What would make the best seal along with the water pump gasket. The pump I pulled off had some grey colored silicone along with the pump gasket but I heard hi-tack is better because it doesn't harden

 

I've always just used a light coat of Honda Bond. Buy a new gasket, clean the surface and a light coat of your favorite RTV should be enough.

 

Also how long do I wait till it's drivable

 

Just use Permatex Ultra Grey, available at any auto parts store, which is pretty much the same stuff as HondaBond. I've been using the Ultra Grey product for years without a single problem. I use it on my valve cover gasket, water pump, oil pump, rear main seal plate, and various other things.

http://www.permatex.com/products/Aut...sket_Maker.htm

As for time, I just use it on the water pump, slap it on, and by the time I get everything back together it's good to go, which for me is usually a couple of hours.

I've replaced my water pump twice since I've owned my car, and never had any problems with it leaking.

 

I recommend never using RTV on a paper gasket. I have literally seen leaks 100 times in my career due to people doing this. A paper gasket should be coated on both sides with a contact adhesive. I use a product called Gaskacinch. RTV is too slippery to use on anything where there is going to be a pressure differential on one side of the gasket vs. the other. The most important thing to do is make sure you get the old gasket off both the block and waterpump (if you are reusing an old one).

 

Paper gasket? There is no paper gasket on a Honda water pump. It has a rubber gasket, and then Helms calls for a coat of HondaBond sealant, which Permatex Ultra Gray is the same or very close.

Again, 2 water pumps and well over 100K miles and I've never had any problems using the Permatex.

 

That one uses an O-ring type seal right? Some use paper, some use O-rings. In that case a light coat of RTV does not hurt but isn't really necessary. I usually use a dab of RTV to retain the o-ring and keep it from falling out during assembly.

 

I've never seen any Honda 4 cylinder with a paper water pump gasket. They all use the rubber seal.

 

That's true on later ones but older engines did have some paper gaskets.

 

Helms calls for it, so I use it.

Helms does NOT call for any type of liquid sealant to be used on the oil pan gasket, so I didn't use any there (although some people do) and I haven't had any problems there, either.

 

ive never put honda bond on my d16y7, b16a2, or d16y8 water pump installs. the rubber gasket themselves seem pretty effective. my main concern is torqing the bolts to the right specs. however, honda bond still is a good idea.

 

Which Helms are you looking at?

The few that I have show that the water pump recieves no Honda-Bond, while the oil pan gasket (well, the block) actually gets Honda-Bond in a couple places during its install.

 

hi-tack isnt really a sealer, I just use it to hold the rubber gasket in place. it works great just make sure you let it set up before installing the gasket so it stays in place. RTV doesnt hold the gasket in place as well.

Most important thing is making sure the area is clean and dry.

 

My 94 Integra Helms. Oil pan definitely does not call for any sealant in the Helms.

Are you looking at a Civic SOHC Helms by chance? I believe the oil pan gasket on the D-series engines curves around the oil pump and rear main seal plate, whereas on B-series the pan gasket is completely flat.

I'll check to see what it shows for the water pump when I get home, but I'm pretty sure mine calls for the HondaBond to be applied to the gasket.

 

LOL, the one Helms I don't have.

I was looking at the following manuals though:
92-95 Civic
96-00 Civic
98-01 Integra

 

Post the page calling for sealant on the oil pan gasket for 98-01 Integra? I'd really like to see it. Usually it only calls for sealant on a gasket like that if there's a corner to go around a seal or bearing, like how the valve cover gasket needs sealant at the corners at each end of each cam shaft.

 

Sure, np.

http://img706.imageshack.us/img706/7673/oilpan1.png
http://img651.imageshack.us/img651/4642/oilpan2.png

 

hmm will have to check mine. Maybe I did apply it to those spots when I had the engine out of the car and upside down, but that was nearly 2 years ago and I don't really remember. Some people will smear it all over the entire oil pan gasket but I know it doesn't call for that.

Getting off topic, though. On topic, I will also check to see what my Helms (actual printed book LOL) says about the water pump and sealant.

 

This is because the mating of the oil pump and rear main seal housing to the block are at those points. For standard pan replacement, its not needed because it was already done when the engine was assembled. Next time you pull the pan off look at those spots, you should see signs of Hondabond. I suspect that Honda's reasoning is just in case the surfaces (block to rear main seal housing and block to oil pump) are not even, Hondabond will take care of it. If there is a slight inconsistency there, I would assume it would leak. Honda's machining and casting tolerances are pretty good though and Ive never noticed a 'lip' in that area after engines have been assembled.

As for water pump and the use of Hondabond, sometimes I do it, sometimes I dont. No leaks either way. For first time water pump changes, there were no signs of rtv.

 

ohh yeah, that procedure ASSumes you're completely assembling the block from the ground up. I did remove my oil pump and rear main seal housing when I had my engine out, to make it easier to change those seals, and I did apply sealant to those parts before putting them back on, so I guess I probably put them on those points before installing the oil pan gasket.

 

i use Permatex Ultra Grey too without a single problem.

 

Pages from my Helms showing installation of the right side cover, oil pump, and oil pan gasket. No mention of liquid gasket anywhere while installing the pan gasket itself. Must be something they changed in later years.