Date:         Sun, 2 Dec 2012 05:56:45 -0500
Reply-To:     Frank Condelli <RAlanen@AOL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Frank Condelli <RAlanen@AOL.COM>
Subject:      Re: Water Pump
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

        Use the GREY RTV Silicone, it's for Aluminum surfaces.  It's really not needed technically, HOWEVER it will keep the O-ring from falling out of place while you manipulate the water pump into position.  You just need a very light coat on that O-ring.  That Silicone will also keep corrosion at bay on the mating surfaces.  One other thing you NEED to look at is the engine case where the impeller of the water pump "MAY" have interacted and ground away some of the semicircle vane in the block where the pump sits.  If this has occurred you need to rebuild the missing metal with JB weld.  That missing metal is crucial to good circulation at idle.  Use the 5 minute JB Weld and some masking tape to make a temporary dam to keep the JB weld in place until it cures.  You can also use your fingers to try to keep the curing JB Weld as close as possible to what that vane looked like originally then when cured you can sand the surface flush to match the surrounding area easily.   One of those small orbital palm sanders will fit in there between the studs.


On 2012-12-01, at 9:53 PM, Automatic digest processor <LISTSERV@GERRY.VANAGON.COM> wrote:

> Ok, today I finally got the water pump out.    UPS is scheduled for Monday
> delivery of the new one.  Not too much swearing.  I was surprised to find
> that it wasn't the pump shaft leaking even though it was noisy and a little
> loose, but the O-ring had become hard and lost its seal over the years.    A
> little clean up with the wire brush and I'll be ready to reassemble.  Oil
> pressure gauge will go in the same time while the engine tin is off.
> 
> 
> 
> I think I read here where someone uses a little black silicone on the
> o-ring.  I curious about the pros and cons of using this.



Cheers,    

Frank Condelli
Almonte, Ontario, Canada
'87 VW Westy, '00 Kawasaki 250 Sherpa, "98 Ducati 750 Monster & Lionel Trains (Collection for sale)
Frank Condelli & Associates - Vanagon/Vanagon Westfalia Service in the Ottawa Valley
Vanagon Stainless Steel Exhaust Systems
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