Extremely Small Water Pump Leak

blykins · #1 (**permalink**) 12-24-2003, 08:22 AM

Hey Guys....

Edelbrock Victor water pump on a SBF...I walk out in the garage today and noticed there was a little spot of antifreeze under the front of the engine about the size of the end of a pencil. I looked for a few minutes, and lo and behold, there was a little drip of antifreeze coming from the bottom backside of the water pump. The engine hasn't been ran for about 2-3 weeks....what in the world would cause it to leak now?

I wonder if I can take some silicon and run a bead along the seam of the water pump/front cover and seal it up?

wilf leek · #2 (**permalink**) 12-24-2003, 08:52 AM

Cold weather? My sbf leaks from the head/block joints every winter, soon as the temps get towards freezing. Perfectly OK the rest of the year, I have decide to not fix something that is not broke enough.

Can you get "Bars Leaks" or an equivalent? Might be all you need to stop that weep.

CJ428CJ · #3 (**permalink**) 12-24-2003, 12:37 PM

I'll bet it's not coming from the seam between the water pump/front cover. If you look at the underside of the water pump there's a small hole about 3/16" in diameter. Often a water pump will weep from that hole. That's an indication that the water pump seal is going bad (the seal between the water and the bearing on the shaft).

Chris

blykins · #4 (**permalink**) 12-24-2003, 01:32 PM

I don't think it's coming from there....that was the first thing I checked. The water pump is only about 6 months old anyway...

Nuke427 · #5 (**permalink**) 12-24-2003, 03:32 PM

Are your bolts at the correct torque? I had a leak on mine before I broke 200 miles. I ultimately removed it and instead of using the gasket I used permetex. Using permetex, torque to the required setting and never think about it again. I've found using gaskets, sometimes the bolts back out a touch and once a leak starts, it just doesn't want to go away. It's winter, take it off, do it right. Merry Christmas.

blykins · #6 (**permalink**) 12-24-2003, 03:53 PM

I used gasket and Permatex....the bolts were torqued too....I hate stuff like this....

Nuke427 · #7 (**permalink**) 12-24-2003, 04:29 PM

I know what you mean! Quick story. I thought I had it fixed, then I returned home from a quick trip and when I pulled into the garage I heard dripping. I opened the hood and my whole engine compartment was covered with antifreeze. Polished everything was gunk! Spent several hours cleaning and fixed the water pump leak. Several weeks later I drove to town and back and when I pulled into the garage I heard dripping. Opened the hood and my whole engine compartment again gunked! This time the CSI thermostat housing blew an O-ring! I was about to go insane.

Another quick note. First time I changed my oil, I missed the old gasket was still on the oil filter mount. Installed new filter, filled with oil, started motor and heard much drippage. My whole engine compartment was oil covered including the bottom side of my hood. Not a good day either.

I'm sure these will not be the last little gremlins to punish me, but it's still fun to correct such problems and get back on the road.

Bill V · #8 (**permalink**) 12-24-2003, 05:21 PM

Applying too much tension on the belt can eat up a new pump in no time flat. Probably not the problem though since you mentioned that you saw no coolant coming out of the hole but I have seen waterpumps seep from right around the shaft as well.

blykins · #9 (**permalink**) 12-24-2003, 08:34 PM

The weird thing is that the engine hasn't been started for several weeks....then all of a sudden it decides to pee on the floor...I would think the antifreeze would all be in the block or the radiator...not in the water pump.

So could I just reline the seam with a bead of silicon? I would think that would hold it...

Cobra20646 · #10 (**permalink**) 12-27-2003, 10:06 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by blykins

The weird thing is that the engine hasn't been started for several weeks....then all of a sudden it decides to pee on the floor...I would think the antifreeze would all be in the block or the radiator...not in the water pump.

So could I just reline the seam with a bead of silicon? I would think that would hold it...

Remember that water will seek it's own level..... so water in the block and radiator will mean water in the pump.

A bead of silicon may stop the drip.... but remember when the engine is hot, the coolant is under pressure (set by your cap) and this will probably punch through any silicon if given enough time.

Pull the pump if your 100% sure that this is where the leak is originating, and repair or replace as needed. Keep the 'simple' fixes when you're stuck out on the road and need to get home.

- Jim -

blykins · #11 (**permalink**) 12-27-2003, 10:13 AM

Well....it has stopped leaking....Usually if I see the drip on the floor, I wipe it up just to monitor it...it hasn't been there in the past day or two. However, the lower radiator hose seems to be damp around the end where it slides up over the radiator neck. I'm starting to think wilf leek was right...it didn't start this crap until it started getting cold.

Ron61 · #12 (**permalink**) 12-27-2003, 10:41 AM

Blykins,

This most likely won't be your problem but I had a very similar thing that I spent 6 months trying to fix. First I thought it was the water pump and that was ok. My leak was just one tiny spot of water hanging off the bottom right side of the block every few days. Then I thought it was the thermostat housing but that was dry. After much hair pulling I finally gave up and decided it wasn't worth worrying about. Then one day during my routine maintenance I was re-tourqung the intake bolts and the one up front near the thermostat was about 3 pounds to loose. After I had retorqued them all, I drove it for a while let it set and re-checked the torque on the bolts. I have never had as drop of water since then. It was seeping from the back side of the intake seal right under the thermostat gasket and was so minor that there was never any dampness on the top.

Ron

blykins · #13 (**permalink**) 12-27-2003, 10:46 AM

Thanks Ron....I'll check that too just in case.

KobraKarl · #14 (**permalink**) 12-27-2003, 10:57 AM

Blykins,

Dont do the "silicone wipe" ......... an R&R for your pump will only take an hour and a half .....well maybe two and a half. Once you start wiping silicone around on things ..............then its baling wire for the exhausts ........duct tape for the seats.......

KK

blykins · #15 (**permalink**) 12-27-2003, 11:04 AM

I'm gonna wait to see if the weather is the culprit...it's funny everything started happening when the weather got nasty. The thing is, the car isn't completed...it's sitting on jack stands in the garage...I just fire the engine up every couple weeks for mine and its benefit both...

So I can wait to see what happens...it won't be road-bound for awhile...hehehe

It being on stands is another reason why I don't just pop the water pump off....the radiator of course is full, and it would be easier to just dump everything in the driveway and wash it off with the hose instead of trying to be careful with messes in the garage.

wilf leek · #16 (**permalink**) 12-27-2003, 01:03 PM

Now that I think about it, I also had a weep from the bottom of the water pump a couple of years ago - only when the engine and the weather was cold. I just pulled up the bolts, chucked some water system sealer in, and it stopped after a while. Never leaked when hot.

Same as the weep from my heads - only when its jolly cold outside.

The main thing is to ensure that you are not losing coolant when the engine is up to temp, and there is positive pressure in the cooling system. If it's OK then, then let it drip when it's cold. Like I said, if it ain't broke enough, don't fix it.
Works for me.

Think about the fuel that pees out of an SR1 Blackbird when it's on the ground and cold!

SCOBRAC · #17 (**permalink**) 12-27-2003, 01:16 PM

It's just cold. Drive it if you can, run it if you can't... It will likely go away. If it doesn't pull it off and replace the gaskets use a dab of silicone on them.

At least you know where it's leaking from.