Need quick fix for leaky water pump ASAP!

[Earendil]

Ladies and Gentlemen, I'm attending my first HPDE soon. I spent a lot of time on the engine last summer including the water pump. It drove probably 10,000 miles just dandy until I put it up on blocks and did a bunch of brake and bushing work. I've now taken it off the blocks a few days before the HPDE, and now find that I have a small dripping leak from the seal of my water pump. @#$%!

Is there ANY remedy besides properly removing and sealing that will get me safely onto the track and passing tech? I can clean it all up in a few weaks when I do the job right. Now though I don't have any free time to fix this properly. Can I plaster the entire area with some sort of high temp gasket maker?

I'm getting about a drip every 15-45 seconds which I think is still safe for a track, but after parking the car I get another 15 drops over time before it stops, leaving a nice quarter sized coolant pool.

Any suggestions are welcome! I can clean the front of the block later, so long as I don't fail my first tech and lose a bunch of money :(

[blefevre]

I would start with high temp rtv around the entire outside if you can get to it. Let it sit for a day before starting it to give it time to cure. That's about the only thing you can do without taking it off.

[lennon]

there's no reason to go on track with a leaky water pump. i could maybe understand trying to "patch" it up to make it home/ off the road, but definitely not to go to a HPDE. just do the waterpump, easy.

[mattdk318i]

i agree. If nothing else drain the antifreeze and run straight water.

[Earendil]

there's no reason to go on track with a leaky water pump. i could maybe understand trying to "patch" it up to make it home/ off the road, but definitely not to go to a HPDE. just do the waterpump, easy.

Even at the rate of the leak? I suspect that with the engine hot and car moving, it evaporates before it makes it half way down the block.

There may be no "good" reason, but there is certainly a reason. No refunds on the HPDE is a reason.

I won't be able to get my hands on a proper gasket and water pump in time. I could take it all apart and use gasket maker late late tonight... I'm doomed, aren't I? Excuse me while I go stick two Benjamins in the paper shreader

[mattdk318i]

I would run it personally.... but im just that kind of guy. Straight water and keep an eye on the level. If it doesnt pass tech then at least you tried. IMHO

[slammin.e28]

Is it really that hard to do? I have an auto-x tomorrow @ 9 and I'm doing a valve adjustment/headbolt re-torque (to try and suppress an oil leak) in the morning tomorrow.

I think I'd rather do a WP reseal. Just take it off and RTV it, and put it back on. Button up the front of the engine and done.

[Earendil]

Is it really that hard to do? I have an auto-x tomorrow @ 9 and I'm doing a valve adjustment/headbolt re-torque (to try and suppress an oil leak) in the morning tomorrow.

I think I'd rather do a WP reseal. Just take it off and RTV it, and put it back on. Button up the front of the engine and done.

Really? I'll trade you :)

I suppose I'm thinking timing belt too. fukit, I'll do it. 7 hours is plenty of time to do this and get a good nights rest... I've really missed holding a flashlight in my mouth too, gotta love that greasy taste...
I'll fill with water too, just in case. 7 hours may not be enough time for the gasket maker to cure enough though...

[slammin.e28]

Timing belt should take like 2 hours max. It's not bad, as long as you have all your ducks in a row and time dedicated to it to bang it out. I'm thinking with a lift though. I've only done them on a lift after work.

[Adrian_Visser]

Head bolt re-torque? You'd better have head studs if you're talking about doing that. TTY bolts aren't meant to be "re-torqued" they stretch the set amount the first time and any further torquing will weaken them. Also I think 2 hours is pretty optimistic for a timing belt job TBH, especially counting removing the radiator and bleeding the cooling system after install.

[slammin.e28]

I'm just gonna turn 'em a bit. It's a 330k M20. I hate it. I've got an M30 to drop in, but haven't destroyed the M20...yet. I'm not gonna pull the damn thing apart for a small oil leak at the back of the head. It's got awesome compression on all 6. Not with my time.

This was on a lift. I had everything ready to go. Air tools. Done.

[mattdk318i]

sounds like its the VC plugs on the back of the head. Even new they will leak unless you use RTV

[slammin.e28]

sounds like its the VC plugs on the back of the head. Even new they will leak unless you use RTV

Did those (w/RTV), and the VCG. Cleaned the area back there, and still have a small leak.

[toointoxicated60]

Is it really that hard to do? I have an auto-x tomorrow @ 9 and I'm doing a valve adjustment/headbolt re-torque (to try and suppress an oil leak) in the morning tomorrow.

I think I'd rather do a WP reseal. Just take it off and RTV it, and put it back on. Button up the front of the engine and done.

If you have stock head bolts, re-torquing them will not increase clamping force. Rather it will weaken the stock head bolts further.

[Earendil]

Well, I did it. Got home from the pre-track class at around 11pm. Around 3am I had it all wrapped up and the tools back inside. Thank goodness it didn't rain.

I slept from about 3:30am-4:30am, woke up, packed the car, bled the system, and drove 90 minutes to my first and quite successful HPDE day! Thanks everyone for the advice.