WATER PUMP QUESTION

[kitchman]

In the process of changing the timing belt and installing new water pump. Two questions, one does the gasket which comes with the pump require any sealant, the old one did not apear to have any? Two, the housing the pump mates to, I believe it is called the water pump suction cover- when all the pump mounting bolts were removed the back cover loosened a bit and some residual coolant was coming out from the now loosened gap, will this stop when the new pump is installed and all mounting bolts are torqued or is it needed to also remove the back cover and install a new gasket?

[Highlander]

Yes it needs a sealant, I always use sealant on paper gaskets, try high tack by permatex, make sure you let it get tack free after applying to both surfaces and the gasket before reassembling (like contact cement).
No, it will not. There is an O-ring behind the suction cover- Go get one from the dealer (its < $3) you won't find it anywhere else, I always use a smear of grease on orings to help smooth the way. I've had to use a small screwdriver to remove all of the dried up remains of these before-be sure you have a clean groove for it to sit in, or prepare for a constant leak.

[Petros]

I have always just retightened the water pump without issue. If the o-ring is in poor shape it would be best to replace it, but I have not found that necessary. I have even used an old hard o-ring that was unbroken, and put non-hardening form-a-gasket on it.

I always use sealant on the paper gasket too, I like putting tacky type on one side and anti-size on the other to make it easier to remove and clean the next time I have to take it off. do not put too much, just enough to seal it.

[celtglen]

Don't be too alarmed if it seems to leak just a little during your first 3 or 4 outings, this is normal settling.

[4doorVIP]

cool im about to tackle this as well

I ended up ordering an Aisin unit from autopartsway
http://www.autopartsway.ca/search.cfm?a ... ASC1617393

and ordered the following orings/gaskets via toyota

(1)96761-24035 wtr pump o-ring;
(1) 16258-15011 water pipe gasket;
(2) 96711-24013 bypass tube o rings;
(1) 16341-15012 sensor housing oring;
(1) 16325-70021 t-stat gasket.

[keith]

I'm in agreement with all the above except that I always use the gasket dry, I never use a sealant on the paper gasket, never had one leak.

[Petros]

as a note, the factory does not use sealant on paper gaskets either. I find it easier to hold it in position using the tacky type on one side (I prefer to put it on the pump side) so it does not move and get damaged. And I hate leaks.

Also, by putting anti seize on the engine side it will be much easier to clean off the old gasket next time it has to come off, I hate scraping gasket material off, it can take as long as removing the pump itself. And if for any reason you have to removed it later, with the anti-seize on one side it will come off clean without damage to the gasket, which means you can re-install the same gasket when you put it back together.

[splatterdog]

Due to corrosion/pitting I often end up dressing the new gaskets with a very thin bead of "the right stuff". Sometimes it's mainly to hold it in place.

The factory has no need for this on new mating surfaces.

[kitchman]

as a note, the factory does not use sealant on paper gaskets either. I find it easier to hold it in position using the tacky type on one side (I prefer to put it on the pump side) so it does not move and get damaged. And I hate leaks.

Also, by putting anti seize on the engine side it will be much easier to clean off the old gasket next time it has to come off, I hate scraping gasket material off, it can take as long as removing the pump itself. And if for any reason you have to removed it later, with the anti-seize on one side it will come off clean without damage to the gasket, which means you can re-install the same gasket when you put it back together.

Thanks for the info,
Just to be clear, the paper gasket goes between the actual water pump and what is referred to as the water pump suction cover. By putting tachy sealant between the pump and the paper gasket and anti-seize on the other surface of the paper gasket, mating to the suction cover:
One, the anti-sieze will seal that surface?
Two, the tacky sealant between the pump and the front part of the paper gasket isn't that going to prevent reusing the gasket if you are changing the pump or were you speaking of reusing the removed pump?

[Petros]

Yes, anti-seize will seal it. It depends how long the gasket stays in place, but if you should have to remove the water pump and reinstall it the gasket stays on the water pump side and breaks cleanly off the suction cover. If you replace the water pump later, after another 100k plus miles, the old gasket comes off clean and you can install a new one with the new water pump. No need to scrap it off the old water pump. If you put anti-seize on both sides of gasket it might be possible to reuse it with a new water pump, but they do get old and brittle. eventually you have to replace it, or just use non-hardening form-a-gasket sealant without a paper gasket. It is just harder to clean off the old sealant from the parts you want to keep.

When I worked for the Nissan factory racing team (back when they had a racing program), the race engines would get torn down every race, all measurements/clearances checked, rings replaced and cylinders honed (we actually used thin soft rings that would seat quickly and also wear fast, so they had to be replaced-never use "racing rings" in a street car). We would coat all the gaskets with silver anti-seize and would reused all of them, except the head gasket. We would reuse bearings, seals, gaskets on each overhaul if they were within spec. No reason to replace good parts. it saved time and overhaul costs.

Of course the people that sell you gaskets will never tell you this, but if you read the "suggested applications" on the anti-seize, it says to use it on gaskets to keep them from sticking. It also says to use on the head gasket, but we never tried that, were were running 13:1 compression ratio with metal o-rings around each cylinder, and always used a new head gasket.