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Ford Water Pump - Antifreeze Bath

2K views 8 replies 8 participants last post by  T-bucket23 
#1 ·
I am a Chevy guy in Fordland and I need some help from you Ford guys. I have a ’85 Ford 5.0 HO V-8 in my ’27 Roadster. I am having issues keeping the water pump sealed up. For the second time it has pushed the gasket out the bottom of the pump (see photo below). This is the gasket that goes between the water pump and the sheet metal cover on the back of the water pump.

I use stock “paper” gasket and red rtv.

What should I be using or is there some secret to keeping this sealed up?

Thanks in advance.

 
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#2 ·
If you've tried it with silicone and dry, and it leaks dry, try just silicone, I prefer black, not too much, maybe 1/8 bead, let is skin over before assembly. I'd let cure overnight before running it. Clean it well with alcohol or something to get the antifreeze residue off first.
 
#3 · (Edited)
I agree
. IF you use RTV, proper skinning time (follow the directions) and not over applying the RTV is uber important.

On SBC w/p covers I use inexpensive non hardening Permatex #2. Another option to RTV is brush-on Copper Coat, they also have a spray. Either is better than RTV, IMO.

Don't overtighten the cover. If they're 1/4" bolts, 11 ft/lbs is enough.
 
#5 ·
All I ever use is Gaskacinch or plain ordinary contact cement which is really all that stuff is and have never had one of those Ford water pumps leak from that plate ( yet ).

As timothale said - those aluminum front timing covers do occasionally have an erosion/corrosion problem, but usually that's where the exiting water on each enters that housing, seldom at the WP bolt up plane.
 
#6 ·
Those bottom 2 bolts holding the plate on are WRONG.
They may be holding the whole pump assy from seating properly.

The correct bolts have 9/16" across the flats and are only about 1/8" thick.

Might be part of your problem

Last Ford water pump I bought had the wong bolts in it-----I hang onto an old pum just for those screws.
 
#8 ·
Third Times A Charm?

Those bottom 2 bolts holding the plate on are WRONG.
They may be holding the whole pump assy from seating properly.
The correct bolts have 9/16" across the flats and are only about 1/8" thick.
Might be part of your problem
Last Ford water pump I bought had the wong bolts in it-----I hang onto an old pum just for those screws.
I checked the head height, they are 0.147 thick. The space they occupy is 0.200/0.187.

And thanks to everybody for the advice.

I reassembled the Water Pump to the Engine today.

I modified a Fel-Pro 35380 Pump to Cover Plate Gasket to give a bit more width in hopes that will help prevent another gasket failure. I also made some stainless studs to plug the two tapped holes that are not used in the timing cover.

Pump to Pump Rear Cover Plate Gaskets: P/N 35214 shown on left, P/N 35380 on the right:


This photo shows the P/N 35214 on top of the modified P/N 35380. Notice this results in a little wider gasket in the area that has failed twice on my '83 5.0 Motor:


The stainless studs I made to go into the two tapped holes:


The location of the unused tapped holes. I coated the studs with RTV and installed them into these holes.:

Another thing I did different is use Permatex #765-3017 Water Pump Housing RTV on the gaskets and the stainless stud plugs. This grade of Permatex is stated to have Superior Water-Glycol Resistance. I don't know if this is a new product, but I do know that I haven't found any threads that talk about it. The counter guy at NAPA didn't even know the stuff was in his store?

And lastly I modified a 1/2" combination wrench to allow snugging up those two lower back cover bolts.


Getting the wrench into location is tricky, but it works.
 
#9 ·
RTV or a quality gasket. Not both. The gasket requires surface pressure to stay in place and seal properly. The RTV will allow it to slide.
Clean both surfaces thoroughly, check for damage and reseal with either a good quality gasket (felpro) or the ritestuff from Permatex.
 
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