C1 WCFB + water Pump

[paul bowers]

I just had my rebuilt Bob Kuntz WCFB installed on my 57 there is vaccum leak at base in the front mec. wants to try putting (2) gaskets under carb to try to stop leak (?) can this work or does anyone have another solution we think leak is from intake not being flat, but really at this point want to go thru all that work removing intake also had water pump completly rebuilt it has very small leak at pump gasket mec. wants to try something called (bar-x) what about this idea thanks allot
paul

[John H.]

Re: C1 WCFB + water Pump

Paul -

Is yours a 1x4 or a 2x4? '57 2x4's are supposed to have two gaskets under each carb anyway for linkage clearance to the manifold on the passenger side (old Service Letter and Dealer "Tune-Up Guide" addendum). Unless you want to keep fiddling with the vacuum leak, I'd pull the carb(s) and intake and make sure the baseplates and carb pads are indeed flat.

The water pump issue is common, and is usually a result of pitting/corrosion on one or both sides of the engine mount bracket at the water pump attaching area; if those areas aren't smooth and dead flat, it'll never seal. It also requires two gaskets at each attachment - one between the block and the bracket, and one between the bracket and the water pump, both with a film of sealer on both sides of each gasket. The attaching bolts also require thread sealer, as they protrude into the block water jackets and will leak without sealer.

[paul bowers]

Re: C1 WCFB + water Pump

John
have single four, don't really want to go thruwhat is involved in intake
milling is there another way, plus my old pump never leaked so it would seem
that the mounting bar should be ok plus this is a new rebuilt pump and mec. used two gaskets plus sealer on bolts am i doomed
paul

[Mike B.]

Re: C1 WCFB + water Pump

I had a similar perplexing waterpump gasket leak after I rebuilt the pump. On the first try I took a shortcut and of course it leaked. It turned out that I slightly kinked one of the inner gaskets. I then did it the right way which was to build a simple cradle out of wood that spanned the oil pan in the front of the engine, put a jack under it then removed the motor mount bolts and rubber cushions. In this way the front motor mount was free. The pump, mount and the four gaskets were a lot easier to put back together. I made sure that was all nice and evenly tightened, then let the engine down back on the lower cushions and tightening everything up.

[John H.]

Re: C1 WCFB + water Pump

The installation process is simplified (with much less potential for damaging one of the gaskets or "wiping" the sealer off) if you use a 3/8"-16 stud (or bolt with the head cut off) in the top hole on each side first, then "hang" the gasket, bracket, gasket, and pump over the two studs, install the lower two bolts, then replace the two studs with the two upper bolts, and torque it up. This assumes, of course, that the bracket is free to move, disconnected from the mounts, and the engine is supported from below.