So I finally pinned down my coolant leak, looks like it’s coming from the water pump. This is the weep hole right? Leak area is circled in red. Making sure before I set aside a weekend to replace it.​​​​​​​



Sorry if this is redundant question, I did use the search first.

 

Which engine? Whichever it is, you ARE NOT looking at the weep hole.
The weep hole will be on the bottom of the pump, near the input shaft.
Depending on the engine, you may not be able to see it clearly with the pulley installed.

 

Sorry totally forgot to mention the engine, it’s the 2.8 V6

 

Look at the bottom of the lower hose.

It goes right straight up to just below the weep hole. Whatever water comes out of the hole, will tend to run down the bottom of the hose. Some may also drip onto the inside of the pulley and drip off the bottom of it and onto wherever, which could easily be the crank damper.

Your hose is soaked and has a buildup of green crud on it.

Note also your crank damper has acoupla beautiful rings of green goop and rust drawn all the way around it, as well.

So yeah, pretty sure you need a WP. Have needed one for a REALLY LONG time.

 

Thanks a lot for the info! Been working on the car on and off whenever school isn’t filling up the schedule. Been looking for this leak about a month or two so I guess that explains the build up. Had the pump replaced about this time last year so I didn’t expect it to be an issue again. Probably will replace it myself this time.

 

I'm guessing either cheap/ bad pump, or bad gasket.

HAVE YOU PRESSURE-TESTED THE COOLING SYSTEM?

That will tell you really quickly if you have a coolant leak, and where it is coming from.

Here's a pro tip: PAPER GASKETS ARE ****.

Use Permatex black silicone for any non-fuel related gasket surface . Clean the mating surfaces until you can eat off of them, then put the pieces back together as fast as you can. Then let it dry for at least 12 hours.

There has been a myth spread around the automotive community for decades that says you should let RTV "dry for a few minutes/ make a 'skin'".

That's how you get leaks.
If everything is dry, and the the silicone is "wet," it doesn't allow for any coolant/ oil seepage.

 

I also figured it was a lower quality part. I’m stopping by the shop that installed it to make sure it’s not under some kind of warranty before I proceed forward.

No matter what happens, I’m making sure it’s an Acdelco part that’s put on this time. Looks like rock auto has one w/the gasket for $90. Probably will put new radiator hoses on while I’m at it.

Have not pressure tested the system beyond basic stuff like squeezing the hoses to make sure coolant is still flowing and other things like that, if you’d even call that pressure testing.

Thanks again for taking time to type this out. Really helps newbies like me. I’ll be sure to keep all of that in mind if I’m the one who installs it.

 

Looks to me like it's pressure testing itself.

It failed.

Not sure what the thing about "AC Delco" is. I don't know what you think you're getting but I'm pretty sure you won't get whatever that is.

Paper gaskets are indeed raw unadulterated unvarnished unalloyed undiluted SEWAGE. Use something better. The blue FelPro gaskets for example are FAR better than any "factory" paper crap.

 

I replaced the waterpump in my '84 T/A, eventhough it only had 20000 miles, but since I had to flush the block, I only wanted to mess with this issue one time. I purchased a new Ac Delco pump from Rockauto. I used a felpro gasket & gooed both sides of the gasket with the Permatex black as one fellow here did. No leaks.
I have not binned the old pump yet, but will.

 

Ran into this with my S10 years ago. The water pump bolts on and through a timing cover with water passages in it too. Replacing the pump disturbs that cover to block gasket and that won't get resealed when the new pump is tightened up. I sealed it temporary with some GM Cooling System Sealer tabs but finally had to tear it all apart. Have to take a real close look to see where it's actually leaking.

 

Theres a special way to change the 2.8 water pump without breaking the timing cover seal. You need to fab up some kind of "bracket" as I recall though. Its in the haynes manual for easy reference..... stupid design.......

 

Yeah I remember reading that in my Haynes manual and on these forums. Wonderful little design detail right? Anyway, thanks again for all the responses! Turns out the pump is under full warranty still so the shop will put a new one on free of charge (the new pump being put on will start a new warranty period) so that’s what I’ll be going with for now. Either way this thread has taught me a bunch to keep in mind for the future.

 

If you can, tll them to put a better-quality part in... Idunnio if they make their own pumps, but I like the delco ones and had no issue for over 20 years now