[MSCW list] Water Pump Inlet Gasket Leak (Benita Jenkins)

[Robert Elwell]

Benita,

I assume your car has both A/C and power steering.   The engine bay under cover has to be removed.  The A/C compressor will have to be moved out of the way, and its mounting bracket removed (at least, that’s what I recall doing).  I don’t have power steering, but based on the factory manual, the power steering pump has to be moved out of the way, too.  The coolant will  need to be drained.  The gasket mating surfaces will have to be cleaned up.  

I don’t recall the work taking that long, closer to 2 hours (but w/o the power steering).   Sorry, but I have no experience with how much the job should cost.

If your car does not have power steering and A/C, the job should be less than an hour.

I have never had luck with the metal gasket, as they leaked.  They are not supposed to require any sealant, so I used none.  I now stick with a fiber gasket and a thin layer of sealant, as that approach gives me no trouble.

If the mechanic removes the inlet pipe entirely to prep the gasket surfaces, he/she should install a new O ring between the inlet pipe and the water heater pipe.

Bob Elwell

> On Jan 5, 2024, at 6:00 AM, mscw-request at lists.mscw1.com wrote:
> 
> Water Pump Inlet Gasket Leak (Benita Jenkins)