Leaky water pump bolt.

[MrSony]

Yep. Buick 350 (yes that one) and I have one water pump bolt leaking. I filled the radiator with water in case this would happen, and it paid off. None of the water pump bolts have thread sealer on them, just aluminum anti seize, you know the aluminum paste that gets everywhere? piddling out a steady dripdripdrip but nothing too concerning. As I don't want my new shiny engine to be a dribbler, should I put thread sealant on the threads? Or just a gob of black rtv? Also does it matter that I'm using a lock washer? Should they be all flat washers?

 

[MrSony]

The bolts are all the "stainless steel polished" "grade 8 bolts" from Alloy Boltz. Haven't had any problems with them stripping or breaking since I used antiseize as per instruction.

 

[jeremyandthemonte]

Maybe the bolt isn't fully seated into the hole because of the washer. I never use lock washers on water pumps just due to I don't want to strip or crack the waterpump. I would try some thread sealant and see if it changes.

 

[Bonnewagon]

I do believe that the manual mentioned sealer must be used on one or more bolts that pass into the coolant jacket. I would have to look it up but obviously you already know which one it is. EDIT: OK, manual says that all (long) bolts that pass through both the water pump and timing cover must get sealer or coolant will migrate along them and show up like what you see now.

 

[pontiacgp]

The long bolts need to be sealed, you can use blue loctite

 

[monte olrac]

permatex thread sealer work great

 

[565bbchevy]

I always use black Ultra Permatex on any bolts that are not going into a "blind" hole like water pumps and intakes, especially on stock engines.
Permatex will help hold the bolt in place and keep water and oil from escaping through the threads.
Sometimes even bolts that hold on power steering pumps will need sealer so it is best just to do any where there is a possibility of seepage.