How far do you take a repair.

[The Dude Abides]

So a few weeks ago i was driving my truck to work when i noticed a burning coolant smell. When i got home i noticed the quick connect hose was leaking. I got a new hose and fitting and replaced it. While i was there i thought to myself, now is a good time to replace that original 14year old 182k radiator. But thats just silly who would do that. Last week i noticed the smell again and sure enough the fitting for the tranny cooler was leaking coolant. So, now im at the delema that i flushed the cooling system when i replaced that hose now i lost all my good coolant. So needing to rip the shroud out of the thing in order to get the rad out i thinking of replacing the water pump and thermastat for good measure since im in there already. My question is how far do you take repairs.

 

[God]

If it ain't broke don't fix it

 

[xanatost]

Seeing how you are going that far might as well change the water pump too. How long have you had your hoe and have you ever replaced the water pump before??

 

[chevync]

My tahoe had a bad headgasket or intake gasket when I bought it so it's in the shop now having the entire motor overhauled. ALso thinking about changing out the injectors/spider. lol

 

[laredo1307]

I had small leak in the plastic of radiator a couple of years ago. Knowing that my Tahoe was 16yrs old at the time it only made since to replace it with new instead of patching. While I was in there I replaced the waterpump, T-stat, t-stat housing, and both upper an lower hoses. of course it's a great idea. How upset would you be if you had to drain all your new coolant again if something else went out that could have been prevented by routine maintenance?

 

[ccapehartusarmyINF.(ret)]

with that many miles id just bite the bullet and replace all of it hoses water pump everything because its vital the cooling system maintains pressure otherwise your shit boils and over heats easy

 

[MarkD51]

With my own '97 Hoe, that POS quick connector started leaking right after I took ownership, the truck was brand spanking new.

For whatever reason GM chose to throw such garbage on the coolant system I have absolutely no idea, but I rectified that problem proto. 16 years ago, threw that garbage stupid connector in the trash, walked into my local speed shop at the time, bought the right solid manifold fitting and installed myself, a new section of heater hose, and never had a problem since.

About the hardest thing about swapping in a new Radiator, is getting to that damn freaking lower Radiator Hose Clamp. Been there, done that being that I'm now on the 3rd complete set of coolant hoses throughout since new. Lots of fun! LOL

If that lower radiator hose is perhaps shoddy, old, and should be replaced, take a knife to it, and save yourself a lot of cuss words and cut hands-arms when you swap the Radiator.
Buy a new hose and dump the stupid wire spring clamp ASAP.
Mark

 

[The Dude Abides]

I was planning on doing the hoses if i did the rad but the question was to do the waterpump and thermostat. Unfortunately this doesnt add any to the value of me selling it. Maybe ill just hang onto it till fall when people start thinking about the snow.

 

[yates ™]

Won't add value but may make it easier to sell.

 

[justinlw]

I found a leak on one of the water pump gaskets, OCD took over and I replaced all hoses, clamps, tstat and housing, belts, idler pulleys, tensioner pulleys, flushed the radiator and poured new coolant. In my case, I had just bought the truck and plan to keep it for a while. If I were in your shoes, I'd throw a radiator and hoses in and hope the smell stays away until it's sold. It would be good piece of mind for the buyer, but not worth the nearly $1k I spent on parts.