.Rocket.Man.

Ok, I'm nearing the end of my engine/compartment detail project on my 68 442 and replaced the water pump since I had engine out. I noticed once I torque down the bolts to spec the pump impeller ever so slightly rubs the timing chain cover. I'm using Felpro gaskets which I've always had good experience with in the past, could it be a bad pump out of the box, or could it be my timing cover? I think I know the answer to my next question but I'll ask anyway. Can you double up gaskets? Any of y'all experience this before? I'd hate to have to scrap the new pump, I've had it sitting around for at least a year or 2 and I've already painted it so I'm sure returning it is out and really to me it passes the eyeball test? Just looking for some opinions, ideas, Knowledge, as always thanks for any input!

1970cs

I could assume that the person rebuilding the pump, may have not pressed the impeller far enough down on the shaft?

Pat

MDchanic

I had this happen with an aftermarket aluminum pump - the rivets holding the back plate of the impeller on rubbed against the plate.

I just sprayed a light coat of paint on the plate, attached the pump, rotated it by hand, removed it, and used a die grinder to grind the rubbed-off area down a sixteenth of an inch.

Problem solved, and the impeller runs as close to the plate as possible, which improves efficiency.

- Eric

83hurstguy

I am pretty sure I have 2-3 brand new Flowkooler gaskets that are brand new in the basement, which are 2-3 times the normal gasket thickness and fairly beefy. They used to rivet a plate on the backs of the stamped steel impellers and you had to use their extra thick gasket so it wouldn't rub the timing cover. They quit using that design 2 years ago and went to CNC'd aluminum impellers.

I have no use for them, can send them to you for the cost of shipping if you'd like. Just send me a PM, as I'll forget to check this thread.

MDchanic

Hmmmmm... I got my pump used, and I don't know whether it is officially a Flowkooler, but it did have the same design.

Never occurred to me that someone would design a pump that specifically required a thicker gasket to work...

- Eric

Octania

manufacturing fail

I don't see why double gaskets wouldn't get you thru one more pump.

rktolds

I have an aluminum wp as well never ran. Impeller rubs. So simple cure is two gaskets?

83hurstguy

When i measured (4-5 years ago before I quit using that flowkooler pump), I think I needed 3 gaskets from the felpro kit for safety. So I broke down and paid like $10/2 gaskets from them with $10 shipping added. It was ridiculous.

Let me see how many I have tonight... I can at least measure thickness.

Fun71

Wow. You can get an entire timing gasket set from Rock Auto for ~$5. Two of those and you'd have the water pump gaskets plus extra timing cover seals.

83hurstguy

Just for future reference, the Flowkooler gasket measures 0.063" (1/16") thick.