Hi there guys. I just put in 37 bucks worth of concentrated anti boil/freeze into the old TP after replacing the chains etc, only to discover that there is a very slight leak from the water pump seal at the block ( I must have damaged the o-ring). Does any one know of a good way of draining and collecting the coolant so I can put it back in? Bottom radiator hose I guess, but will that get enough out, so that I can remove the water pump with out losing mcuh coolant?
Thanks for any suggestions.

Bottom radiator hose I guess, but will that get enough out, so that I can remove the water pump with out losing mcuh coolant?
Thanks for any suggestions.
yep, that will do fine, done it before, coz the main outlet is from the side of the pump there leading to ure bottom hose, just have the car tilted so passenger side is higher and water will run out from the block ports to.

Good idead Aströn Boy. Jack the passenger side up really high , drain it, then jack the drivers side right up and take the water pump off , shouldn't lose a drop that way. Working on this TP is becoming a juggling act, had to do the same sort of thing with engine to work on the chains.

Is there a tap on the bottom of the radiator..?? some cars have them..:)

seal the water pump with product called "" stag"" approx $15 repco

it will seal better as you already used something else on the water pump

and lots of it on the block and on the water pump seal

Thanks for all the tips, I've got some stag, i use it for sealing lpg lines. Lost more than a few drops of coolant in the end, but got most of it. ended up getting a new gasket for the water pump (it was leaking around the bolt hole, and the stag didn't work). Done quite a few miles now, no coolant leaks finally. But now I find there's a small oil leak from the head gasket, near the timing cover :cry: . Compression test says 175-180, so that's fine, and no bubbles in the radiator. So now have to take the head off. I've got all new gaskets for the head, manifolds etc. So now have to drain the coolant again, I think I'll have to drain it from the block plug this time, to get all the coolant out of the inlet manifold and head. Is that right?

Please do not cover your water pump and "O" ring in goo, this is only done by those too lazt to get a new "O" ring.

Use a new "O" ring with some rubber grease, this way when you need to adjust the pump or replace the belt the seal will not break and then leak again. Plus the bonus of it not looking like a back yarder did the job.

On the LHS of the rad there should be a drain bung, this is the best way to remove, you will still lose a little amount but that should not matter.

Ideally you should be running about 30%, higher concentrate and you may have over heating as the coolant is too thick to move through the cores in the radiator

YOu will need to drain the block, although there is no coolant passage from the head to the timing cover, must be the end coolant passage.

Make sure you get your head crack tested and shaved, or better still grab a later model roller rocker head/cam etc and have that all done up.

Use a new "O" ring with some rubber grease, this way when you need to adjust the pump or replace the belt the seal will not break and then leak again. Plus the bonus of it not looking like a back yarder did the job.

On the LHS of the rad there should be a drain bung, this is the best way to remove, you will still lose a little amount but that should not matter.

Make sure you get your head crack tested and shaved, or better still grab a later model roller rocker head/cam etc and have that all done up.

*Rubber grease, that's the trick hey, thanks madmagna.
*Didn't see any drain plug in the radiator, and I did look evrywhere, but will check on the left side again tomorrow.
*New head would be ideal, but I can't afford it. Already got all the gaskets to replace the head gasket, at no extra cost, just a few hours on the weekend. What would a crack test and shave cost? Thought the steel ruler (its a quality ruler) and feeler gauge might be ok to check for warp. I don't think it is warped, compression is ok, no air bubbles, just that small oil leak, I think it's simply a blown head gasket, which i was told was common in the TP, and mine's still on it's original head gasket.

prices vary ... ring around ...get a written quote

reface used to be $45
and with a pressure test say approx $100 for both

water leaks are bad for motors

*Rubber grease, that's the trick hey, thanks madmagna.
*Didn't see any drain plug in the radiator, and I did look evrywhere, but will check on the left side again tomorrow.
*New head would be ideal, but I can't afford it. Already got all the gaskets to replace the head gasket, at no extra cost, just a few hours on the weekend. What would a crack test and shave cost? Thought the steel ruler (its a quality ruler) and feeler gauge might be ok to check for warp. I don't think it is warped, compression is ok, no air bubbles, just that small oil leak, I think it's simply a blown head gasket, which i was told was common in the TP, and mine's still on it's original head gasket.

New head I mean second hand then test. I can get M7 - 9 heads quite easily, usually around the $135 (including time for me to remove from existing motor)

Either way, please do have the head done as if you do not you may end up where you are at now in a very short amont of time.

As for the "O" ring, it worked for Mitsubishi for many years and still does :D

prices vary ... ring around ...get a written quote

reface used to be $45
and with a pressure test say approx $100 for both

let us know if a new 0 ring and rubber grease seal works

That's about $100 bucks too much, but reasobale if I had the money. You don't sound to confident in the rubber grease, no sure if I am either, becuase the bore in the block is a bit corroded/pitted. I cleaned it up with sandpaper, used a new o ring, and put some of that blue gasket silicone stuff behind/outside the o-ring. Worked well. when I'm taking the head off, I'll try to take the pulley off without moving the water pump.

before putting the head back on

check all the studs and nuts inlet manifold and exhaust

they have a bad habit of breaking .. just after you tensioned the head bolts

run a good nut over each one of the studs to be sure

That's about $100 bucks too much, but reasobale if I had the money. You don't sound to confident in the rubber grease, no sure if I am either, becuase the bore in the block is a bit corroded/pitted. I cleaned it up with sandpaper, used a new o ring, and put some of that blue gasket silicone stuff behind/outside the o-ring. Worked well. when I'm taking the head off, I'll try to take the pulley off without moving the water pump.


I have been working on Magnas for many years, I have never to this day used anything more than a new "O" ring and the rubber grease to lubricate it when it is installed. Never had a leak yet.

I have been working on Magnas for many years, I have never to this day used anything more than a new "O" ring and the rubber grease to lubricate it when it is installed. Never had a leak yet.

OK, will take your word for it. Will buy a new o-ring and rubber grease tomorrow. I'm sick of mucking around with this water pump.

Just a question, did it leak before? More to the point, why was it taken off.

Make sure the block is clean, some wet and dry will do this.

Just a question, did it leak before? More to the point, why was it taken off.

Make sure the block is clean, some wet and dry will do this.

Yeah it was leaking, block was a bit corroded/pitted, lots of built up deposits. I cleaned it with wet and dry. I took it off because of that leak, and numerous other leaks, also there was a hole in the timing chain cover, where the coolant is, fixed that also. No doubt alll symptoms of very few flushes and changes of the coolant since new. I would guess it has never been done, just topped up with fresh inhibitor/antiboil.
Its was running beutifully since then for while, and now has blown the head gasket. That's what I'm doing now, just got in from the garage. Almost got everything off tonight, except that bracket holding the inlet manifold on. Tommorow night the head will be off.