Water pump bolt won’t tighten and leaks

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Here is one more IMPORTANT tidbit. If you end up removing the timing cover to repair the bolt hole, there is one timing cover bolt on the driver's side that it is IMPERATIVE that you do not use too long of a bolt in. Otherwise, it will bottom out against the outside of #1 cylinder and crack the cylinder as you tighten it down. I don't remember exactly WHICH bolt it is. One of these other guys will show you, I'm sure. But be careful there!
Good to know. That would suck. ill definitely make template out of cardboard to keep track of where the bolts go if I do end up tacking it myself
 
Similar to post #6. S/steel stud, cut off from length of S/S. Hopefully it will pick up on the remaining good threads. Use high strength Loctite to retain, no JB weld. On the front end, use two nuts. Use gasket cement to seal the area, put on the first nut. Just nip it up enough for sealer to seal. Put on second nut & lock it against the first nut. Stops the first nut from loosening.
I’m might give this a shot. Will the Loctite set if there is coolant on the threads? I can drain the coolant again but not sure if I can get those threads dry since they’re in the block.
 
Yes, you will need to drain the coolant, has to be dry for Loctite to seal. Before using the stud, I would do this: get an old bolt & cut a couple of hacksaw cuts along the length of the threads [ like a tap ]. Screw in lightly, rotate back & forth, so that the ' 'cuts' clean out the threads for a good bond with the Loctite.
 
Damn. You’re gonna need a new block. Fortunately every part should change over. Sucks having to get new gaskets though.

:)

No, stripped threads can be fixed with a Heli-coil or other thread repair... No need to scrap the block if you don't need to...
 
Have to check out those time serts, I've heard of them but have gone with what's most available around here which are heli coils.
 
I've used many sizes of heli coils over the years, if not for " this" job at hand I'll use em....
 
For the small coolant leaks like that, I like to use the powdered alumaseal or quicksteel sealers... They are a powder that you pour into the radiator and let the engine warm up and run for 35 - 45 minutes... The powder will "melt" when the engine reaches running temp and then as it goes through the leaky areas will "clog" them and stop them from leaking... You don't need the whole tube, just 1/4 to 1/3 of it... I use this on every freshly rebuilt engine when I do the first start... Or when you take the water pump bolts out that are drilled through to the water jacket... I keep a tube of it in my glove box in case of emergency...

One of my coworkers was a mopar guy like me and his son was also... One day one of his son's crusing buddies had a 80's Monte Carlo with a sb chevy and the water pump gasket had a chunk missing and was leaking... I had my alumaseal in my glove box and we put it in his radiator and ran it for 40 minutes until it stopped leaking to get him home... He planned to fix it later... He ended up selling the car a few weeks later and never fixed the gasket, but the alumaseal was still working...

I don't recommend using Bar's leak because it can clog radiator and heater core passages...

Here's what the sealer looks like and you can find it at most parts stores...

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can clog a weak heater core or rad (there is a ceramic sealer too)
funny old timer trick (thinking model t-thing) put a crack a raw egg into your rad when it cooks it will clog hole
 
i do time serts on bmw when the pull the head bolt ,work great
sad part is the t/c has to come off
but if it something that needs tightening and loosening only way
 
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