Car: 1999 V70 GLT, 96k

I'm in the middle of a timing belt/water pump replacement and am getting hung up - I've tried three times removing and reinstalling my new water pump, but each time I torque it down (in zigzag pattern, to 18 ft lbs) and try filling with water, there is a slow but steady leak at the lower left corner of the pump. It was more pronounced the first time and since the second try it is much slower, but it's like there is something stopping it from fully seating in that corner.

I thoroughly cleaned the surface with a gasket scraper followed by rubbing alcohol on a clean rag... any ideas what my issue might be?

Is it a total no-no to put a thin layer of permatex on each side of the gasket? I'm getting desperate & frustrated here...

(P.S. - hi everyone, I was hoping to make my first post an introductory post about the killer V70 GLT I picked up and immediately changed the TB/WP on, but fate had other plans)

Clay

 

I don't know why the leak, but I think permatex should work, perhaps look for one that says safe for coolant (I did use once a sealant for thermostat casing, a very small tube).

 

It is ok to use gasket maker sealant to install the water pump, just a mess when it's time to pull it back off.

 

Well, fourth time's a charm I guess. I took the WP off again, took a scotch brite pad and brake cleaner to the surfaces again, and this time put a very thin layer of hi-temp wheel bearing grease on both sides of the gasket. I read that tip somewhere on the interwebs, and it worked well for me.

I finally got everything back together with the marks all lined up, swapped in some new plugs and this baby runs like a champ. The butt-dyno says I've restored it to the factory 190 hp. Not that the timing belt has anything to do with it, but the fresh plugs and a bit of spray sea foam in the cylinders has brought back some pep.