Dannyfumi

Hi all,

I'm about to install a new water pump on my 87, but need to know what type of sealant/RTV I should use. Thanks


Dan
Frisco, TX
85s manual
87s4 auto

hacker-pschorr

Neither of my 928's have any sealant on the water pumps. Over 7 years on the 81 and at least 12 on the 79 - no leaks.

Mrmerlin

I like to use the Permatex Blue silicone sealant, this helps and seals any small imperfections . You dont need much just a small dab and smear it on both sides of the wp gasket,
Also recommend that you use some Loctite pipe sealant on the screws so in 10 years you can remove them, use new hardware if you can this takes away the chance of snapping a bolt that may have been overstressed

John Veninger

I spray both sides of the gasket with High Tack gasket sealant.

Dean_Fuller

Permatex #2 is what I have used for years.

dr bob

I put a very thin film of sealer on the water pump side only, just enough to hold the gasket in place during installation. Per JB's recommendation, the factory gasket is a bit more robust than the one that the rebuilders supply in the box. It's a few bucks more but worthe the insurance value IMHO.

The factory assembly had no sealant used. The original metal surfaces were easily smooth enough to get a good seal with just the gasket. My thinking is similar, so I use just enough to hold he gasket in place. Next time it's removed, the gasket will come off with the pump and won't be glued to the block. The pump will go back to the rebuilder where the gasket and adhesive will be become their problem not mine.

If you find that a previous installer has used adhesive to glue the gasket on, try one of the spry chemical gasket dissolvers before you scrape hard enough to nick the gasket surface of the block. Once damaged, you are doomed to using sealer for the rest of its life.

Ditto the recommendation for new hardware and the Locktite thread sealant on the wet bolts. Any good teflon thread sealant paste will do the trick, even the stuff they sell in the plumbing section at H-D. There's nothing exotic about any of that. For the rest of the bolts, a good anti-sieze is appropriate. Use the thread sealant on the two wet tensioner bracket bolts too. The one-side-onlt sealer recommendation extends to the tensioner gasket too, if you don't upgrade to Ken's excellent tensioner conversion.

Dannyfumi

Thanks to all for your replies and advice!

Dan

SeanR

Dani, all I use is the red High Temp sealant.