Hey guys, wondering what tricks you've used in the past to align the gasket with the surface of the block and the pump during install. Mine has to be inserted at an awkward angle, and the bolts can't hold onto it while shimmying it into place. To add insult to injury, the gasket thin metal keeps naturally flexing inward and oufward for an additional challenge. Wondering if there's a food grade or water based low strength adhesive that will temporarily hold it onto the pump surface and then dissolve or disintegrate when the car runs at NOT. I thought about a very thin coat of clear silicone sealant on the outer edges, but that might ruin the gasket coating too. Any ideas would help at this point. Thanks.
Water pump gasket help
- Thread starter Jarpin
- Start date
I usually put a very thin layer of Permatex "Right stuff" gasket maker on the gasket which will hold the gasket to the block. They also make a spray called "high tack" which helps gaskets stick to a surface, and I've used that with good results as well.
My old BMW was sort of like that, it was difficult to get a straight-on view for aligning the pump. I took a couple bolts of the correct size and cut the heads off to make temporary alignment studs and put the gasket over that. Then after putting a few of the attachment bolts on the pump I unscrewed the temporary studs from the block to finish the installation.
I've always had good luck with the copper spray which is sticky
www.permatex.com
Permatex® Copper Spray-A-Gasket® Hi-Temp Sealant
Fast-drying, metallic copper sealant helps dissipate heat, prevents gasket burnout and improves heat transfer. Fills minor surface irregularities. Seals instantly. Fills hot spots and surface imperfections. Temperature range -50°F to 500°F (-45°C to 260°C); resists all types of automotive...
www.permatex.com
Studs or a tiny drop of super glue.
Another thing the temporary studs helped with was that on my BMW there were two alignment dowels in the block that had sharp edges. Because you couldn't see the exact placement of the pump you inevitably ended up making marks or scratches on the pump mating surface trying to mate up the pump holes with the dowels. Having the studs to just slide it forward eliminated the danger of scratching the pump.
Yeah, dowels would have been helpful... unfortunately Subaru perhaps does not believe in them...
What I use
Well not really, that was my point. They are too short and too precise to help much in gross alignment, and as you're fishing around trying to get the pump onto them you're scratching the polished face of the mating surface.
Try it and find out
There are hundreds of ways of sticking the gasket on so it doesn’t move, but Permatex figured it out years ago. Use peanut butter if you like, but there is a product for this.
Figured out how to do it without any gasket maker or other adhesives.
(6 pump bolts).
* obtain wooden dowel pins that are same thickness as pump bolts
* lightly twist in three pins into the block threads.
* adjust pins to be perpendicular to plane of mounting surface
* hang gasket on the pins
* slide pump onto the pins
* screw in 3 bolts in open threads.
* twist out dowel pins by hand
* attach remaing bolts.
(6 pump bolts).
* obtain wooden dowel pins that are same thickness as pump bolts
* lightly twist in three pins into the block threads.
* adjust pins to be perpendicular to plane of mounting surface
* hang gasket on the pins
* slide pump onto the pins
* screw in 3 bolts in open threads.
* twist out dowel pins by hand
* attach remaing bolts.
Attachments
Gee that sounds like a familiar idea
Oh, I just saw your earlier post.... but I didn't read all the replies. Honestly, I wasn't plagiarizing your idea...Gee that sounds like a familiar idea
