LS1 Racing

iTrader: (15)

So, on the way off the mountain yesterday, we noticed temp gauge running at 3/4 hot. We pull over to check under the hood, and soaked in coolant in the battery area, on the fuse panel and all over the underside of the hood.

Knowing that we were about 4 miles from home, I double-checked the owners manual to make sure that our cars have GM's limp-home mode. For those of you that never heard of this, most of the LS motors, the N* motors, and many GM V6s will allow you to operate with no coolant for a short time (about 50 miles) by alternating the shutting down of cylinder banks and firing 4 at a time. It's a bit different than DoD in that only one bank at a time is used.

Anyway, we drove it home in this mode with the temp gauge just outside the red, but we did make it without incident. One I figure out the problem, I'll need to change the oil because monitor went straight down to 0%.

This morning, I went and filled the cooling system and started the car. I don't see any obvious leak points now, even when I got the car up to operating temperature. Does anyone know where the water pump weep hole is? Is the lower radiator hose ever an issue? I can't see where it goes but I suspect this could be the cause, as I've never seen a water pump spray coolant like that.

Any ideas?

vroom_vroom

iTrader: (5)

If the pump bearings are going bad it will do something similar

LS1 Racing

iTrader: (15)

Wow...It'll spray like that but still be intermittent?

Is there a weep hole that could be the cause?

FM1R

Pretty much all GM's have a limp mode. My Duramax had it too, I used to do some beta testing for TS Performance, and PPE and for a while it seemed as if the truck was in limp mode every other day...

vroom_vroom

iTrader: (5)

yup my pump went bad and i had coolant all over the passenger side of my engine bay, but never saw it leak? it also held 17lbs of pressure for over an hour so go figure. but i would say water pump or something is cracked in the worst case scenario but i doubt it

LS1 Racing

iTrader: (15)

Well, I filled the cooling system and drove around my neighborhood today. Didn't leak or heat up at all. So, I drove it the 75 miles to my buddy's shop in 110 degree weather with no problems. I saw no higher than 208 on the Trinity, and when I got to my buddy's shop, the cooling system was still full. No hint of a leak or anything like that.

He's going to give it the once-over tomorrow and hopefully will find the problem.

vroom_vroom

iTrader: (5)

almost exactly what happed to me they could not find the problem for sure but it was most likely the water pump, if it ant broke don fix it is what i was told but i dont like being on the side of the road so i put in a new one anyhow never had another issue

smokin06impala ss

iTrader: (2)

Same thing happened to me, had coolant all over the passenger side. Well acutally it has happened three times after I bought that cheap *** Duralast pump.

LS1 Racing

iTrader: (15)

Just got an update from my buddy at his shop.

They checked the car visually for leaks after running it for 30 minutes. Nothing. They then pressure tested it to 20 PSI and still nothing. He thinks it would be a colossal waste of money to replace the water pump under these circumstances, but if it happens again, we may look at it.

LS1 Racing

iTrader: (15)

Update #2: After sitting pressurized at 20 PSI for about 6 hours, it started leaking. Had to replace the water pump. Also needed front hubs.

Nice $700 weekend for the 'ol Impala.

1CL3ANSUP3RSPORT

iTrader: (23)

WOW that price makes me wanna ,at least she will be in tip top shape

MillerMonteSS

Thank God for the search feature! This just started happening to me.