Water manifold leak can't find gaskets

[flvet352]

While I have been busy repairing other areas of my truck, I now notice that I have a coolant leak from the very rear of the upper end on the passenger side. At first I was terrified that I had a bad head gasket, but I later discovered that it was leaking from the rear most inlet of the back water manifold. I immediately went online and attempted to locate and price a gasket set. Unfortunately, I cannot locate any. Would it be acceptable to use a gasket compound like RTV in place of the actual gaskets?

 

[simp5782]

While I have been busy repairing other areas of my truck, I now notice that I have a coolant leak from the very rear of the upper end on the passenger side. At first I was terrified that I had a bad head gasket, but I later discovered that it was leaking from the rear most inlet of the back water manifold. I immediately went online and attempted to locate and price a gasket set. Unfortunately, I cannot locate any. Would it be acceptable to use a gasket compound like RTV in place of the actual gaskets?

Available from white owl

WATER MANIFOLD GASKET, 465MF | White Owl Parts Co.

- 5330-00-851-0483 - TAKES 6 PER ENGINE | White Owl Parts Co.

whiteowlparts.com

 

[V8srfun]

If you have the patience you can save lots of money by buying gasket paper and cutting your own out. I have been doing this for some of the projects I have been working on and I am very satisfied with the results. With a lot practice you can make gaskets that look as nice as purchased ones and in some cases nicer. I love when making my own gasket that there is no excess material hanging out at the edges so it looks much cleaner.

 

[rmesgt]

I use CorelDRAW and my laser to make my gaskets. Often times I will scan the portion of the part that requires the gasket, convert it to a vector graphic and send it to my laser to cut the gasket. Most trophy shops have this ability even if they don't know it. Additionally, I get gasket material from Napa and O'Reilly Auto.

 

[WillWagner]

X2 on making your own, LOTS less expensive than a laser cutter. All you need is a small ball peen hammer

 

[rmesgt]

X2 on making your own, LOTS less expensive than a laser cutter. All you need is a small ball peen hammer

It is WAY cheaper, but not nearly so cool as playing with the laser. I love that tool...

 

[Welder1]

You should replace the hoses while you have the manifolds off.

 

[WillWagner]

I have chunks of stick hose. Let me know and i'll lop off a section and send it to ya.

 

[flvet352]

I have chunks of stick hose. Let me know and i'll lop off a section and send it to ya.

I appreciate the offer, but there were several pieces of radiator hose in the toolbox when I bought the truck.

 

[WillWagner]

IIRC, they are 1.75 inches.

 

[Welder1]

IIRC, they are 1.75 inches.

Mine were 1 5/8"

 

[WillWagner]

Might be, it has been a while.

 

[Dipstick]

Funny, I replaced my cooling manifold gaskets and hoses just last fall. I've made many a centrifugal split case pump gasket myself using a ball peen, but a set of punches is invaluable. I also bought a gasket cutter & board set for making round transfer case gaskets. These are tools you may not use often, but they pay for themselves the first time you need them and I can pass them on to my son one day. Has anyone heard of a spray product that I think used to be called something like "gasket chisel"? I haven't seen it in decades, but that stuff used to dissolve old frozen gaskets stuck to metal like they were warm snot. Sure beats scrapping them off.