I've attached a pic from autozone. I have a mysterious leak, and the only place I can track it to so far is that area on the left side right above where the lower hose attaches. See those holes? Does that send coolant into the block, or are they just bolt holes? I mean, I see bolt holes, but those middle ones look too big to be only a bolt hole, so I figure it must connect to the water jacket. Am I right? Because it looks like this is where it's wet. The back cover of the pump looks ok.

 

That is correct; the pump draws coolant in at the lower rad hose fitting (and the heater hose fitting on top that has a plug in it in that pic), and its output is the 2 "legs".

Yes the gaskets behind there can fail. Particularly if silicone was used as sealer.

Most common pump leak however, is the 2 weep holes, behind the pulley. When the shaft seal fails, coolant comes out there, and the pulley slings it EVERYWHERE; so you don't see it. However when the engine is off it runs down the bottom of the rad hose. Once the seal fails, the bearings get water in them, and it's all downhill from there FAST.

 

You can just replace the gaskets, but in my world, I'd do the job once and be done for a long while by replacing the whole pump. You never know when the seal or bearings are going to take a dump.....

 

In other words, it makes much more sense to put out the $30 for a new pump. I thought so. I have to replace the power steering pump too, may as well do them both, clean up all the crud on the front of the engine and knock the whole thing out in an afternoon. Thx....

 

Got 'er done. I was also able to clean and paint the timing cover and block area behind the pump. Got the front of the intake de-gunked too.