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Rookie Water Pump Replacement


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Well, day one was a failure!  The Napa inlet pipe looked like it would work, it seemed to route well, but the rookie mistake was to also consider the ability to put the thermostat cover and the two hoses connected to that back.  The inlet pipe blocked the access to do this :(.  I was able to get the old inlet pipe out of the old pump with the assistance of a vise and a 12-in pipe wrench, but I could not get the new pipe out of the new pump without removing the pump, the gasket didn't survive the removal.  I have a new gasket on the way that is supposed to get here in about an our, then I'll start attempt #2!

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Hmm, don't know what gremlin I had last night, but I was able to get the Napa pipe in today and everthing else back together.  That;s the good news.  The bad news is there's a leak at the thermostat.

 

Do I have to let the RTV cure for some amount of time before starting up the truck?  The new gasket doesn't look damaged, can I add more RTV and reassemble with a seal expected or do I need to put in a new gasket each time I try?

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6 hours ago, AnotherOldJeepGuy said:

Hmm, don't know what gremlin I had last night, but I was able to get the Napa pipe in today and everthing else back together.  That;s the good news.  The bad news is there's a leak at the thermostat.

 

Do I have to let the RTV cure for some amount of time before starting up the truck?  The new gasket doesn't look damaged, can I add more RTV and reassemble with a seal expected or do I need to put in a new gasket each time I try?

If you can remove the gasket from the surface of the t’stat housing or the head, it might be able to be reused.  However, it would be best to use a new one, given the fact they only cost a couple of bucks.

 

I assume you used a sharp/smooth scraper to clean the gasket surface on the head to insure it is free of all old gasket and other crap.  If necessary, use some emery cloth to make it nice and clean.  The cast iron head won’t be hurt by hand sanding with 120 grit cloth.

 

The thermostat housin, being aluminum, must be treated more carefully.  I don’t recommend using any scrapers or other aggressive tools to clean that surface.  A wire brush, or better yet, a wire wheel on a drill, will clean the surface quite nicely.

 

When I do a t’stat, I coat both sides of the gasket with the appropriate RTV and then assemble it all together and wait a few hours for the RTV to set up before I fill the engine with coolant.

 

I know some guys recommend to never use gasket sealer in conjunction with a conventional gasket, but a t’stat gasket is one place where I think it helps and does no harm.

 

One other tip I learned the hard way doing the thermostat on my dads 1968 Ford when I was 17 years old: be sure that the flange on the actual thermostat sits into the counterbore in the cylinder head.  If you don’t, then the gasket can’t seal properly, and when you tighten down the bolts, you can crack the housing flange by the bolt holes😡

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