• The site migration is complete! Hopefully everything transferred properly from the multiple decades old software we were using before. If you notice any issues please let me know, thanks! Also, I'm still working on things like chatbox, etc so hopefully those will be working in the next week or two.

Water pump leak, or not?

0

04silverprix

New member
Hello again,

A couple of months back I posted a question about a rough starting issue with our 2004 Grand Prix and I received great advice about cleaning the throttle body. It did the trick!

Well I'm back again this time with a coolant leak. A couple of days ago I noticed a thin puddle of fluid in the drive way. Today I got to the car in time to fill the overflow tank to restore the coolant level. My initial instincts made me think either a leaky intake manifold gasket or a leaky water pump.

I checked the intake manifold and it wasn't leaking. I then deduced that it was the water pump. I noticed the belt and pulleys were dry. The spash shield below the pulleys was dry. My wife even suggested I make sure overflow tank didn't have a crack. It seemed to be ok.

I started the car and looked underneath and found a trail of Dexcool running along the passenger side sub rail. I found coolant running down the inner axle and rear of the transaxle. I looked up and found a small drip coming from what looked to be the rear of the steering pump. It's a pretty cramped area.

So I pulled the passenger wheel off to get a closer look and saw some residual coolant around the oil filter mount.

With my beloved stone age-era vehicles when the water pump died it bleed anti freeze through the weep hole below the pump and leaked all over the pulleys, belts, etc. My early diagnosis has me almost ruling out the water pump and looking for a temp gauge sending unit around the water pump. Is this item in the vicinity of the water pump?

Is the weep hole leak on these Series III 3800s slight enough to spare the pulleys, belt, and shield from getting drenched?

I plan on removing the plastic skirt below the inner wheel well to see if I can get a better look. The car has 65,000 miles, but I know too well that water pumps can go out any time. I just want to make sure I know what's leaking before I start taking the car apart to repair it.

I appreciate everybody's input.
 


its more pinhole then weep hole, mine barely was seeping before it gave up the battle.

more likely coolant elbow by alt bracket
 
leak by the powersteering has me thinkin water pump gasket. Good thing water pumps are cheap and pretty easy just a pain getting the blind bolts out of the powersteering pump.
 
I'll check that elbow. It is a gradual leak. If that elbow is leaking would the trail run behind the steering pump and down towards the transaxle and inner axle shaft?

I tried putting my hand around the back of the water pump pulley after the engine cooled down and I didn't get any coolant on my hand. I would think I would find some anti freeze around the water pump if it was leaking.

Does the elbow crack or do they spring a leak where they go in?
 
04silverprix said:
I'll check that elbow. It is a gradual leak. If that elbow is leaking would the trail run behind the steering pump and down towards the transaxle and inner axle shaft?
Click to expand...


more likely than the water pump, and they crack, and crack inside the housing,and O rings fail too, they make the seal for the elbow, there a bunch of how to's on here for the replacement of the elbows, just use the search button up top.
 


Thanks Scotty. I hope I don't have to replace those intake manifold gaskets. I will pursue the elbows. I spotted one in the front of the intake facing the fender. Is there another behind the tensioner or alternator? I guess I'll find out when I put a wrench to it.
 
id check it while its hot, and hopefully leaking, so you don't fix what ain't broken if ya know what i mean.

inspection mirrors work nice.

the rear one goes into the manifold and the alt bracket
 
I noticed the heater hoses appear to run out of the alternator bracket. Am I on the right track surmising that coolant runs through the alternator bracket enroute to the heater hoses?

Is this the reason for those elbows, to route coolant from the intake manifold through the bracket to the heater hoses?
 
GM got creative that day.

Typical leaks
Upper coolant elbow. Oddly enough..you never/rarely see a lower coolant elbow leak
Water pump weep hole. It won't necessarily drench any pullies.
O rings where the heater hoses attach to the alternator bracket.

I think if you did a visual/feel w/o the car running in those areas, you'll find that leak right away.
 
Wow Bill I guess that is creative of GM to do something like that. Very bizarre. I looked at the heater hoses that run out of the bracket towards to heater core and it was dry. So I will need to remove the alternator to access this other elbow?

I noticed what I assume is the lower elbow in clear view on the passenger side forward edge of the intake manifold and it seemed to be ok.

I plan on cleaning the engine bay some and checking for the leak tomorrow morning. Are these elbows press-fitted?
 


No, they are simply slip fit..but they don't leak...somehow.

If the top one isn't leaking..then reach up under the water pump pulley and feel for wetness. It's really not bad to find a leak on these cars. If it's not that...maybe a freeze plug?
 
The top one is the one I can actually see, right? It isn't leaking, but I need to locate the other elbow. I assume it is hidden under the alternator.
 
I removed the alternator so I can see the lower elbow. It is dry. I can see a trace of Dexcool on the bracket next to the elbow, but that could have ran down from either the upper elbow or the water pump.

I still can't find any moisture around the pulley, but now that I have the alternator out of the way I might be able to check elsewhere.

I'll be back soon.

Thanks for your input.
 
Okay I located the leak. I did some brake clean spraying and sprayed compressed air and soon found a trail of Dexcool running under the upper elbow.

I think it is the elbow. However I do have one more question. How can you tell the difference from a coolant leak from the elbow from a leak from the upper intake manifold? Would the dexcool even leak from the manifold to around the elbow in the first place?

From my vantage point, it seems it is the elbow that is leaking. I don't have any anti freeze in my oil either, so that's a good sign.
 


Never mind my last post. I definitely found the leak and it is where the upper elbow enters the intake manifold. I used a mirror and after shooting the area with compressed air, I angled my mirror and light and watched Dexcool seep from the elbow.

So do these elbows pull out? Is there a trick or two of how to remove/replace these?

I'm heading for the auto parts store now.

Again, I appreciate the help. It's like having buddies in my garage without them drinking my beer while I'm working.
 
Alright, I have it about ready for re-assembly. I discovered that removal of the belt tensioner/alternator bracket is necessary to change the elbows.

The upper elbow was degraded so bad that I had to pull the rest of it out of the cavity of the tensioner. I cleaned the orfices out and now I'm about to install the elbows.

My question is should I install the elbows to the tensioner assembly and guide them to the manifold and water pump during assembly, or the other way around?

I've also read applying some silicone to the opening edges of the elbows is helpful.
 
i've never put one in but from what i've read , i think you put it in the alt bracket and line the elbow up with the manifold and wiggle it as you tighten it down, to get it to go in and seal properly. and a little spit for lube on the O rings lol
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top