Hi Scotty, I have a 1997 GMC Yukon 5.7 liter engine with 236000 miles on it. I suspect the water pump is going out, I have a coolant leak under the car about where the water pump is located. The engine isn't overheating. When a water pump is going out what kind of noises does it make, can it be a tapping or swelling noise, how can I tell? Thank you Robert
Will it hurt anything if the coolant is above the hot or cold mark in the coolant reservoir
I don't think so. Nothing will explode.
That's why there's a relief valve in the pressure cap set for around 15 psi.
The cooling system (engine, radiator, etc) is always be 100% full of liquid. When it gets hot, it expands a bit and the extra goes into the reservoir. Then when it cools, it gets sucked back in.
If there's too much liquid in the reservoir, then it usually spills out of the overflow hole.
The only danger comes from the coolant being too LOW or not having enough antifreeze in it.
I didn't know there was some kind of pressure relief valve. I'm pretty sure my Ranger and my Pontiac don't. I'll have to look when it stops raining.
Seriously overfilling the reservoir, like to the point where you can't get anymore in, not a minor overfill a couple inches above hot.
I guess another downside might be that it won't be as easy to recognize if you're loosing coolant. The line is just a nice reference marker.
Shortly before I knew I had brain cancer last year, my Ranger blew a coolant hose while I was getting on the highway. Coolant poured out of the truck, to the point where a rooster tail was coming out of the hose, not white smoke. Aound 2000 feet past the on-ramp I pulled over and immediately shut off the engine.. I had set the heater to just barely over neutral a few minutes before. The plastic had become so embrittled, when I went to accelerate enough to get on the highway, the plastic gave out. I lost half of my coolant in around one minute. There's still a coolant stain on that stretch of highway where I had broken down almost a year later. Haha.
good thing you caught it in time
if you install 3 bolts instead of 4 on the water pump will coolant leak
come on.
You really wanna gamble your engine on a $3 bolt?
Stay with Dexcool if that's what is in it. Very early on there were problems with that coolant but that was ages ago, it's really not a problem at this point. If you still want to change to something different it's doable but you would have to thoroughly flush all the Dexcool out of the cooling system first.
If there is a slight coolant leak can the cooling system still hold pressure
punch a hole in a bottle of soda, and then shake it up
There are 4 bolts there for a reason. If one is left out you can bet your sweet bippy you'll wind up with a coolant leak.
On a 1997 GMC Yukon 5.7 liter if you install 3 bolts instead of 4 on the water pump will coolant leak from the bolt hole with no bolt or what can happen
If the engineers wanted a 3-bolt pattern, they would have designed it that way. It's all about equilibrium, and if you have three bolts in a 4-bolt arrangement, it doesn't have equilibrium. Cooling systems are pressurized, any unequal tightening causes the water pump to basically "hinge" away from the loose or missing bolt. When I changed pressurized filters with round bolt patterns, I always hand tightened them in a star pattern, then torqued them down in the same pattern. My filters never leaked.
It's the same idea with your four-bolt pattern. Hand tighten them, moving to the opposite bolt, not the bolt right next to it. Once you've hand tightened them, go back andvc set them in the same sequence to the correct torque value with a torque wrench if you want to be precise about it.
i installed a new water pump on my 1997 GMC Yukon, it is missing a bolt should have 4 but I only put 3 in I lost a bolt and have to get another one. The moment I put coolant into the radiator I noticed coolant leaking from under the car, could you give me a idea what could be causing the leak
Most likely the missing bolt, or the radiator drain plug is loose.
Unless it's leaking elsewhere on that 27-year-old vehicle (quite possible), it is most likely leaking due to the missing bolt. Another possibility would be that the mating surfaces of the pump and block were not cleaned up thoroughly enough for the gasket to seal properly. (We did warn you that the missing bolt would probably cause a leak).
I've heard a lot about k seal to fix leaks, good and bad, could you give me your thoughts on it
it can completely mess up your cooling system and you'll end up worse off than you started.
Sheesh, just replace the missing bolt, or the pump if necessary.
What is the best way to get the air out of a cooling system
Raise the front of the vehicle so the highest point is the radiator. Normally, the highest point is the heater core. Start the car, put down ramps or drive on an incline, nose up. Turn the heater on max heat, and set the fan speed to full blast. Open the radiator cap and slowly pour more fluid into the radiator. It will "burp" as more goes into the radiator. Check to make sure the heater core is hot. Once the coolant inside the radiator stops "burping," and the radiator is at the neck, replace the cap.
