water pump fittings move??
05-25-2011, 12:09 AM
#1
water pump fittings move?? k so, yes this is my 1st LT1... are the fittings on the water pump supposed to move? 1 of my fittings is a little loose and can be rotated.. its not supper loose but enough to move it..
is it going to leak coolant once i fill the car? do i need a new water pump or is there a fix?
is it going to leak coolant once i fill the car? do i need a new water pump or is there a fix?
05-25-2011, 06:56 AM
#2
TECH Veteran
Not good. It would not trust it not to leak. It may even come out (has happened to some with cheaply rebuilt pumps). Perhaps pulling it out and applying some JB weld and putting it back would suffice for a cheap fix. Otherwise, it's a new pump.
05-25-2011, 08:35 AM
#3
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It will leak. I had a brand new one do the same thing. It's press-fit - if it's moving it will weep.
What I did - I removed the fitting, used a Dremel with a flap wheel to gently open up the hole (otherwise, you'll never get it back in), used a small amount of black RTV (one designed for coolant and oil contact) to coat the fitting, then reinserted into the pump.
I then used a heat-stable epoxy putty to completely cover the mating surface of the installed fitting. This was done to lock the fitting into the desired angle, as the RTV would only seal it, but not keep it from twisting. Once the putty dries, you can shape and blend it with a file (sandpaper) to make it look like it's part of the original housing. Finally, a nice shot of aluminum paint (or your favorite color) and it's good as new. Mine has remained leak-free for 2 years.
I had to do this because I needed to slightly change the angle on my fitting, as I have rerouted some of the cooling hoses. Luckily, my twisting caused a slight weep to become a drip. Otherwise, I may not have noticed the issue in the first place.
Here's a shot before I smoothed and painted the epoxy: (top left corner)
What I did - I removed the fitting, used a Dremel with a flap wheel to gently open up the hole (otherwise, you'll never get it back in), used a small amount of black RTV (one designed for coolant and oil contact) to coat the fitting, then reinserted into the pump.
I then used a heat-stable epoxy putty to completely cover the mating surface of the installed fitting. This was done to lock the fitting into the desired angle, as the RTV would only seal it, but not keep it from twisting. Once the putty dries, you can shape and blend it with a file (sandpaper) to make it look like it's part of the original housing. Finally, a nice shot of aluminum paint (or your favorite color) and it's good as new. Mine has remained leak-free for 2 years.
I had to do this because I needed to slightly change the angle on my fitting, as I have rerouted some of the cooling hoses. Luckily, my twisting caused a slight weep to become a drip. Otherwise, I may not have noticed the issue in the first place.
Here's a shot before I smoothed and painted the epoxy: (top left corner)
