Pre serp water pump

[brett84]

Hey all.

Took the water pump off today as I wanted to check gaskets and replace the bolts.
It didn't have a gasket on, just blue liquid gasket, does this seem right or should it have a gasket there?
I have read I should be putting the blue stuff on a couple of the bolts as they go into the water jacket, but being retarded I forgot to do a bolt diagram so I can't remember which long bolts go in which holes, does anyone know?
Lastly, the 'wheel' (correct term for the inside?) on the water pump is really rusty, I was thinking of just cleaning this off but does it need protecting in anyway or just leaving to rust again?

[Quinny]

brett84 said:

Hey all.

Took the water pump off today as I wanted to check gaskets and replace the bolts.
It didn't have a gasket on, just blue liquid gasket, does this seem right or should it have a gasket there?
I have read I should be putting the blue stuff on a couple of the bolts as they go into the water jacket, but being retarded I forgot to do a bolt diagram so I can't remember which long bolts go in which holes, does anyone know?
Lastly, the 'wheel' (correct term for the inside?) on the water pump is really rusty, I was thinking of just cleaning this off but does it need protecting in anyway or just leaving to rust again?

1. Water pump should have a gasket
2. You don't need to put blue stuff on the long bolts, but they should have a washer
3. If you put the bolts in the holes it should be fairly obvious which ones go where
4. Rust on the pump vanes is probably due to incorrect anti freeze type or mix.... Should be ok if you clean it up and then run the correct coolant

[spend]

Quinny said:

2. You don't need to put blue stuff on the long bolts, but they should have a washer

Yes you do! they pierce the block into the water ways so need the thread sealing.

IIRC most Rover service guides also advise coating the whole bolt so it doesn't rust in the timing cover bore if there is a small leakage, personally I seal the thread & grease the shank.

[carsy]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

Cant remember of the top of my head if its the bolts that hold the lower bracket of the swirl pot but very possible. The leak if you get one will only come from the threads where the bolt screws into the block. I`ve always just put some silicone gasket stuff on the threads, i suppose Hylomar blue will be fine, and never had leaks. As you say pointless sealing the bolt head as it can only leak from the threads. Do as Spend says and coat the shank of the bolt with grease just in case you do get a slight leak.

[Quinny]

spend said:

Yes you do! they pierce the block into the water ways so need the thread sealing.

IIRC most Rover service guides also advise coating the whole bolt so it doesn't rust in the timing cover bore if there is a small leakage, personally I seal the thread & grease the shank.

I just used sealing washers under the head of the bolts on my old pre serp...... Never leaked..

[spend]

From memory it's the 2 long bolts on the nearside (one high & one low) that clamp the pre-serp swirl tank. I'll have a look at a block & timing cover later & let you know for sure.

TBH I just do all of them on assembly, as by the time you've cleaned the bolts got the thread seal & grease out it's just as easy to do the lot...After several reports of snapped / seized bolts I figure protecting all of them is a good insurance.

[spend]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

The tapping into the block is not into solid metal, in places it goes through into the water gallery behind. So the bolt thread end end is into the coolant, and the threads dont seal so you need to seal them + incase any leaks ensure it doesn't leave the shank sat in wet rusty environment to seize in the timing cover bore.

[spend]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

I use Loctite 542 which is a thread sealant. Bunging gasket goo / RTV / silicone everywhere is not sensible IMHO.

Be very careful on the internet as several places advise using loctite 242 - which is a thread lock.....

IMO its well worth keeping 542 in your garage instead of ptfe tape ~ its much easier to drop a blob on sensors / bungs etc..

[spend]

Quinny said:

I just used sealing washers under the head of the bolts on my old pre serp...... Never leaked..

Probably did & the rusted bolt shaft might snap in two when someone tries to undo it in a few years. Then engine out to get pump off because there is not enough room.... Far fetched? IIRC its happened several times just on TVR's.

The seal needs to be at the block face, just stopping coolant leaking from the bolt head is a ticking time bomb IYSWIM. Hence many of the service guides advising coating the shank of the long bolts to protect them

[spend]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

Just common 8.8's 3/8UNC ~ but I think you may struggle to get the correct lengths. IIRC they are subtly different (even the long ones) and you need to get the right ones in the right place ~ as well as the preserps having special packing washers to suit the swirl tank bracket (so they are not the same as old RV8 ones which knew nothing of the swirl tank!) Pretty sure I experienced mixing some up and only just got minimal thread engagement when they weren't installed the right way round?


The later serp long bolts are different lengths again ~ so not just the flanged heads.

[brett84]

Thanks all, i'll get a gasket ordered and make sure it's got the correct coolant mixture. I've bought some long S/S bolts and I'll just trim them down to match the length of the originals

[Sardonicus]

This stuff gets my vote for sealing bolts and unions and IMO is unrivaled you can just coat the whole bolt it dont congeal or load up either, the steam boys swear by it & once you have used it you will see what I mean Spend your getting rusty 5/16 UNC you was thinking http://www.heldite.com/

Edited by Sardonicus on Sunday 20th April 18:46

[spend]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

As long as its not running wet (pressurized) the 542 seems to work OK.

Blowing it out with an airline should be OK anyway.

If you really want rust free, I'd advise looking at inconel or titanium, a2 & a4 will rust if you scratch / don't lube.......

of course they're 5/16" Simon ~ probably even harder to source!... too much in my head at the time