What is the best way to get the air out of a cooling system
It depends on the vehicle, which you didn't mention.
Air gathers at the highest point.
Usually that's the radiator, so you just just open it and top it off.
On some vehicles with pressurized reservoirs, that's the highest point. Again you just top it off.
Some vehicles had bleeder screw around the thermostat to bleed off trapped air there.
Make sure you turn on the heat once the engine has reached operating temp, to flush the air out of the heater core as well.
You may need to monitor for a few drive cycles and top it off every time you take it for a drive, so just toss a jug of extra coolant in the trunk. Of course the best thing to do is have a repair manual for your vehicle and follow that.
Not for very long.
Also, you left out a few details.
how can I tell?
Via physical examination. Usually there's a weep hole where they'll leak first. However water pumps don't always make noise or even leak when they start wearing out. (One of my vehicles has noticeable play in the water pump bearing but no leaks or noise yet.)
If you're not sure of the source of the coolant leak some UV dye may help.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rDuGeQnMOzk
Why do you want to only put 3 bolts and not 4? Did you strip a bolt or is the bolt missing? Always install all the bolts and don't leave anything behind. Just like your lug nuts in the tire. It maybe ok now but later on will you know if it holds up?
I've heard a lot about k seal to fix leaks, good and bad, could you give me your thoughts on it
Those kind of products are basically snake oil but in some circumstances can offer temporary relief until a proper repair can be done. (They can also clog up your cooling system, so caveat emptor.)
If you're talking about the leak you're experiencing due to the missing bolt on your water pump, no, that will not help and it may cause more problems.
Dexcool is fine as long as you change it on time
Will it hurt anything if the coolant is above the hot or cold mark in the coolant reservoir
Will it hurt anything if the coolant is above the hot or cold mark in the coolant reservoir
Engineers designed the cooling system to function with the right amount of coolant in the system. Too much coolant and it might explode when the coolant is under pressure (any time the engine is running, water is not compressible) too little, and it could overheat. Fill it to the cold mark if it's cold, if the engine is hot, fill it to the hot mark.
I didn't know there was some kind of pressure relief valve.
@justin-shepherd That's what the spring is for. If it wasn't valved, then there would be no point to a reservoir.
That's why there's two seals. Usually, the part of the neck that is between the upper and lower seals, is where the reservoir is connected to.
The valve relief pressure is printed right on the cap.
https://www.freeasestudyguides.com/engine-radiator-cap.html
Duh. I knew that, lol. That's probably the ultimate form of a brain fart. I'm almost embarrassed for suggesting that now. I thought you meant the overflow itself had a relief valve. It's just a container. I'm actually pretty embarrassed, haha.
😆
the brainfarts will only get worse
silver lining is maybe OP will benefit from it 😉
Oh I know already that it's going to get worse as I get older.
On a 1997 GMC Yukon 5.7 liter if you install 3 bolts instead of 4 on the water pump will coolant leak from the bolt hole with no bolt or what can happen
i installed a new water pump on my 1997 GMC Yukon, it is missing a bolt should have 4 but I only put 3 in I lost a bolt and have to get another one. The moment I put coolant into the radiator I noticed coolant leaking from under the car, could you give me a idea what could be causing the leak
Please don't multi-post. Keep all your posts related to one problem together in one topic.
Thank you.
I've heard a lot about k seal to fix leaks, good and bad, could you give me your thoughts on it
Hi Scotty, I have a 1997 GMC Yukon 5.7 liter engine, on the overflow reservoir it states use dex cool only, I've heard of people switching to other types of anti freeze, as far as I know it's only had dex cool anti freeze in it. Should I stay with dex cool or can I switch to another kind
What is the best way to get the air out of a cooling system
Always follow the posting instructions please.
No
If there is a slight coolant leak can the cooling system still hold pressure
Hi, I have a 1997 GMC Yukon 5.7 liter engine 4 wheel drive with 236000 miles on it. How can I tell if the heater core is leaking and how hard it it to change. I'm loosing a little coolant and don't see a leak. I've changed the water pump and radiator, the water pump was leaking along with the radiator. Thank you
Well the intercourse inside if it's leaking enough it will either leak coolant inside the car or it will drip under the car from the AC heater drain hose. And if it is leaking have somebody press your test system and you see pressure going down and you can't see or hear the leak coming from any side around the vehicle. Then it would be leaking inside the heater core and you can't see that cuz it's inside the dash
