Water Pump Problems!!
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 42
Likes: 0
From: Houston Texas
Water Pump Problems!!
On My 75 When I get Into High Rpms Like 4500 to 5000 The Water Pump Gaskets Will Give And Leak Coolant Every Where. I've tryed everything. Anyone Have Any Suggestion Why This Is Happening?
Pro
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 686
Likes: 0
From: Southeast
Originally Posted by 75VetteSR
On My 75 When I get Into High Rpms Like 4500 to 5000 The Water Pump Gaskets Will Give And Leak Coolant Every Where. I've tryed everything. Anyone Have Any Suggestion Why This Is Happening?
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 42
Likes: 0
From: Houston Texas
I've Tryed Replacing The Gaskets of Course And Ive Put A High Flow Water Pump On there. I Live In Wyoming And I Drive On Long Higways And When I Pass People, That When I Get In the High Rpms, And After A Couple Of Time In that High Rpm Range The Water Pump Just Gives Out. Yes I Am Positive Its Coming From The Water Pump.
Pro
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 686
Likes: 0
From: Southeast
Originally Posted by 75VetteSR
I've Tryed Replacing The Gaskets of Course And Ive Put A High Flow Water Pump On there. I Live In Wyoming And I Drive On Long Higways And When I Pass People, That When I Get In the High Rpms, And After A Couple Of Time In that High Rpm Range The Water Pump Just Gives Out. Yes I Am Positive Its Coming From The Water Pump.
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvette Engines RANKED by Peak Torque (70+ Years of Muscle!)
Joe Kucinski
Corvette ZR1X Will Be Pacing the Indy 500, And Could Probably Race, Too!
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvettes Coming to Mecum Indy 2026!
Brett Foote
Top 10 C9 Corvette MUST-HAVES to Fix These C8 Generation Flaws!
Michael S. Palmer
10 Revolutionary 'Corvette Firsts' Most People Don't Know
Joe Kucinski
5 Reasons to Upgrade to an LS6-Powered Corvette; 5 Reasons to Stay LT2
Michael S. Palmer
2027 Corvette vs The World: Every C8 vs Its Closest Competitor
Joe Kucinski
10 Most Common Corvette Problems of the Last 20 Years!
Joe Kucinski
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 42
Likes: 0
From: Houston Texas
I put the RTV on the pump then placed the gasket on the pump, but i didnt put any on the block and just bolted it back up. Im not sure what RTV i used, i can find out after school today.
Drifting
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 1,716
Likes: 4
From: New Baden Illinois
Make sure that you put the sealant on both sides of the gasket. If you are losing them at higher RPM's that means the pressure is causing it. It may be a matter of not having the bolts tight enough to hold the pump tight.
If you have A/C, you have a lot of brackets that attach to the front of the pump. If the brackets aren't lined up right, it could prevent you from fully tightening the bolts.
If you have A/C, you have a lot of brackets that attach to the front of the pump. If the brackets aren't lined up right, it could prevent you from fully tightening the bolts.
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 42
Likes: 0
From: Houston Texas
Yeah I see how that could happen. Ill try putting some thread lock and see what happens. I have tryed putting the sealant on both sides of the gaskets, they held for a while then blew again. There Isnt a Torque requirment on those bolts is there?
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2000
Posts: 13,014
Likes: 2,257
From: Corsicana, Tx
2020 C2 of the Year - Modified Winner
2020 Corvette of the Year (performance mods)
C2 of Year Winner (performance mods) 2019
2017 C2 of Year Finalist
Run a file across the openings in the block and on the pump to make sure they are flat. If pressure is blowing the gaskets...I doubt sealer will do much good. Something isn't allowing equal pressure across the pump holddown bolts.
I agree with making sure brackets aren't holding things back, but even that would probably hold Ok unless bolts are bottoming in holes or on shoulder of bolts or something like that. You could always install studs..that's what I have on mine.
Look real close at the timing cover to make sure it isn't interfering with the back of pump or right beside the water openings. I've had some that needed some grinding to get past the timing cover correctly.
JIM
I agree with making sure brackets aren't holding things back, but even that would probably hold Ok unless bolts are bottoming in holes or on shoulder of bolts or something like that. You could always install studs..that's what I have on mine.
Look real close at the timing cover to make sure it isn't interfering with the back of pump or right beside the water openings. I've had some that needed some grinding to get past the timing cover correctly.
JIM
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 42
Likes: 0
From: Houston Texas
I've cleaned the openings really good with a file all the times I've replaced the gaskets. Now what would cause the unequal pressure? Im running only the alternator belt, so could it be pulling the water pump to one side?
Instructor
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 143
Likes: 0
From: Independence MO
Take a look at this. Take you radiator cap off and rev the car up and see if you are getting anything blowing out ot the radiator. You could have a bad head gasket or intake gasket letting compression into the water jacket part causing excess pressure in the cooling system. Just a shot in the dark. I would think IF you had compression going into the cooling system it would blow the radiator before a pump gasket though.
Pro
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 686
Likes: 0
From: Southeast
There is an RTV for thermostat gaskets and water pumps. Use this next time. Get some threadlocker while you're at it too. It will also say for water pumps and thermostat housings. Put RTV on the block and then put some on the water pump. Put the gasket on the pump. Stick the bolts in the pump to keep the gaskets lined up. Tighten whichever bolts do not have brackets hooked to them. Make sure to put the threadlocker on there. Tighten to 30 ft. lbs. Should be all set.
