Been running "my girl" on short jaunts, replaced the thermostat fan and now find that the water pump appears to be leaking around the shaft (as best as I can tell.) Picking up the replacement tomorrow along with a new thermostat. Looking for advice / experience on doing the job. Do I need a torque wrench when putting it back together? I've heard of a few guys talk about over tightening valve cover gaskets to the point of cracking them. Can this happen on a water pump gasket? How tight should I go?

This car has been sitting for a lo-ong time and I think a few things are starting to shake loose. My plans are to pull the engine come late fall. I'm just after running it some to see what shape she's really in (and to enjoy my long anticipated toy.)


THNX to all on this site for past help!

I havent used a TRQ wrench for the water pump and gotten away with it. Just get them good and snug and do this in a cross pattern. Its 4 bolts; top-left, bottom-right, etc, etc. Good gaskets and youll be fine. Clean the surface of the block with some cleaner or a putty knife.
Valve cover bolts break from being so small and the thought of the valve covers having to be so tight. I use studs in the heads for the valve covers....all-thread bought from Home-Depot and they work great.

Also, Change your Upper and Lower Hoses and Flush the system while you are doing the job. Might as well change your Heater hoses too.
Tory

Use thread sealer on the water pump bolts - they go through into the block water jacket. :)

Make sure the bypass hole is open and free.( thats the extra hole on pass side block that does not have threads)

THNX to all! Have the old one out, now to get the new one in.:yes:

Please be careful. I know it may be hard to believe, but if a bolt is fatigued it can break. I had one of my water pump bolts break and I didn't even get to snug it. I guess from being removed and installed multiple times it wore it out. I was luck that enough of the bolt was sticking out of the block that I could remove the pump and get a monkey wrench on it. Not a normal thing to have a bolt like that break, but it does happen.

Good advice,

I'll pick up new bolts before I reinstall. Spend a few pennies now, save much headache later.

I am usually not the lucky one, but when it broke it left just enough to get a pipe wrench on it. What a relief.