Two issues, coolant res level falling and ps rack leaking...

[olliec420]

Hey guys back at it. 09 Yukon LC9 5.3, 202k miles. Two problems today, for a while my coolant surge tank level has dropped an inch or two with every 500 miles or so. Haven't noticed any leaks but haven't worried about it because it was slow and I keep an eye on it. Day before yesterday I checked on everything because its getting bitter cold here in FL starting last night (40°). Surge tank was almost totally empty! I carry coolant in the car so I filled it up. I assumed the water pump was failing due to miles/age and I have a water pump and a thermostat in my cart on rock auto but I haven't ordered it yet.

Last time I had it on the lift it looked like there was PS fluid coming from the right hand side of the steering rack. So I thought I'd keep an eye on that. I check it a couple times since then and the level doesn't appear to be dropping. I saw a small few drops on the concrete at the office the other day and assumed it was PS fluid. It was up in the front. So last night it occurred to me that makes be slow coolant leak isn't a weeping water pump but maybe a leak up front from the radiator area. But that may be wrong. When its only a few drops they could appear to be similar in color. What should I look for up from there? PS would have an oily residue, yeah? And dried coolant leak, would it leave a trail of something to look for on plastic and rubber hoses?

Worst part is a I have a 900 mile trip I must go on this Wednesday. Im going to get it on the lift tomorrow but its so cold I need to know what I'm looking at before I start piddling around in the cold! Any suggestions appreciated. If I have to just keep topping off I will but I don't want a major failure on the road obviously. Happy thanksgiving!

 

[Doubeleive]

Hey guys back at it. 09 Yukon LC9 5.3, 202k miles. Two problems today, for a while my coolant surge tank level has dropped an inch or two with every 500 miles or so. Haven't noticed any leaks but haven't worried about it because it was slow and I keep an eye on it. Day before yesterday I checked on everything because its getting bitter cold here in FL starting last night (40°). Surge tank was almost totally empty! I carry coolant in the car so I filled it up. I assumed the water pump was failing due to miles/age and I have a water pump and a thermostat in my cart on rock auto but I haven't ordered it yet.

Last time I had it on the lift it looked like there was PS fluid coming from the right hand side of the steering rack. So I thought I'd keep an eye on that. I check it a couple times since then and the level doesn't appear to be dropping. I saw a small few drops on the concrete at the office the other day and assumed it was PS fluid. It was up in the front. So last night it occurred to me that makes be slow coolant leak isn't a weeping water pump but maybe a leak up front from the radiator area. But that may be wrong. When its only a few drops they could appear to be similar in color. What should I look for up from there? PS would have an oily residue, yeah? And dried coolant leak, would it leave a trail of something to look for on plastic and rubber hoses?

Worst part is a I have a 900 mile trip I must go on this Wednesday. Im going to get it on the lift tomorrow but its so cold I need to know what I'm looking at before I start piddling around in the cold! Any suggestions appreciated. If I have to just keep topping off I will but I don't want a major failure on the road obviously. Happy thanksgiving!

Well my advice is first clean it all up with engine degreaser and a pressure wash, then you should be able to see where the fresh fluid is coming from, use a flashlight. You can do a pressure test of the cooling system and see what that shows and even a block test if you cannot find a coolant leak anywhere.

 

[olliec420]

Well my advice is first clean it all up with engine degreaser and a pressure wash, then you should be able to see where the fresh fluid is coming from, use a flashlight. You can do a pressure test of the cooling system and see what that shows and even a block test if you cannot find a coolant leak anywhere.

If I freeze to death, I'm holding you responsible! haha

 

[Fless]

If I freeze to death, I'm holding you responsible! haha

He's a hard guy to catch, especially from 6 feet under.

 

[Doubeleive]

If I freeze to death, I'm holding you responsible! haha

Just go to one of those self car wash places with the pressure wand and use some purple power or whatever you can find. The wand you can stick under the truck pretty easily just hit it from many angles. Wear a rain suit and boots you'll survive lol

 

[Fless]

Just go to one of those self car wash places with the pressure wand and use some purple power or whatever you can find. The wand you can stick under the truck pretty easily just hit it from many angles. Wear a rain suit and boots you'll survive lol

Sounds like prophylactic measures are in order.

 

[Doubeleive]

He's a hard guy to catch, especially from 6 feet under.

That's the truth

 

[j91z28d1]

honestly.. it's got 200k. Just order the denso radiator everyone here uses, put your water pump on and new fire wall T's in before the trip. even if that's not 100% the problem they are well past time to do them. and the rack leak if you're not seeing the pump run dry should last till you get back from the trip.

the craziest thing about these trucks is how the parts that fail, fail like clock work. the guys can tell you at what mileage each part will fail withing 10k or so.


funny I remember those 40* Florida days.. it was bone chilling cold, homeless people and pets dropping dead. where 40deg in the rest of the country is a nice day. it was 43 in tx this morning and I almost didn't even grab a jacket on the way out. in Florida I'd have had ski gear on and still mad at the world. haha


on a side note, just wait till 11am. if it's 40 in the morning it will be 70 by noon. hahw

 

[wjburken]

40° is bitter cold? Our high today won’t get over 30°. Guess it’s all what you’re used to. I agree with the suggestions above.

I guarantee you won’t freeze to death. I replaced a lower intake manifold gasket on my sons truck a couple years ago and the highs were 4°.

