slow coolant leak...

[HtownPapiJc]

98 sliverado
Been losing my coolant slowly but surely. This has been an on going problem thats driving me crazy. I'll fill up the res. box with coolant and check rad. to make sure it is full as well. Within a matter of a couple days ill go back and the box will be almost empty. When parked or after being driven i check under the hood to see if there is any sign of possible lost.. but ev appears to be fine. Awhile back i changed out the water pump and here recently i changed out the t-stat. But its still losing coolant the rad will remain full only because i keep tabs on the level. Rad. has be pressure tested and shows no possible leak. Wondering if it could be leakin around the water pump while being ran. any suggestions or anyone ev. had the same prob.?

[454_72_4X4]

I'd guess it to be the heater hose connection if your 98 has those dandy quick couple connectors on the heater hose at the back of the intake manifold.
I'm not familiar with what a 98 is equipped with but those quick couples are famous for corroding and leaking.

[68haywagon]

Vortecs are highly famous for intake gasket leaks. Have you ever changed that?

Mike

[bejay]

the intake gasket is very likely does your oil level ever seem to get overfull?

[HtownPapiJc]

Actually now that i think of it my oil pressure on the gagues does seem higher than normal. Ive had to change out a connectors on the front of the intake manifold because it was old and broke off inside the intake which sucked a**. But have to look into that other heater connector. Anyone ever changed that gasket b4? Sounds like it might be a bi*ch to do... Thx

[Palf70Step]

I agree with the intake gaskets...my 96 did the same thing. DEXCOOL doesn't change the oil color like the ole green antifreeze did when the mix together. Every smallblock I ever had over the last 30 yeras had the intak proble, I just didn't pay close attention because the oil was the right color. Check it close and get it fixed quick. the antifreeze and water on those bearing are definitely not good.

[HtownPapiJc]

Took a better look under the hood today... Doesnt look good. Appears that indeed it is the gasket. Looks like the gasket has failed in several different spots. I noticed some wet spots under the compressor and also near that quick connector in the front of the manifold. Also when checkin the oil level it was well beyond full lol. Was lookin at all the stuff on top of that manifold. Thinkin of letting someone else tackle this one (mechanic shop). Hoping they wont break it off in me just to change it out.

[HtownPapiJc]

Lmao at the previous post (mines). I tackled that gasket removal myself tonite boy...... wut was i thinkin lol. There is so much crap that u have to disconnect inorder to get to that stupid gasket. I removed the upper intake manifold. The lower manifold is still attached to the head its really on there. Instructions say the lower manifold is a butt to get off.. but to apply a ply bar to it and it should give. But i was already tired n hungry for the night so i wrapped it up. Pick up hopefully tomorrow lol

[rockman20]

Just be careful when you pry it off so that you don't crack it or marr up the edges.

I have never had one crack on me, but if you put enough pressure on it, I could see that happening.

As a hind site thing, take pictures before you tackle something like this. Close ups of where wires, hoses, parts, etc go. That way you have kind of a reference for later on if you forget where everything goes.

Good luck and let us know how it goes.

[HtownPapiJc]

Not going good having to remove the a/c compressor and its bracket. Not opening the a/c though left lines still hooked up to comp. Just moved it toward the air filter box. In order to remove that bottom bracket ya have to remove the stupid power stearlin pump pulley. Got p/o 2nite but remained clam and called it day. Need to go rent that removal tool to get that pulley off. Hope for better luck the rest of the week. No rush have a second car lol.

[454_72_4X4]

Originally Posted by HtownPapiJc

Not going good having to remove the a/c compressor and its bracket. Not opening the a/c though left lines still hooked up to comp. Just moved it toward the air filter box. In order to remove that bottom bracket ya have to remove the stupid power stearlin pump pulley. Got p/o 2nite but remained clam and called it day. Need to go rent that removal tool to get that pulley off. Hope for better luck the rest of the week. No rush have a second car lol.

Wish you were closer Htown. I have a PS pulley puller I'd let ya borrow.

You're a patient, (spelling?), man. Keep plugging away at it and you'll get it done.

