z driver 88t

With several posts recently about snapped or broken water pump bolts, is there any thought or consensus on using antisieze on these bolts?

I did a "search" and noticed Merlin uses Loctite thread sealant with PTFE on them.

SeanR has recommended using a 1/4 inch impact gun which seems to be good advice (just picked one up for my t-belt job) to reduce the risk of snapping the bolt heads.

Other thoughts or ideas on minimizing the risk of broken WP bolts?

SeanR

It's actually a 3/8 impact 18v Mikita but 1/4 will work also. I also put a dab of silver anti-seize on reassembly.

antsmands

I snapped 2 bolts and decided to use antiseize upon reassembly. Just enough to counteract the corrision!

davek9

New bolts and Anti-seize for me, I use the copper.

deutschmick

I used a small amount of silver anti-seize when I last did mine.

I need to check my log book; I think that was 10 years ago.

jcorenman

I think the silver anti-seize paste is generally recommended for aluminum threads, to minimize dissimilar-metal corrosion.

The WP fasteners seize when they get wet and corrode. Keeping the threads dry is important, which means good (i.e. factory) gasket and clean/smooth surfaces. If you could be sure of the gasket never leaking then just a bit of light oil would be fine.

But gaskets do sometimes leak, and there are two schools of thought on avoiding problems: Either seal the threads against moisture with e.g. PTFE pipe-thread sealant, or protect the threads against corrosion with anti-seize. Loctite will also seal threads but I think it is not generally recommended for fasteners threaded into aluminum.

Cheers, Jim

syoo8

The copper anti-seize is for use on steel-steel applications; I believe the silver anti seize is what you want. Optimol TA is what I used, as recommended by Greg Brown.

Bertrand Daoust

I always used silver anti-seize and never had problem.

Like Scott and Jim mentionned, copper is for steel-steel parts.
Silver is recommended for steel-aluminium.
This is in the WSM.

linderpat

+928

Opelotus

+1 on the Optimoly TA. Not cheap but well worth the $.

I always laugh at how a Honda at work which is only a few years old will have frozen rear toe adjusters, whereas my 30-year-old 928 eccentrics still move with ease thanks to factory-applied anti-seize

Mrmerlin

FWIW I use the PTFE pipe sealant on the new bolts for the water pump , this is better than using the anti seize as it will prevent fluid migration into the bolt hole and thus prevent corrosion.

The antiseize may also prevent fluid migration at first,
but I think it will have a tendency to dry out over heat cycles,
and thus permit fluid migration

Adamant1971

DITO here. Don't want any coolant in the threads.

waynestrutt

I upgraded to 10.9 strength bolts for the waterpump plus antiseize. The copper optimoly is recommended for all metal combinations. Using high temperature rtv gasket sealant on the waterpump gasket will seal off any chance of coolant reaching the bolt threads.

Kiln_Red

A cordless 3/8 impact is a great suggestion for removing the bolts. Over-torquing them is as much of a risk as snapping them during removal. The threads need to be very clean. For threads that have already been damaged by POs, I replace those with a Timesert.