Water Pump R & R and Anti-Freeze Questions

[ZZ]

I'm getting ready to change water pumps. The manuals all talk about using a special adhesive and to make sure it is still wet when tighening the bolts on certain areas of the pump or the plate. I'm not really understanding what kind of glue it means & etc.

What do you think about changing over to the new pink anti-freeze? This would seem like a good time to do it if I'm going to.

[ 04-29-2005, 10:38 PM: Message edited by: ZZ ]

[84 C2B2]

Hi,

The special sealant is an anaerobic sealer. It will stay wet until you mate the pump to the housing. Once mated it will dry/harden with the abscence of air/oxygen. Not bad stuff but GM will take your right arm off up past the elbow in cost. The DP members I beleive are split on using this sealant versus RTV. RTV is not bad but some folks get crazy with the amount applied and it can clog passages. The main thing you must do is do a complete surface prep on the pump backing plate, aluminum housing and engine block. Be careful of digging gouges in the aluminum housing.

If you thorughly flush the engine block, radiator, and heater core numerous times you could switch to the extended anti-freeze. Ensure you use distilled water when mixing. WARNING: If you did not flush the system well enough the two anti-freeze solutions will gell up and cause you major damage/headaches.

I would also put some thought into getting a gear drive for your engine if you want to pull the aluminum housing completely off. Just check your chain deflection but since you have 133K plus miles this might be a good addition.

Jerry

[ZZ]

Thanks Jerry. The counter guy at O'Reilley didn't know anything about the sealer you spoke of. He suggested and I bought the blue silicone.

I will do the anti-freeze change only if the work is done here at home. My son-in-law is coming over later this morning to see if he might want the job. Otherwise, it is going in the shop Monday morning and I'll just keep it green. I don't think I'm up to the gear change right now.

[CleviteKid]

NAPA stores have anaerobic sealers for a lot less coin than the GM dealer will charge. I concur, surface preparation is the key to a happy water pump exchange.

I changed over to DEXCOOL (orange or pink or pinkish-orange) in 1999, in my 1984 truck, with zero downside effects. I do mix it with distilled water, and once a year I change half of it (easy to get 3 gallons out, very challenging to get six gallons out!) to keep it fresh.

The problems that have been encountered with DEXCOOL are if there is too much air in your system - it was designed to be compatible with the green antifreeze; you just loose the benefits of the pinkish-orange stuff (longer life, less abrasive byproducts chewing up your water pump seal).

Dr. Lee :cool:

[Robyn]

I just did a water pump om my 84 Blazer.
The pump comes with a gasket that goes between the pump and the steel plate that forms the front of the timing cover. Use RTV blue sparingly on both sides of the gasket. and bolt the plate to the pump. RTV the other gasket when you place the pump on the block. RTV works wonderful.

[ZZ]

Got the pump changed yesterday. I looked for a plate to cover gasket at all the parts stores. I guess thay don't make them. We used the blue silicone all around the back side of the plate. I feel lucky that there were no leaks. I stayed with the green anti-freeze.

Had bad luck with the high pressure hose on the A/C. It must've been in a bind. It busted in the middle. AutoZone had a splice kit. I'm going to work on it this afternoon.

The timing gears looked new. I didn't notice any wear at all. I don't think they give any problems for a good while.