Seal the Water Pump Pipe?

[higgnoid]

I just finished installing a brand new water pump for a 1990 Loyale. This car has the (non-turbo) OHC engine with a metal pipe connecting the water pump to the lower radiator hose.

 

Short version: I replaced the O-ring on the pipe that slides inside the pump. Should I have done something more to seal that connection?

 

Long version: After putting it all back together and starting the engine, water continued to flow from below the water pump (about 1 drop/second falling falling from the bottom of T-belt covers). I pulled the A/C bracket, crank pulley, t-belt covers off (leaving radiator in and full of water). Tried spinning the water pump shaft to find where the leak is coming from...hard to tell. It's not coming from the weep hole. Doesn't seem to be coming from the pump gasket. It's definitely wet below the pipe on the pump body but can't see any obvious drips (it's pretty tight in there). Any ideas?

[calebz]

I always use blue RTV on that O ring. I have never felt comfortable enough about the fitment of that pipe to put it on without a little extra insurance.

[MilesFox]

a new o-ring is usually ok, especially with a new pump.

 

i tend to use silicone with used o-rings, but that is not always necessary.

 

sometimes the mount for the pipe can bend a little, just push it in as far as it goes, bolt it up, and maybe push down on it a little, as it may have pulled up when pulling the hose. a wiggle usually does it if that's the problem

[lmdew]

Make sure the bracket that holds the water pipe is not bent. If it is, the pipe does not slide far enough into the pump. A shop that did my headgaskets once spent a week trying to fix the leak.

 

I finally got the car back and a week later it started leaking. After pulling a pound of RTV off the pump and pipe and fixing the bracket which they bent, life was good.