Coolant leak and temp fluctuations

[Logic951]

Any thoughts?

 

[Atcer2018]

Any thoughts?

At this point it may be more beneficial to take it to a radiator shop for a pressure test. If it’s consistently low on coolant and air is introduced into the system you run the risk of hot spots and overheating. A radiator shop can also do a combustion gases test as WildOne recommended. Hopefully you don’t have a blown head gasket.

 

[rzr6-4]

I drove to work today, no issues. I sat in my truck during my lunch. And my temp went from 1/4 all the way up and I heard bubbling, I shut the truck off and I heard coolant bubbling in the upper radiator hose.

Could this be the the air being trapped? Like I was told previously?

My Sierra ran flawless for years. One day the roads were a mess, and I was in a hurry, and drove 10 miles at 50-60mph through a couple inches of mud pretty much the whole way. With that much resistance, I was at at least 1/2 throttle if not more the entire time. Upon parking I realized that my temp gauge was pegged and I could hear rumbling under the hood. It wasn't air in the system, it was boiling coolant from getting it so hot. I bet if you get out when its at normal temp you won't hear anything, but when it get's real hot like that, you will hear it again. That's what 240deg coolant sounds like.

I overheated again a week later. Turns out the initial heating had cracked my radiator, causing a slow leak that made me over heat again. One new radiator and hasn't had issues since.

 

[Logic951]

Did a pressure test and the coolant was oozing from the top left of the water pump. Is this normal just years from replacing it?

I got this water pump from autozone… probably where I went wrong. The person behind the counter said these duralast pumps fail all the time. Probably why it has a life time warranty… never the less… if i get two years off of this new one im replacing it with, im gonna be upset. And just bite the bullet and get a more expensive one.

Any idea why the lower radiator hose was such a pain in the a** to get off?

 

[rzr6-4]

Did a pressure test and the coolant was oozing from the top left of the water pump. Is this normal just years from replacing it?

I got this water pump from autozone… probably where I went wrong. The person behind the counter said these duralast pumps fail all the time. Probably why it has a life time warranty… never the less… if i get two years off of this new one im replacing it with, im gonna be upset. And just bite the bullet and get a more expensive one.

Any idea why the lower radiator hose was such a pain in the a** to get off?

I have said it several times on here, but DO NOT get water pumps from the assorted auto parts stores. They are all garbage. 2 of them on my ram lasted less than a year each. Finally paid 2-3x the price for an OEM but a few years later still going strong. Had another cheapo on my sierra that only made it a couple thousand miles before it started making noise.

Yours could just be a seal that failed or got pinched during install, but the whole thing very well could be shot. You may be able to loosen the serpentine belt and check the pully shaft for wobble. Even if it doesn't wobble, I would buy a new OEM unit and find time to replace it before that slow coolant leaks turns into a coolant dump leaving you stranded on the road.

Assuming you have a 1500, mine is a 2500 so I have a little more room to work but no, getting that lower rad hose off shouldn't be that hard.

 

[Logic951]

I replaced it with the cheapo parts store one, just cause it had the lifetime warranty. Next time I will be gettin oem. The lower rad hose was a pain, I had to yank from under the truck and even then i was lifting myself up trying to pull it off. Not to mention the hose clips. I miss my old 96 Silverado with normal hose clamps you could tighten with either a socket or Phillips screwdriver. Next time I do this, I will be swapping out all clamps

 

[nlambert182]

Sediment can build up between the hose and the fitting. Did you stick a pick or anything in there to break the connection? Should slide off pretty easily after that. I typically do that in advance (being careful not to poke the hose) before removing any coolant hoses.

 

[rzr6-4]

Not to mention the hose clips. I miss my old 96 Silverado with normal hose clamps you could tighten with either a socket or Phillips screwdriver. Next time I do this, I will be swapping out all clamps

I actually prefer those spring clamps. Get a pair of channel lock pliers and you can open them all the way up, and just slide them off the end of the hose. The screw style ones never feel like I got them tight enough.

And like nlambert says, working a flat head screw driver in there to break the hose free and start to peel it bad can really help things get going.

 

[mdc1990zr1]

I actually prefer those spring clamps. Get a pair of channel lock pliers and you can open them all the way up, and just slide them off the end of the hose. The screw style ones never feel like I got them tight enough.

And like nlambert says, working a flat head screw driver in there to break the hose free and start to peel it bad can really help things get going.

I prefer those spring clamps as they have room for expansion and contraction as the coolant temperature rises and falls, especially on hoses that mount to plastic nipples. The screw type clamps don't have the expansion and contraction that the spring clamp does. I should note, however, that I have had a expansion clamp fail on a Nissan Maxima before.

 

[Wild one]

I replaced it with the cheapo parts store one, just cause it had the lifetime warranty. Next time I will be gettin oem. The lower rad hose was a pain, I had to yank from under the truck and even then i was lifting myself up trying to pull it off. Not to mention the hose clips. I miss my old 96 Silverado with normal hose clamps you could tighten with either a socket or Phillips screwdriver. Next time I do this, I will be swapping out all clamps

Get yourself one of these style hose clamp pliars,and you won't mind the spring clamps,which are twice the hose clamp as the old worm style hose clamps.

https://www.amazon.com/Clamp-Pliers-inches-Flexible-Cable/dp/B0917J3DBG?dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.TZaPfz7lAkbwoRH-wAJnfNhn7TwfN1IUDBMYy_mZviBAHDB3DL3PkGSw4A_ABYMPsY5m1NPKUVXEAUNuoE8iJFzurNzVoLcvqOnzYc0jwjEJ1CDw_llN8Uu6jLtuebXdoSO_wyc1-zzSc6-CTvlwbHRQG7HahIEOa76SAN46QRAS82P5Iz5AdUivbfDk2ZAek2olMGaiXkQwl4Nlue-wB7j5IiiUUhehTn7T6CQVAbRO7NMJ2rFlu4JFp395DYGs-1-YlKAVumKWfzwRTc-lWwDhw3PQ7Vv3u7fHMa7eEWU.C3MtiYqrGyCqGK5WpwKWEus2ieyYCPYm3OLScu8LhK4&dib_tag=se&keywords=hose%2Bclamp%2Bpliers&qid=1731730501&sr=8-7&th=1