Greenfire

iTrader: (2)

Okay, so the car got a new water pump housing, modified for the electric water pump to fit, sealed it, new gaskets, cleaned the block. We put thread sealer on each pump bolt, new bolts by the way, let the car set up 48 hrs. All the pump bolts were torqued to spec 30 ft pds according to haynes manuel. The leak before was coming from the passenger top bolt, then it started leaking from the driver top bolt, so after this install the same is happening again on the drivers side. We did not RTV which will be done this time. I'm not sure what else can be done at this point.

RamAir95TA

iTrader: (2)

I have had plenty of luck installing the waterpump gaskets dry, so I'm not sure why you aren't (but you can use RTV). Only thing I can think of is there's a crack in your pump housing. This is possible depending on how you handled the pump once it was off.

Greenfire

iTrader: (2)

We bought a new water pump housing...since we thought the old one had a crack somewhere. Gaskets are installed when everything is dry, and the RTV is something that we figured may help seal behind the pump. The coolant is coming through the drivers side water pump top bolt. I don't get it and neither do some of my friend who have a lot of experience with their own LT1's. Car has never leaked like this before the 383 build, and I've never had coolant issues like this before.

RamAir95TA

iTrader: (2)

Could it be that the freeze plug on the back of the water pump (blocked from the EWP install) is leaking?

camaroz28383

iTrader: (9)

if its coming through the bolt hole you might have some jacked up threads in there you could rtv the bolts which you should do any way since If I remember correctly they go into the water jacket

Greenfire

iTrader: (2)

Nope it is a new water pump with a new freeze plug.

Greenfire

iTrader: (2)

We noticed when we pulled the bolts out and the thread sealant that we put on the threads was not on the threads when we pulled them out. Good idea on RTV on the bolts, and yes you are right they do go into the water jacket.

THANKS ALL! Anyone else has anymore ideas please post up. Thank you!

Raven97

Yeah I learned the lesson with RTV on the bolt threads myself a few weeks ago. do that and you should be good to go.

RamAir95TA

iTrader: (2)

Use thread sealant, not RTV gasket maker, for sealing threads that protrude into water passages.

porksoda

iTrader: (39)

Yea use thread sealant. And if I remember right only one bolt actually makes it into the water jacket. I believe it is the bottom right that makes it into the jacket.

Greenfire

iTrader: (2)

We are using thread sealant, just I believe we didn't put enough on the threads after pulling the bolts out lastnight.