bottom bolt.

I would use any sealant very sparingly on the cooling system.. the squished out part eventually breaks off and finds it's way to the radiator core clogging passages.

The spray stuff is awesome btw..
 
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Mangonesailor

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I would use any sealant very sparingly on the cooling system.. the squished out part eventually breaks off and finds it's way to the radiator core clogging passages.

No lie.

After resealing my intake and installing a new WP I had silicone that got filtered out of the coolant in my Heater core filter. Every time you use too much, you're taking that much more capacity from your radiator and your heater core.
 

454cid

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No lie.

After resealing my intake and installing a new WP I had silicone that got filtered out of the coolant in my Heater core filter. Every time you use too much, you're taking that much more capacity from your radiator and your heater core.

What are you using for a heater core filter?
 

GMCTRUCKS

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I have a '93 5.7 350. Is the process the same on my engine or are there some notable differences on a TBI?

Well on my 93 the pulleys helped a lot my dad said I don’t think it’s going to be that much more so I took him to test drive it before and after and after it burnt rubber on all first gear and it didn’t before my dad said it did make a difference oh the positive unit I put on my truck helped big times my truck just hooks up on a good road and I put on 3.73 gears as well.
 

54vicky

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must be the methane produced by the smaller pulleys
Well on my 93 the pulleys helped a lot my dad said I don’t think it’s going to be that much more so I took him to test drive it before and after and after it burnt rubber on all first gear and it didn’t before my dad said it did make a difference oh the positive unit I put on my truck helped big times my truck just hooks up on a good road and I put on 3.73 gears as well.
 

Wilecoyote

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I've always used 2 box wrenches on 2 bolts to break the fan bolts w the belt on.If the the belt slips on the last bolt I tension the idler/belt and it will break.Then the w the belt off it's easy to take the bolts off w your finger/thumb.
Same 2 wrenches to tighten up them bolts or nuts on the pump, belt tension and get them tight.
 
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