brodyl05

You cannot use Rtv on paper gaskets. When the coolent hits the RTV it will eat away the gasket and you will have leaks. Dont put any thing on paper gaskets. Use blue thread locker on the water pump bolts and make sure the old gasket material is all cleaned up and you should have no leaks.

shoebox

I disagree with all of this, except the cleaning. You don't use thread locker on the bolts, you use thread sealant and I have never had a problem with RTV and paper gaskets.

RamAir95TA

I've been putting RTV on water pump paper gaskets since I was 14 and never once did coolant "eat away the gasket"

Kevin Blown 95 TA

I must be leading a charmed life or something because I never even thought about putting sealant on the water pump bolt threads and never had a leak in all these years and have had the pump off maybe 4 times total for one thing or another. I did use copper coat on the paper gaskets as I always do. I guess you never stop learning about your car. Maybe I should read my manual once in a while.

my1994z28

I use Permatex water pump sealant on the wp gaskets and Permatex sealant with teflon on the bolts...Never any leaks

BTC

The white teflon thread sealant has always worked for me, but I'm not sure of the brand, or name, or specific contents. I forgot to put it on the bolts once and it leaked immediately. I can't imagine getting by without some sort of sealant on those bolts. I also put some copper permatex on the gaskets.