289 Coolant Leak - Water Pump?
 

Hello,

New to the forum - thought I'd check it out and see if I can get some advice. I have a 67 coupe with a 289.

Last year before I backed it into the garage for the winter, I noticed some coolant had leaked onto my driveway. Yesterday I finally got a chance to go out and look. I had replaced the radiator and hoses two years ago, so I assumed the water pump was next. Problem is - I don't see any visible leaks at all.

See the attached pictures. I have coolant pooling up in this area... any ideas? I'm still thinking it's the water pump and I just can't see the leak. Looks like an old pump, and there is some red goop/gasket maker that is visible.

Any ideas or feedback would be very appreciated.

Welcome Bob, I believe I would replace the thermostat and housing gasket first. Clean everything up and do not use any silicone on the gasket. Run it untill hot and see if the leak is gone. If there is still a leak somewhere then have the coolant system pressure tested to about 10 psi. Good Luck.

Thanks TUFF - For the cheap price, I should definitely start there.

We noticed last fall that the engine was running hotter than usual, so perhaps that could be the culprit as well?
I was considering upgrading the water pump to an Edelbrok high flow....