bad water pump? - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

worldofme · 05-30-2002, 06:56 PM

The other day while pulling into a parking lot I noticed what appeared to be my truck overheating but after close inspection I'm not so sure. I popped the hood on my Blazer to see radiator coolant all over the hood and on the left fender. I noticed a small leak in the upper corner of the radiator so I will be replacing the radiator but when I pulled into the parking lot I had no power steering left and it took everything I had to get the wheel to turn. So my question is this, is my water pump bad, even though I never saw any coolant leaking from around the pump and why did my power steering going out?

Other than coolant spewing all over the front inside of the hood and onto the left fender my Blazer runs fine. Well almost. It starts and after about 3 minutes of driving the power steering goes out and coolant goes everywhere but I can still drive the truck.

*Zkast* · 05-30-2002, 07:12 PM

If the coolant was all over the place, including the belts this would be the reason you had no power steering. The belts will stay on the pulleys but slip under high load conditions. They would slip without making any noise because of the coolant which acts as a lubricant on the belts. Clean them off good with water and you'll be ok.

worldofme · 05-30-2002, 07:28 PM

The belts have been completely dry when all this happened. I'm thinking the coolant is squirting out a hole in the radiator and hits the fan causing it to go all over.

I just ran my truck for a few minutes and nothing really happened but when I turned it off I could hear what sounded like the coolant flowing into/out of something and I could hear what sounded like the coolant boiling. Maybe my coolant/water ratio is screwed up and I just need to add more coolant to balance things out.

Either way I barely get down the road before the steering goes out and coolant is draining.

*Zkast* · 05-31-2002, 08:12 PM

Water/Coolant mix wont have that drastic of an affect on your system.. It's important to keep it 50/50 or there abouts but you have other problems right now. I doubt the pinhole in the radiator is your big leak either... Sounds like its overheating, building too much pressure in the system and venting. When it vents its going to go everywhere.

First thing is the verify you have a good coolant level ( not the mix) Start it up and Watch the gauge, if you have one, and see what the water temp is doing. If its overheating in a few minutes you have a flow problem. Check the belts, make sure they are tight. Possible waterpump impeller problem.

If it overheats after 5 minutes or so, you could have a thermostat sticking.

Check that temp gauge and let me know what is going on there first.

worldofme · 05-31-2002, 11:08 PM

that pinhole has now become a bigger hole. after driving a longer distance today the belts did end up getting wet and the power steering went away. the thermostat was reading normal so no overheating was going on. im just going to be replacing the radiator this weekend and that should take care of everything.

if not, anyone want to buy my '77 Blazer 4x4? lol

05-30-2002, 06:56 PM	#1
worldofme Registered User Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: CA Posts: 15	bad water pump? The other day while pulling into a parking lot I noticed what appeared to be my truck overheating but after close inspection I'm not so sure. I popped the hood on my Blazer to see radiator coolant all over the hood and on the left fender. I noticed a small leak in the upper corner of the radiator so I will be replacing the radiator but when I pulled into the parking lot I had no power steering left and it took everything I had to get the wheel to turn. So my question is this, is my water pump bad, even though I never saw any coolant leaking from around the pump and why did my power steering going out? Other than coolant spewing all over the front inside of the hood and onto the left fender my Blazer runs fine. Well almost. It starts and after about 3 minutes of driving the power steering goes out and coolant goes everywhere but I can still drive the truck.

05-30-2002, 07:12 PM	#2
Zkast Account Suspended Join Date: May 2002 Location: Olathe, Kansas Posts: 929	If the coolant was all over the place, including the belts this would be the reason you had no power steering. The belts will stay on the pulleys but slip under high load conditions. They would slip without making any noise because of the coolant which acts as a lubricant on the belts. Clean them off good with water and you'll be ok.

05-30-2002, 07:28 PM	#3
worldofme Registered User Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: CA Posts: 15	The belts have been completely dry when all this happened. I'm thinking the coolant is squirting out a hole in the radiator and hits the fan causing it to go all over. I just ran my truck for a few minutes and nothing really happened but when I turned it off I could hear what sounded like the coolant flowing into/out of something and I could hear what sounded like the coolant boiling. Maybe my coolant/water ratio is screwed up and I just need to add more coolant to balance things out. Either way I barely get down the road before the steering goes out and coolant is draining.

05-31-2002, 08:12 PM	#4
Zkast Account Suspended Join Date: May 2002 Location: Olathe, Kansas Posts: 929	Water/Coolant mix wont have that drastic of an affect on your system.. It's important to keep it 50/50 or there abouts but you have other problems right now. I doubt the pinhole in the radiator is your big leak either... Sounds like its overheating, building too much pressure in the system and venting. When it vents its going to go everywhere. First thing is the verify you have a good coolant level ( not the mix) Start it up and Watch the gauge, if you have one, and see what the water temp is doing. If its overheating in a few minutes you have a flow problem. Check the belts, make sure they are tight. Possible waterpump impeller problem. If it overheats after 5 minutes or so, you could have a thermostat sticking. Check that temp gauge and let me know what is going on there first.

05-31-2002, 11:08 PM	#5
worldofme Registered User Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: CA Posts: 15	that pinhole has now become a bigger hole. after driving a longer distance today the belts did end up getting wet and the power steering went away. the thermostat was reading normal so no overheating was going on. im just going to be replacing the radiator this weekend and that should take care of everything. if not, anyone want to buy my '77 Blazer 4x4? lol



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