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Water pump gaskets?

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Old Apr 9, 2010 | 09:14 PM
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Default Water pump gaskets?

I just bought a Bosch water pump replacement for my 98 C5 and noticed it comes with a gasket set that uses a flat plate with o rings. After I pulled mine I noticed that it is a regular type gasket. Because I have never changed one in a car this new and ask: which is the correct one to use...I have a small nick on the block in the area that the "O Ring" would land...
The other question is how in the heck do you remove your old gaskets if they are like mine??? These seem to be really baked on to the block...I have been using a razor blade, but I really don't put much of a dent in it , (except for the dang nick I talked about)...
Please let me know some tips here if you have them...
Thanks
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Old Apr 10, 2010 | 01:05 AM
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The old nasty composit gaskets are no-longer used. The O ring gaskets are MUCH better. If you have a defect in the sealing surface area, you can clean it well, wipe it off with alcohol and fill it with JB Weld EPOXY. Once it dries, sand it flush with the block surface and reinstall that O ring gasket and pump!

BC
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Old Apr 10, 2010 | 01:10 AM
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The O ring style are the new ones. They are installed dry, without any extra sealant (Permatex). If you ever have to replace the pump again these make for an EZ change.


To get the old style gasket off, I'm guessing elbow grease and patience.Be carful with the razor so that you don't gouge up the surface. I might try some sort of solvent? Guessing here!
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Old Apr 10, 2010 | 01:18 AM
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Originally Posted by sogysailor
The O ring style are the new ones. They are installed dry, without any extra sealant (Permatex). If you ever have to replace the pump again these make for an EZ change.


To get the old style gasket off, I'm guessing elbow grease and patience.Be carful with the razor so that you don't gouge up the surface. I might try some sort of solvent? Guessing here!
I AGREE!!!! I changed the pump on my 98 and it took me more time to clean the OLD gasket material off the block than it did to change the pump! The O ring gaskets are NICE!



BC
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Old Apr 10, 2010 | 07:20 AM
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Well lucky the nick is not in the spot where the o ring seats, but it is a little scratched up from all the elbow grease....Should I smooth it out with very fine sand paper or just leave it? This "o-ring" thing will be interesting...I really hated scraping so I would not miss the other type of gasket as long as I get a good seal....
In the end I used citrus stripper with a small brush and left it on the gasket for an hour and it softened the gasket up pretty good..of course that was after doing one side with every scraper, razer blade I could find...and yes the stupid nick from one of those...
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Old Apr 10, 2010 | 11:03 AM
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I had the old style gaskets as well and know of the time it takes to remove them. It was by far the worst part of the water pump replacement! Glad to hear you got it taken care of.
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Old Apr 10, 2010 | 12:11 PM
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Just be glad your not pulling the heads!
A wire brush on the end of a die grinder works quite well to clean the old gaskets off, just be careful not to muck up the surface.
Been useing this method for years and never had a problem with gaskets leaking afterwards.
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Old Apr 10, 2010 | 02:15 PM
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Thanks for the replies...it looks like this is a problem for everyone on their first WP change...

Yeah the one gasket on the drivers side is a real PIA to get at...it seemed no matter what you couldn't get all of it, so that is why I went with the citrus stripper...I just had to make sure that the gasket was all I got that stuff on, but it worked great!
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