yes it could very well just need a little sealant added to the bolts.

 

The water pump gasket goes around the bolts, coolant should not be getting to the bolts so the gasket is not sealing. Sealer between a bolt and the pump is not going to seal at 17 PSI atleast not for any amount of time. It simpley is not designed for it. You will have to replace the gasket and make sure everything is clean.

That assumes the coolant is coming from the water pump. Has it ever sealed? If too long a bolt was forced into a theard then the block may have been damages. I say this not knowing the 2.8-3.4 conversion process. If it is not coming from the water pump then sealer on the threads may help and it is your only real option.

 

well i am pretty sure that the gasket was sealed...i put a THIN layer of permitex on both sides of the gasket. it is leaking INSIDE where it threads in. NOT a substantial leak a drip or two every couple of minutes, but with 1440 minutes in a day; can add up to alot of drips. I KNOW it is not a perfect fix, but with my rescourses at the moment, seems like my only option for now. I just didn't want it to mess anything up INSIDE my engine. I'll just keep an eye on it and keep tabs on coolant levels and temperatures. Thanks guys...i will get some pictures up when i have some "spare time". BUT WHO HAS THAT THESE DAZE.?.?

 

sorry, i guess i didnt go far enough into depth. i was talking about adding sealant to the bolt end/threads. sometimes coolant can leak past the threads. you should be able to do them one at a time to add the sealer.

 

As long as the system holds pressure and you do not run low on coolant it should be ok. Remember with out pressure coolant will start boil in hot spot around the cylinder head, the boiling creates gases, the gased get trapped and any place gas is trapped coolant can not get to. From you description it should still hold pressure. Just make sure after 10-15 minutes of running the rad hose is hard.

I have had seveal customer that told me they losened the rad cap because the coolant leaked out faster with the cap on tight. I then break the news the head or headgasket is shot, same response "but why I kept it full of coolant".

 

Some engines have mounting bolt holes that go into water jackets or oil passages, and can leak if the threads aren't sealed. Can't say with certainty where all your water pump holes bottom out to. But it certainly would be worth a shot to lower your coolant level, pull that leaky bolt, clean it up, put some RTV on the threads, crank it back in, and let it set up before filling the coolant back up. Doing this isn't considered "n-rigging".

 

What type RTV did you use? How much did you put on the treads? Do you really need RTV on the gasket if it is new?

thanks