STILL no joy in Mudville.

[Randee of the Redwoods]

Successfully swapped the turbo on Christmas day(my family exchanges on the Eve). Reworked the exhaust the day after. Taken care of. BUT, and it's a big but, a nasty coolant leak has reared it's ugly head. I now have an explanation to my unexplained coolant loss. It's leaking out the front of the engine from somewhere, but I can't see. Funny thing is, sometimes it would leak, sometimes it wouldn't. I haven't had a coolant problem for weeks. Today, though, at one point, it was dripping out so fast it would have filled a 20 ounce cup in a matter of minutes. Let the motor idle for about 2 minutes, shut it down, no more leak. Weird. I can't for the life of me see WHERE exactly it's leaking from, it it's running down the circumfrence of the crank damper. I'll drop the front skid plate tomorrow and see if I get better access. For the 2 hour trip home, I ran some Bar's Leak(liquid aluminum version) through the motor to see if it would buy me some time. Bad water pump output shaft seal? Bad front cover seal? Bad water pump seal? I just can't tell. For the 2 steps I just made in the name of progress, now I'm 2 steps back in the name of "what the hell is going on???".
Any ideas? Truck ran perfectly the way home. My best guess by the gauge on the dash it never went over 200 degrees.

[gmctd]

You can see it better in the dark with a flashlight - shine it up from beneath the truck to the area under the waterpump.
If coolant is dripping off the waterpump pulley, it's the shaft seal.
If not, check areas where the waterpump is gasketed to the front cover.

Waterpump seal is the first to let go if any engine repair operation was done, where the coolant was drained for a day or so.
Particularly on an old, unknown mileage pump.

[Randee of the Redwoods]

If it is the water pump, what am I looking at for replacement cost?

[Litzy007]

Randee, if you are going to replace the water pump why not update to hi flow pump and dual stat housing. I have seen this kit for $300 Canadian, with everything you need from Diesel Services Group( one of the DP sponsers). If you are going to replace the pump I would also take the front cover off and replace that gasket to - mine was leaking also.

Good Luck,
Glenn

[Randee of the Redwoods]

That's all well and good, but the question remains: what can I expect for replacement cost? Unfortunately, as adept as I am, this is something I can not do myself. I'm not above the upgrades, and I'm ready to pay some one else to do the work, but I first need to find someone I can trust(fat chance). I know the water pump change is tricky from info obtained on this site. If I can't find some one who is capable, the outcome may not be favorable.
The hi flow pump and tstat housing is nice while I'm gonna be in there, but this repair has the potential to cost me good, so it may not be feasable.

[gmctd]

The Haynes book has a good walk-thru, with drawings and pics.
You'll need the pump, pump\cover gasket set, anti-freeze.

The '97 crossover will require additionally - it, gaskets, 180deg RS thermostats, new upper hose.

Probably around 300-350. I gave 25 bucks for my '98 double t-stat crossover from a boneyard - didn't know what it was for at the time (looked like a marine setup, with the outlet facing the rear of the engine), just looked neat and I thought I ought to have it, at that price.
Wasn't more than a month later, MP did the cooling upgrade article, with pictures of my "marine" t-stat piece!
Less than a month after that, I did it - new timing gears\chain, pump, intake manifold, gaskets, seals, GM-8 - took Fri eve, Sat, Sun, drove it Mon to work, all ok.

If you can replace the turbo and glow plugs, the waterpump is easier. Just more messy from the coolant.

[ 12-27-2003, 09:28 PM: Message edited by: gmctd ]

[Randee of the Redwoods]

Well, here goes. I'm contemplating doing it myself if it is the water pump. We'll know in a couple days, maybo tomorrow. I'll peek under the front skidplate to see if I can find a source for the leak. From what I've read so far compared to what little I've seen, it's the weep hole.
Kennedy has the water pump upgrade kit. Can't I just get a stock replacement? Geez. Any other part on this truck, and it would be the upgrade piece that's the hen's tooth.
Diesel Services Group has the gasket set(listed as the timing cover gasket set). Looks to have the only one gasket I really need and that's the cover gasket. I'm CONSIDERING pulling the damper and replacing the front seal. What, 5 more bolts?
Biggest problem now is a place to do the work. The Bar's Leak I put in looked to mostly have ****d out from overfilling the resivoir so the time I was hoping to buy just dripped all over I95 north. And with the weep hole leaking, I don't think it will make another 2 hour trip to Richmond to use my dad's driveway. The Ford I had that leaked through the weep hole didn't make it a mile down the street before it blew the entire capacity of coolant out.
I'm calling Kennedy on Monday to see if he can supply me the gaskets with the parts(one purchase makes it easier). Luckily I'm off next week(vacation), but the parts won't be here in time.
The puddle under the truck grows bigger. I'll have to park it face in now to hide the drip.
PS-I just so happen to have that Haynes manual.

[tom.mcinerney]

The leak could just be a hose--there's a small hose [maybe 5/4" diam * 3"long] , i think from thermo crossover to water pump, wept on mine....

[gmenor]

Randee,
Where did you get the GM8 turbo and how much did it cost? I saw your other posts on the HO water pump I got JK's and it is a vast improvement over the stock.

[gmenor]

Randee,
I still got my old water pump if you want it. I'll be going back to Fayetteville, NC tomorrow and have it in Fredericksburg Sunday. I may have the gaskets too. Hey free of charge

[Randee of the Redwoods]

gmenor-Thanks for the offer, but I'm just gonna have the dealer do it. For the millions of dollars it will cost me, I at least get a lifetime warrenty on the work, so if it leaks again, they'll fix it. And that's fine with me considering all the anerobic sealer stuff and other crap I just don't want to deal with. Hey, I swapped the turbo, upper intake, exhaust, and glow plugs myself. $700 for the water pump for someone else to do it isn't so bad.
The turbo came from Ebay as well, believe it or not. I bought it about 2 years ago with delusions of gradeur to put it all on my 6.2 Jimmy. It never panned out, but I felt the need to keep it for spare for the new truck. It was a complete setup from either a 96 or 99 truck, used, truck was salvage. I paid $850 for the mass of parts(turbo, turbo manifold, upper oil tube, a couple gaskests and some odds and ends). I just sold the big parts on Ebay. The smaller stuff I kept.
GM8's on Ebay are pretty plentiful but be careful of their condition. I don't know the mileage on mine, but I had the old GM4 as a backup incase it needed a rebuild.

[gmenor]

Randee,
It's not too late, free verse $700.00 and 3 hours worth of work is not a lot. Change out the water pump and dual idler gears in about 6 hours. Believe me, don't ever let a bunch of drunks help you.

[Randee of the Redwoods]

Gman, read my new post. Turns out I may not need a water pump.