So I replaced my water pump because it was leaking slightly. Easy job so I thought. I started putting everything back together and start filling with fluid from the upper intake hose inlet and coolant starts leaking immediately behind what I assume is the front cover. No leaking around the water pump, looks like it coming down the front of the block way behind the front cover. Bad time to discover my torque wrench was malfunctioning. While torqueing the water pump to spec, I notice it's too tight based on my novice feel so I think I may have over tightened and fouled something up. I thought I may have snapped a bolt in the hole by over tightening but hoped it would hold if that was the case.

Most likely culprit if it's not the actual water pump? Not easy to show any pictures because it all "behind" what can be seen.

 

Did you put silicone on the long bolts? They go in to the water jacket and can leak.

 

i did not, but im speculating its more serious because its a constant drip before even starting the vehicle.

the perimiter of the front of the water pump is dry. I did a silicone sandwich both sides of the gasket but not the long bolts.

Could that result in a leak somewhere behind the water pump or lower?

 

Not generally, it would be more seepage around the bolt. I guess it is possible you cracked the front cover. Which side of the engine is leaking?

 

To Clarify, I never even started the vehicle yet and the fan, belt A/C compressor, shroud, etc. are still off. I replaced all the coolant hoses while I had the intake off doing the plugs, rotors and Cam seal and was getting ready to install your inline thermostat mod I bought a few months ago. So I just started pouring coolant in the upper intake inlet thinking I would keep installing the rest of the removed components.

I felt around and looked at all the new hoses so the fairly consistent drip would have to be something pretty wide to drip that much before being even being under pressure or heat. Most of the new hoses are higher than the coolant level has to be because I haven't even installed the coolant bottle or closed the system yet. The front of the water pump and perimeter are dry and it appears the drip falls down to the right. It's new 100% green coolant so it should be easy to track down but I'm not seeing it till it drips down.

 

Even if I cracked the front cover, any risk to putting it back together and making the short drive to take it to a shop? (Other than making sure I don't run out of coolant and overheat)

 

Can you take pictures? The front cover also houses the oil pump so driving it could be a major catastrophe.

 

It's steadily dripping coolant after installing the new water pump but even before starting the engine or closing and fully filing the cooling system. The dripping appears to be coming from behind the water pump (Not sure but can't see that high up because it may be behind the front cover, the perimeter of the newly installed pump is dry.

I'm wondering if I didn't use silicone, only thread sealer would that allow coolant to drip down the block where the bolt enters the water jacket. But with their not even being any pressure yet it seems like a lot of leakage for just gravity around a bolt hole.

 

I'm considering trying to remove the long bolts that needed silicone one-by-one and reinstalling them with silicone RTV (I have Permatex water pump and thermostat RTV or Permatex Ultra Black). The hope is the bolt holes that penetrate into the water jacket are the culprit and leaking behind there. I hope the main gasket seal isn't compromised if I take them off one at a time.

 

It's worth a try oh, you won't break the seal.