[HotRodMan]

I have a 1965 Plymouth Belvedere 273 V8, automatic transmission, power steering, manual brakes. I completely rebuilt the engine about 35,000 miles ago.

I have a water leak on the engine that appears to be coming from between the water pump, and the timing chain housing, on the alternator side. Its real hard to tell exactly where the leak is coming from with the alternator and bracket in place. I have cleaned the area off and then examined it several times with a light while the engine was running.

I have the alternator and power steering pump off the car and was wondering if one of those pumps that you connect to the radiator, pump up and apply pressure to the cooling system, would show a water leak in the motor, or is this strictly for showing radiator leaks?

Any other ideas on how to determine where the leak is coming from?

[scholman]

HRM,

Yes the system pump will check the entire cooling system.

My wife drove a Plymouth with engine in it and the long bolts that run through the timing cover and the water pump tend to leak water.

Drain the cooling system and pull these long bolts out and apply a good coating of non-drying permetex to the thread area and then reinstall the bolts. This will cure the dripping coolant.

Have Fun
Scholman

[burnt olds]

if you pull them bolts , watch out for them to break off .
they corrode up in that chunk of alumn and break off .
warm up motor good .
easy way to pump up system is air set at 15 lbs with regulator
take a water plug out or T in a heater hose .

[HotRodMan]

Thanks for the advise. It turns out that the gasket between the water pump and timing cover had erroded, so I am installing a new water pump and gasket. I am going to follow your advise and install new grade 8 bolts with permatex on the threads. The bolts that were in there, were the original bolts that came with the car. The gasket erroded right around the top left bolt so I suspect water was seeping past the bolt and eventually erroded the gasket. Great advise, thanks guys.

[burnt olds]

great job at them bolts , check that housing good .
flat board sand paper it , i've seen that metal flake off and still leak .
hope your's is good to go .