[HtownPapiJc]

WoW almost one month and its sit sitting in the driveway!! Lmao my poor baby ive been busy partin and being lazy like ev.one else still needs to get that stupid pulley off though

[1972ChevyCheyenne]

You don't need the power steering pulley off that truck. If it is a bigg cast aluminium bracket that also hold the A/C like my 97 350 vortec. There is one or two bolts on the bottom that that need to come off and a nut aswell. You can't see them, but just put your hand down around there and you'll find them. I think they are 15mm. One is down on the lower pass side of the bracket and i think i used a deep socket with a 1.5 inch or 3 inch extension. The nut is on a stud and it is rounded you access it by reach from the driver side across under the bracket. Also you'll want a hand putting the manifold back on to keep the wire away. also to make things easier i took my hood off. I can go into more detail if needed, just pm me as i don't visit this mini forum much.

Jamie

[jc]

1972 chevycheyenne is correct

i am in the process of doing my intake on my 97 there is one 15 mil nut on the side of the head that needs to be loosened

then go underneith the truck there is a another 15 mil bolt like the ones that you took of the top end this is the last bolt that hold the big cast aluminum piece to the motor

while your down there there is 1 last nut it is 14 mill holding the power steering to the motor remove it

the whole ass. and ps pump will slide far enough to do the intake

assuming you alreadyb unbolted the top bolts that are visable after you remove the compressor from that big bracket

well im off to the parts store for a gasket set


ps mark your distributer position well

[HtownPapiJc]

hum thanks for the info jc... could of swore there were two bolts directly behind that stupid pulley that were holding that ac bracket in. I removed that side bolt near the head but it didnt budge ne thing.
didnt mark my dist. at all i just ripped that puppy off lol wuts the worst that could happen? timing get off?

[jc]

i saw the same bolts your talking about
but i took 1972 chevy cheyenns word for it and looked for the bolts he was talking about and found em i thinks the bols we saw hold the ps to that big cast aluminum bracket

as far as putting that distrbuter back were it belongs good luck , someone else with more experiance is gonna have to give ya some advise there

i lost a fitting to the heater host that goes to the front of the intake , so im off to the parts store again,
hopefully it will start right up after i get that fitting

if i let my truck sit as long as you did i wouldnt be able to get it back together

[HtownPapiJc]

Lmao funny i know i got the energy to come home today and take that stupid manifold off thx to yalls advice i seen them two bolts underneath. Loosen right up and move that bracket up to get to that last bolt on the intake manifold. Intake came right up w/o no prob. Gasket seems to have blown apart right under the t-stat housing. Im taking the manifold to a machine shop to get cleaned up. Very very nasty on top n bottom. Cleaned up the backs side of the a/c bracket and the valve cover they had oil from that gasket failure. Didnt wanna get dirty on my 21st b-day but o well wasnt too too bad lol Hey wut yall use to clean off where the old gasket was? All of it was removed but dunno if there some other procedure to be done prior to putting ev.thing back. Thx once again fellas

[1972ChevyCheyenne]

Yes I needed to take the truck to the shop to be tuned and it ran fine when i put it back together just the check engine light came one.

[jc]

my check engine light came on too
crank position sensor code
im sure its just the timeing needs adjusting

does anyone know how to disconect the advance to do the timming light
is there one?? i need a book for this thing!!!!!

[jc]

ok the reason my check engine light came on was i forgot a plug to the distributer, duh!
on 97 it says timming isnt adjustable , but now that the dist. is pluged in it runs great

[HtownPapiJc]

Finally took my manifold to get cleaned. Was wondering on the gaskets do they need to have some type of sealant on them before putting ev. thing back together. The older guy at the machine shop said no. The gasket for the lower manifold is plastic with some rubber gasket material. Wut have some of yall sealed when putting the gaskets back on?

[HtownPapiJc]

Finally project complete!!!! After like almost 2 months of sitting up in the driveway. Was short of tricky tryin to remember where ev. thing went. Ended up with some bolts n nuts left over lol. Figured they went to brackets that held other stuff nice n neatly. Timing was alil confusing. Had to bust out the hanyes manual and do it the way the recom. (Markings on the block and crackshaft) Timing perfect at this time no check engine light at all. Only bad thing was my a/c isnt working . Check all the connections goin to the compressor. None of the lines appear to be damaged in any way. Wondering if having the compressor upside down for that short times damaged it. I dont hear it click on when i turn on the ac controls. Anyone have the same problems before? If so what are some ways to troubleshoot what it might be? Looked in the hanyes manual, it doesnt say how to check the compressor. Waiting for gagues to check the freon level. Thinkin there might be a low cut out switch keepin the comp. off line. Will create new post on this matter. THX