Coolant leak

Tiny
JERAMIEWAAK109
  • MEMBER
  • 2001 CHEVROLET IMPALA
  • 6 CYL
  • 2WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 237,000 MILES
I just changed the radiator because of a leak, but it seems that the coolant is still pouring out somewhere on the left side by the belt. What could be this issue?
Wednesday, May 2nd, 2018 AT 10:11 AM

4 Replies

Tiny
SATURNTECH9
  • MECHANIC
  • 30,869 POSTS
https://www.2carpros.com/articles/radiator-pressure-test
I posted a repair guide to show you how to pressure test the cooling system that is where I would start. You could have a bad water pump or hose leaking. You can rent a coolant pressure tester from AutoZone you just have to make sure you get the correct adapter to fit on your car. Keep me posted on what you find.
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Wednesday, May 2nd, 2018 AT 7:50 PM
Tiny
JACOBANDNICKOLAS
  • MECHANIC
  • 109,544 POSTS
Thank you for using 2carpros.com.
To start, it sounds like the problem may be the water pump. However, there are other possibilities. Here is what I recommend: Follow the direction in the following directions to pressurize the system and check if you can see where the leak is coming from.

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/radiator-pressure-test

Additionally, here are the directions to identify a water pump issue:

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/symptoms-of-a-bad-water-pump

Finally, check to make sure there are no hoses leaning as well as the intake gasket which is a common problem on these engines. I have attached a picture of the intake manifold for you to see. There are two different V6 engines and I am not sure which you have. The attached picture is of the 3.4L but the 3.8L looks very similar. When pressurized, check around where the manifold is mounted to the engine block for evidence of leaks. Also, there is a bypass hose above the water pump which can leak. I also attached a picture of the water pump for you to see. The belt will be routed around it.

I hope this helps.
Thanks,
Joe
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
+1
Wednesday, May 2nd, 2018 AT 8:04 PM
Tiny
JERAMIEWAAK109
  • MEMBER
  • 2 POSTS
My dad says he thinks it is the 90* elbow bracket. Could this be a possibility?
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Wednesday, May 2nd, 2018 AT 9:04 PM
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
  • MECHANIC
  • 30,869 POSTS
Yes, it could be especially since they started using plastic elbows on the cooling system. That is why I suggest starting with a cooling system pressure system test. That is where I usually start when I am looking for a coolant leak. Doing that I sometimes even find more then one leak even.
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
+2
Thursday, May 3rd, 2018 AT 8:00 AM

Please login or register to post a reply.

Sponsored links