Need support. Just found out my radiator is leaking

[tooleyondeck]

So Is watching a video for a 2014-2018 Silverado gonna work cause I can’t find a decent video that isn’t an hour long for my year Tahoe

2014+ Trucks have a completely different engine than GMT900s. Here's a video on swapping the water pump for yours:

 

[iboughtatahoe23]

naah, just look harder with a flashlight, take that splash guard off and look up.
and/or drive it and then park it over some cardboard, let it sit for a good while/overnight and then look up from the wet spot on the cardboard.

Good idea ha. But if I wanted to… is this safe to
Use ?

 

[Doubeleive]

Good idea ha. But if I wanted to… is this safe to
Use ? View attachment 450947

safe but you really shouldn't need it, the coolant is colored already...... just have to be vigilant

 

[iboughtatahoe23]

safe but you really shouldn't need it, the coolant is colored already...... just have to be vigilant

True.

 

[Doubeleive]

True.

sometimes it helps if you pressure wash it, then watch for fresh coolant spots.
whenever mine has ever leaked I could smell it before I could ever see it, if you have red coolant pooling up then it should be relatively easy to find.

 

[ClayCollins]

So I posted earlier about some gurgling noises under the dash and I figured it didn’t sound right because it was with the rev of the engine it would gargle. I got home and started inspecting the cooling system, and I found all my coolant all over my splash shield, and next to the radiator orange fluid everywhere in my coolant is nearly gone. I don’t know how this would happen. I thought I took really good care of my truck. I just got the radiator flushed and coolant a year ago not even

I just feel really defeated right now like I don’t know the most about cars like I just do what I can and now my coolant is leaking everywhere

Hose everything off and let it dry. Then run the engine for 5-10 minutes to get the thermostat open and shut it off and start looking for the leak. The sides of the radiator have seams that can start leaking. Just make sure it’s the radiator and not something else. It could be your water pump too. The plastic heater Y pipe near the firewall commonly fails, but it wouldn’t splash onto the fan shield. There are some good YouTube videos on replacing the radiator. My son and I did his no problem in a coupe of hours and we also replaced all the hoses.

 

[iboughtatahoe23]

Hose everything off and let it dry. Then run the engine for 5-10 minutes to get the thermostat open and shut it off and start looking for the leak. The sides of the radiator have seams that can start leaking. Just make sure it’s the radiator and not something else. It could be your water pump too. The plastic heater Y pipe near the firewall commonly fails, but it wouldn’t splash onto the fan shield. There are some good YouTube videos on replacing the radiator. My son and I did his no problem in a coupe of hours and we also replaced all the hoses.

Ya the water pump feels bone dry… I got a few other spots I want yall to look at. I got some dried fluid running down the inside of the, more specifically on both sides of the splash shield… looks new. Tonight i will pop that off and leave the cardboard under there. I also topped it off before I left my house around noon… I was maybe an inch and a half under the fill line when I topped it off. I let it sit for the day, came back. The level was the same. So I took it for a spirited drive around town… after I got back the coolant is still right where it needs to be…


Here’s the photos.
Photo one is the coolant tank before I filled it this morning. I had driven it last night and left it. Didn’t top it off.

This photo below is the fluid on the splash shield I think



Below is the left side of the water pump



Some more random pics

Yes, I’m aware of the transmission line leaking but it’s a very slow leak and seems to seal itself and doesn’t really correlate with the puddles below

Passenger side hose^ with trans line shown

 

[iboughtatahoe23]

Here’s the tank currently after a nice drive. Don’t lose much. If any…? I topped off on cold engine before leaving.

Still seeping at this spot. Side tank ^

I’m not sure what this guy is driver side hose below the bigger hose looks like it might have a small leak as well

 

[iboughtatahoe23]

Here’s the tank currently after a nice drive. Don’t lose much. If any…? I topped off on cold engine before leaving. View attachment 450986
View attachment 450987
Still seeping at this spot. Side tank ^



View attachment 450988

I’m not sure what this guy is driver side hose below the bigger hose looks like it might have a small leak as well

Matter of fact, in reference to the last photo on this comment, it looks like there was a TSB posted here for a power steering leak. This might be a little off-topic. https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/tsbs/2013/SB-10043850-7806.pdf

 

[iboughtatahoe23]

BINGO

So is it safe to say it’s the radiator guys?

 

[iboughtatahoe23]

BINGO
View attachment 450992
View attachment 450993

So is it safe to say it’s the radiator guys?

 

[Blackcar]

Have you checked drain petcock to make sure its tight and if is check Oring on petcock.

 

[iboughtatahoe23]

Have you checked drain petcock to make sure its tight and if is check Oring on petcock.

It was coming from the radiator. But where is the drain petcock ?

 

[Blackcar]

It was coming from the radiator. But where is the drain petcock ?

Bottom of radiator.

 

[donjetman]

It was coming from the radiator. But where is the drain petcock ?

My stock 07 Denali does NOT have a petcock.
I pull my lower radiator hose off to drain it.
Your results may vary?

 

[iboughtatahoe23]

My stock 07 Denali does NOT have a petcock.
I pull my lower radiator hose off to drain it.
Your results may vary?

i got a new unit coming in the mail, when I take this one I kinda wanna like smoke test it or something.

 

[Fless]

It was coming from the radiator. But where is the drain petcock ?

I doubt there is one; if there is it will be near the bottom of the radiator on the driver's side. Not having one probably saved $0.50 so worth it to GM.

 

[iboughtatahoe23]

I doubt there is one; if there is it will be near the bottom of the radiator on the driver's side. Not having one probably saved $0.50 so worth it to GM.

Well, close to a million gmt900 I think I saw somewhere so almost half a million bucks in savings. That’s crazy when you think about it.

 

[Rocket Man]

I had a three year old Acura radiator spring a leak. It was nothing to drain and take it out and to a radiator repair shop. It was no big deal and didn't cost much *at the time). They boiled it out, soldered the leak and pressure tested it.
Honestly the hardest part was draining and containing the fluid avoiding contaminating the area but it worked out well.

Ours aren’t repairable. They always leak where the plastic end tanks are attached (glued?) to the aluminum core. It’s super unlikely one leaks in the core where it could even possibly be welded. Better to just buy a new one.

 

[Blackcar]

I doubt there is one; if there is it will be near the bottom of the radiator on the driver's side. Not having one probably saved $0.50 so worth it to GM.

The year truck we are dealing with in this thread doesn't seem to have a drain plug but my 2002 Yukon has one on drivers' side and has a hose on petcock to get fluid by frame horn to drain pan and my 2017 Yukon has one on passenger side but is pain to get to.