[nUcLeArEnVoY]

Car is a 1979 Trans Am w/ 400.

Pulled my old water pump to replace it since it was a crapola stamped impeller A-1 Cardone unit, and the clearance was .200. No wonder I was getting hot in traffic.

Anyway, once I started loosening up the water pump bolts, I could see a very small coolant leak spring suddenly from behind the timing cover where it mates to the block on the passenger side. It's near where the heater hose goes onto the timing cover. I'm guessing it's because I loosened the long 3/8" Bolt that mates the water pump to the timing cover and to the block. Doesn't seem to have happened on the driver side. For what it's worth, I didn't drain as much coolant as I thought I did. Still made a heck of a mess once I took the water pump off.

So what do I do here? Is this a relatively normal thing when those big bolts are loosened, or did the gasket fail?

Should I just install the new water pump, torque everything down and see if that seals it it or should I pull the timing cover and re-gasket?

I have the blessing of having not run the engine yet, and I doubt any water is leaking into the crankcase, it just seems to be doing it on the outer edge of the timing cover but I'm not sure.

Would appreciate advice.