I'm a few weeks past doing my timing chain, cover, water and oil pump routine and I noticed my water pump is seeping a bit at the gasket. I used Permatex speical gray coolant silicone on both sides of the gasket and everything is snugged down tight. It just seems like the aftermarket gasket I got with my kit is much too porous and can't hold back the pressure.

What do you guys like to do with water pumps to keep them water tight? OEM gasket? Silicone with no gasket? Any other ideas?

Thanks.

 

Did you get things clean?? Does not take much to cause a leak.

Timing cover replaced with timing chain??

Just which brand of water pump quality control has been some what lacking .

If the two mating surfaces are not flat trying to seal things will just result in broken studs.

For what it is worth I use the Ultra Blue.

Your not talking much pressure I have had them seal with a broken stud.

Then I Received a few pumps so bad there was a 2mm gap when tight between the pump and timing cover.

always in different spots .

 

New timing cover, DNJ brand.

I didn't notice the water pump brand but it came with my other things from englbdr.com.

All parts new, gave everything a wipedown with acetone before assembly. I even did a little de-burring on the machined surfaces but I didn't actually check the pump and cover together for mating flatness... good idea but not sure how easy that will be to do now that the cover is on the motor.

Do you use the ultra blue with a gasket or without?

Edit: Water pump is also stamped DNJ.

 

I have done it both ways

If I have the gasket I use both but there have been times I swapped a water pump and did not have the gasket .

Like anything else just put a nice thin coat on both pieces

 

I took the pump off, it checks out having only about a .010" gap in the overall fit to the timing chain cover and that is easily flattened out with the slightest of pressure from the mounting bolts/nuts. So I'm joining the silicone club and going without a gasket. Thin coat on both surfaces, fasteners with slight pressure, wait an hour or two, then tighten. No silicone squishing out so no worries about globs inside my cooling system. So far my pressure test is holding, if you don't hear back in a week or so then assume success. Thanks for the comments, W9.