Water Pump Gasket/Coolant Leak

[JMac101]

Hey guys a friend of mine has a 1991 Chevy Astro Van V6
The lower radiator hose on his van was bad so we swapped it out.
Now right above where the lower radiator hose connects to the water pump is leaking slowly. Im guessing it is just the gasket.
Anyone have any experience with water pumps in astro vans???
Thanks Guys

 

[JMac101]

Is it difficult to remove it and change the gasket?

 

[FL_Rob]

Weep hole or block to pump gasket or pump backing plate gasket,any or all just replace the pump, it's due.There's four bolts two of which you cant really see ,but you can feel them. When you remove the fan,just flop it forward into the fan shroud. You do most of this job from under the front.

 

[Chris142]

Originally Posted By: FL_Rob
Weep hole
x2

 

[oilboy123]

+ 3

4.3 water pumps are pretty easy to do......

 

[Chris142]

There is a cover on the rear that does have a gasket. They don't leak often and you must remove the pump from the engine to get to the bolts so it just makes sense to replace the whole pump if it is leaking.

99% of the leaks that run down the lower hose are from the weep hole. The WP on that van is one of the top 3 easiest to replace. The easiest being a 3.1 gm followed by a big block Dodge then your van

 

[mechtech2]

When you fix a leaking coolant part, you now have more pressure. The next weak link will then leak.

 

[FL_Rob]

Originally Posted By: mechtech2
When you fix a leaking coolant part, you now have more pressure. The next weak link will then leak.

Bars leak (liquid copper lookin' stuff) it's block seal also.This stuff is great if you have any kind of leak at all.I used two containers to stop I/M leak with a lower pressure rad cap.... worked like a charm.The metallic liquid copper is so fine there's no chance of blockage in the heater core.They did their homework on this stuff.After you replace the pump ,of course.