Flowkooler gasket problem solved

[Woody Williams]

I was so tired of having my Flowkooler (required) dual gasket setup leak on me I decided to permanently fix the problem.

I don't know what I was doing wrong but after going through 4 sets of gaskets, I had enough. I followed the proper torque sequence. I used Permatex Copper Spray-A-Gasket. I also tried their High Tack Sealant (98H). Then I started reducing the torque. No matter what I tried the gaskets would split or squeezed out from under the other. I knew real copper would do neither.

To fix the problem I ordered a 12 gauge (.080) copper sheet. I picked this size to provide the necessary clearance the Flowkooler needed without throwing the geometry of my pulley/belt system off. The 12"X12" sheet was expensive ($49.00), but tearing apart the front of my engine was growing old.

I used an old timing cover to score the outer diameter of the water pump and all the fixed locations of the bolt holes. I then lined up a spare cork gasket with the hole locations and scored out the rest of the shape. After drilling all the holes I began cutting away at the copper sheet with my dremel. I used several reinforced cutoff wheels and some grinding bits. One picture is the finished gasket/spacer I made. To seal it I skimmed on the thinnest layer of UltraGrey High Torque silicone with my fingers to both sides of the gasket. I immediately torqued down all of the smaller bolts to squeeze the excess out so I would have time to reassemble the rest. Once the larger bolts were installed and torqued. I did a final torque on the smaller bolts, let it set for 24hrs, topped it off and no leaks for the first time since my rebuild.

1986 Grand Wagoneer
AMC 360 with a lot of mods

[PlasticBoob]

For my first gasket I just used thicker gasket paper, but the last one was just two normal gaskets with a thin bit of thermostat/water pump RTV between them and on both sides, and blue Loctite on all the bolts - it's been holding up just great, no leaks anywhere. Glad you got yours sorted out though.

[mdill]

The high flow GMP hi-pro pump I put on my Cherokee had a little interferance issue, but there was plenty of room between the impeller and the pump casting to allow the impeller to be pressed on another .050 (give or take) allowing the impeller to clear the housing with some slop (checked by the little soft clay blob method) , seems to work fine, no double gasket, almost sure to leak issues.

Nice workmanship on the gasket though

Mike D.

[RTFM]

Always like to read the ingenuity threads.
Well done! on the home made copper gasket, and hope it holds up for you.

[Elliott]

When running dual gaskets on the FlowKooler I've done well sealing that up with just using Aircraft gasket sealer, kinda old school but nothing gets past it except maybe Syntorq where I wouldn't use it anyway. It's harder to clean up if you have to go back in there but I've never had to on a water pump. Not that anything of mine runs now anyway.... but it has worked for me in the past.

[Woody Williams]

Mike,

I really wish I would have thought to do that first. What method did you use to press it on farther? I would have been afraid I would bend or damage something.

[mdill]

Mike,

I really wish I would have thought to do that first. What method did you use to press it on farther? I would have been afraid I would bend or damage something.

Big vise, put a socket centered over the impeller shaft hole so it would only push evenly around the edge of the impeller-shaft opening, other side of vise on the fan end of the main shaft, centered all up (two sets of hands) little push (don't over do it) and done.

Mike D.