Water Pump 5.0 89 MGM

[sly]

I soak a few paper towels in the pump ports to lower the level just enough to be able to dry the face off. no problems so far with any vehicle.

[Ringting]

I ended up parking on an incline (engine down) and then stuffing cloths down the ports to absorb coolant. As they became saturated it was removed and replaced. Once things dried out I was able to clean the metal surfaces.

[Ringting]

Update
After a couple hundred miles of highway driving there are no leaks, fluid level is steady, driveway is clear.

Lesson Learned
Key thing is clean dry metal surfaces.

[Piece-it pete]

Congrats!

Pete

[Ringting]

Well my friends I need your help,
While a wonderful job was done on the second time, I have now found a small weeping leak where the timing chain cover seats against the engine block.

Standing at the front of the vehicle looking at the water pump think of the bolt at 3:00 and the one at about 5:00. The leak is just a few degrees after the 3:00 position. Those of you who chuckle about my cleaning habits please know without that finding this leak would have been hard.

So can anyone tell me where in my manual to look, or has someone experienced this and knows what I should do?
Thanks for listening,
Ringting

[86VickyLX]

Well my friends I need your help,
While a wonderful job was done on the second time, I have now found a small weeping leak where the timing chain cover seats against the engine block.

Standing at the front of the vehicle looking at the water pump think of the bolt at 3:00 and the one at about 5:00. The leak is just a few degrees after the 3:00 position. Those of you who chuckle about my cleaning habits please know without that finding this leak would have been hard.

So can anyone tell me where in my manual to look, or has someone experienced this and knows what I should do?
Thanks for listening,
Ringting

When I put the replacement lopo engine in the car, I failed to clean the gasket surfaces for the new timing cover gasket. It would leak coolant from that seal. So this was after I had the whole thing together. So I had to go through what you're going to have to...
If it's leaking from the timing cover, you gotta pull everything off of the front of the engine. Drain coolant. If you remove the radiator, it'll give you more room to remove the stuff you have to (the Balancer primarily). Remove the belts (obviously). All bracketery and accessories must be removed, since pretty much everything is bolted to the water pump (alternator, power steering pump, smog pump (if you still have it), a/c compressor. Now in this instance, when I say remove, just remove from where it's bolted, don't disconnect the lines from the A/C or the power steering. Just unbolt them and tie them up out of the way. If you're not good with rememebering where bolts go or stuff mysteriously disappears, use some ziploc bags or whatever to keep track of all of the bolts you remove . Also, you probably already know this, but note where each bolt came out of the water pump!
When that's all out of the way...

Remove the crank pulley (4 bolts), the harmonic balancer (with a puller) MAKE SURE THAT THE BOLT AND THE WASHER ARE REMOVED BEFORE YOU USE THE PULLER!!!!!!!!!!!!! Otherwise you'll break the harmonic balancer (while you have it off, inspect it, check the condition of the rubber, if it's cracked or missing, replace the balancer. Next unbolt the timing cover 2 or 3 bolts up top behind where the water pump would mount (use a wrench 1/2 inch iirc) also keep in mind there are some bolts holding it through the oil pan too! The obvious ones are on the lower front of the cover, where there are nuts and bolts holding on the timing pointer. I'd also recommend you replace the timing chain and gears while having the cover off (double roller timing kit please!). While it's off, clean the cover and inspect it to make sure that the timing cover isn't cracked as it is only cast aluminum, and I know you don't want to do this job again. If everything checks out, clean all gasket surfaces, install new front seal in timing cover and reassemble with new gaskets. If you follow torque specs, they'll be in your manual, if it's a haynes manual 2A or 2B. If not, for the harmonic balancer, use an impact gun with the appropriate size socket and run that fucker in till it don't go no more. Start it by hand first!!!

Also, some words of advice, When you put on the belts, just from dealing with this a lot... leave the water pump pulley off until after you put the AC belt on . They don't go on easy.

*EDIT* Didn't you recently do an oil pan gasket on this car? If you did, don't cut the gasket (if it's the rubber, you should be able to reuse it). If it's cork, cut the ends off and use the ends provided in the timing kit.

[Ringting]

THANKS for this knowledge.

Glad you stressed the basics since sometimes I get going and forget. Charging the camera battery now. Sheets of cardboard cut and ready for holding bolts as they are removed.

Yes on Oil Pan Gasket, it is rubber.

Basically I understand the story to be; slow and steady makes the day.

Since the leak is small, yet annoying, at this point I plan to drive the car somedays and the BMW on others while reading my manual in the evenings to ensure I understand what you have shared.

Again I thank you and everyone on the board. Truly love this vehicle. Would hate to give it up.
Ringting

[1987cp]

Reman HD water pumps can be had from Autozone as cheap as $15. Just saying.

[gadget73]

thats nice, but a replacement water pump won't fix a leak between the timing cover and the block

[86VickyLX]

Reman HD water pumps can be had from Autozone as cheap as $15. Just saying.

:lol: Interesting!

[Ringting]

The pump is brand new and I typically do not go low dollar. Thank you for you consideration.
take care

[clemford]

5.0 waterpump

I asked earlier if pulling the water pump off loosens and cracks the timing cover to block gasket often. I know some cars are famous for breaking the gasket. Chevy 60 degree v6 then leak antifreeze into the oil pan and wipe out the bearings. Anyway of avoiding that, like clamping cover to block some how?

Ive got 101,000 miles on original pump but dont really trust it. Last ford i rebuilt was my 289 back in 73. Hard to remember 38 years ago back in hs.

[Southern_Pride]

Ive never had an issue with the water pump being off breaking the timing cover gasket. And I got like 200k out of my first water pump and it didnt actually go bad I just had a high spot in the timing cover causing a leak. It only takes about 3 hours to change the water pump, Just be careful on the bolts.

[86VickyLX]

Ive never had an issue with the water pump being off breaking the timing cover gasket. And I got like 200k out of my first water pump and it didnt actually go bad I just had a high spot in the timing cover causing a leak. It only takes about 3 hours to change the water pump, Just be careful on the bolts.

Cleaning the threads in both the timing cover and on the water pump bolts are a good idea. Adding antiseize to the threads is even better.
I was still runing my original engine's water pump until the accident. That was when I was forced to change it because the shaft was bent and it squealed to high heaven and leaked like crazy. However the timing cover seal was fine, and the cover itself did not crack.

[gadget73]

usually replacing the pump does not break the seal between the block and the cover. There are several other bolts holding the cover down, so removing the WP doesn't typically cause anything to shift. Not saying its impossible, but I wouldn't expect problems from it.