 

[olliec420]

Found it. Its this thing. I haven't driven it since wednesday. It was wet when I started looking with the flashlight. Dried it off with a rag, immediately wet again under no pressure. Started engine and it ran down in a thin little stream and saw it drip off the bottom. The steering rack is close below it, that's got to be what I saw on there since my PS fluid level hasn't seemed to move lower at all.

Does anyone know what this piece is called/number? The hose goes to one of the heater core in/out. The one on the right hand side looking at the front of the firewall. I wonder if its the plastic piece or the hose. Id assume the plastic piece. Any name or part number that I can start deep diving on finding I'd appreciate it!

 

[olliec420]

40° is bitter cold? Our high today won’t get over 30°. Guess it’s all what you’re used to. I agree with the suggestions above.

I guarantee you won’t freeze to death. I replaced a lower intake manifold gasket on my sons truck a couple years ago and the highs were 4°.

You guys are tougher than me! Thats for sure. I can't do cold. Dont like too hot inland away from coastal breezes either.

 

[olliec420]

honestly.. it's got 200k. Just order the denso radiator everyone here uses, put your water pump on and new fire wall T's in before the trip. even if that's not 100% the problem they are well past time to do them. and the rack leak if you're not seeing the pump run dry should last till you get back from the trip.

the craziest thing about these trucks is how the parts that fail, fail like clock work. the guys can tell you at what mileage each part will fail withing 10k or so.


funny I remember those 40* Florida days.. it was bone chilling cold, homeless people and pets dropping dead. where 40deg in the rest of the country is a nice day. it was 43 in tx this morning and I almost didn't even grab a jacket on the way out. in Florida I'd have had ski gear on and still mad at the world. haha


on a side note, just wait till 11am. if it's 40 in the morning it will be 70 by noon. hahw

Yeah I am willing to do all that but not before this trip! lol. It is uncanny how these parts all fail around the same milage. I have noticed that from years of reading here and other forums.

 

[Doubeleive]

Found it. Its this thing. I haven't driven it since wednesday. It was wet when I started looking with the flashlight. Dried it off with a rag, immediately wet again under no pressure. Started engine and it ran down in a thin little stream and saw it drip off the bottom. The steering rack is close below it, that's got to be what I saw on there since my PS fluid level hasn't seemed to move lower at all.

Does anyone know what this piece is called/number? The hose goes to one of the heater core in/out. The one on the right hand side looking at the front of the firewall. I wonder if its the plastic piece or the hose. Id assume the plastic piece. Any name or part number that I can start deep diving on finding I'd appreciate it!

View attachment 443761

Those are the heater hoses, you will want to replace both of them and the T's by the looks of things

 

[olliec420]

Those are the heater hoses, you will want to replace both of them and the T's by the looks of things

I replaced the Ts at the firewall a while back, I had accidentally broke them trying to put the vortec cover back on. Im sure there's lots of videos on youtube for all this. Time to go to Youtube University... Thanks!

 

[89Suburban]

I replaced the Ts at the firewall a while back, I had accidentally broke them trying to put the vortec cover back on. Im sure there's lots of videos on youtube for all this. Time to go to Youtube University... Thanks!

This Dorman part comes with a metal Tee for that location on the water pump.

Amazon.com

 

[donjetman]

I replaced the Ts at the firewall a while back, I had accidentally broke them trying to put the vortec cover back on. Im sure there's lots of videos on youtube for all this. Time to go to Youtube University... Thanks!

New heater hose w/metal y fitting, Dorman# 626-553 or NAPA# 827-5730-1

 

[Joseph Garcia]

I am assuming that most/all of your heating/coolant hoses are original, and if this is true, you are ABSOLUTELY living on borrowed time with these hoses, as they deteriorate over time with the engine bay heat. I believe that the date of manufacture is stamped on the hoses, so check them out.

Change them out on your timetable, as opposed to changing them out on their timetable, after a hose failure occurs somewhere on the road.

 

[Gearz]

For the cost I would only use GM OEM heater hoses and T's. I replaced the 2 T's and the molded hoses and will probably never again have another issue. The lack of coolant flushes can help the plastic lines to fail so regular maintenance is key. Even 100K fluid is not designed to go that long so every 50K just dump and fill. I don't wait for things to fail I just replace them according to mileage and time.

 

[olliec420]

For the cost I would only use GM OEM heater hoses and T's. I replaced the 2 T's and the molded hoses and will probably never again have another issue. The lack of coolant flushes can help the plastic lines to fail so regular maintenance is key. Even 100K fluid is not designed to go that long so every 50K just dump and fill. I don't wait for things to fail I just replace them according to mileage and time.

Yeah I hear ya on the OEM but I couldn't wait for shipping. I think I even saw the OEM was less than the dorman, at least at one seller I looked at. Heater return was $58 and the heater inlet was $61 + black T was $25.99, 14.99x3 for oreily's dexcool fluid. It wasn't cheap, I can't image what I would pay a shop to do that. I had to do the white T 2 years ago when I cracked it putting the vortec cover back on wrong.

My coolants new now. I had been slowly toping off for the last 2 years with this slow leak and then now i just put 2.5/4 gal back in after disconnecting the heater hoses. So its almost all fresh now.

 

[Gearz]

I usually lookup the parts on any GM website like gmparts.com and grab the part numbers and look on Amazon, ebay and other gm online stores to get the best price. It’s a little work but it pays off in the end. Remember GM parts are the ones made for your vehicle from the factory and they update the item if theres a know issues. If I ever need a transmission I would buy a GM one for example. In the past I always tried to save some money but it always caused me more money time and aggravation in the end.