Black water spots all around engine bay...**UPDATE***
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Launching!
Joined: Oct 2005
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Black water spots all around engine bay...**UPDATE*** The engine is brand new, a year old with 1,800 miles on it only. I barely drive the car...I baby it way to much actually! Antifreeze and oil levels are fine. Its an 02Z but I didn't change the water pump when I got the new engine and used the same old one.
after about 10 mins of running outside to warm up the car I noticed a bunch of water spots splattered all around the bay. they are blackish. I don't see any leaks around the engine except near the water pump and pulleys. The car has antifreeze. the oil on the dipstick is normal.
The water has a used antifreeze-ish smell. but its not green, its blackish. The pulley are wet and so is the front sway bar. Im thinking maybe its just a leak and the black color is dirt/grease..etc
Any ideas? I hope its either the pump going out/seal/hose and NOT oil mix with water because that would suck. again, this is only happening at the front of the engine. Its near freezing so I can't go outside to get under there to see what it could be
here's a pic of the drops
http://i286.photobucket.com/albums/ll97/Zoilus_LS1/misc/Leak_003_zps74dfc5e7.jpg[/IMG]
this is where most of the water landed because of the direction the pulleys were spinning
Here you can see where the red sway bar is wet as well as other areas. the black stuff on sway bar has always been there its just dirty. but the water drops of course are new
after about 10 mins of running outside to warm up the car I noticed a bunch of water spots splattered all around the bay. they are blackish. I don't see any leaks around the engine except near the water pump and pulleys. The car has antifreeze. the oil on the dipstick is normal.
The water has a used antifreeze-ish smell. but its not green, its blackish. The pulley are wet and so is the front sway bar. Im thinking maybe its just a leak and the black color is dirt/grease..etc
Any ideas? I hope its either the pump going out/seal/hose and NOT oil mix with water because that would suck. again, this is only happening at the front of the engine. Its near freezing so I can't go outside to get under there to see what it could be
here's a pic of the drops
http://i286.photobucket.com/albums/ll97/Zoilus_LS1/misc/Leak_003_zps74dfc5e7.jpg[/IMG]
this is where most of the water landed because of the direction the pulleys were spinning
Here you can see where the red sway bar is wet as well as other areas. the black stuff on sway bar has always been there its just dirty. but the water drops of course are new
Last edited by ZetaVeinteOcho; Dec 12, 2013 at 08:36 PM.
did you touch the drops, smell, or feel them? you should do this, as it will give you a better idea what it is. 2 things i think it could be, waterpump (due to black color of the coolant) or the crank pulley seal on the timing cover is bad, slinging oil slowly into the engine bay
Launching!
Joined: May 2013
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From: Fairfax, VA
Agreed, obviously if it feels slick in your hand it is oil. if you can find a big enough drop you should be able to get a pretty good amount on your hand.
If it isn't oil though, couldn't it also be a possible leak from the coolant crossover tubes on the top?
If it isn't oil though, couldn't it also be a possible leak from the coolant crossover tubes on the top?
Thread Starter
Launching!
Joined: Oct 2005
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did you touch the drops, smell, or feel them? you should do this, as it will give you a better idea what it is. 2 things i think it could be, waterpump (due to black color of the coolant) or the crank pulley seal on the timing cover is bad, slinging oil slowly into the engine bay
I just changed my oil about 700 miles ago, I use 100% syn. I checked the dipstick and its still medium yellowish/brown in color with plenty of clarity, not black at all.
Thread Starter
Launching!
Joined: Oct 2005
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I thought it was dirt and grime...but every single drop all over the engine bay is black. I thought that if water was spewing out from somewhere it would catch dirt and stuff, but some of the drops should be clear and some black, but every single drop being black, just makes it seem like the water that is leaking or spewing out is coming out that way.
Im going to dip something in the radiator and see what color the coolant is in there.
I just hope that there is not water and oil in the engine...I don't think so tho, I don't see smoke of any color, there's no misfiring and the car sounds like a champ so hopefully its just the pump
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Launching!
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 212
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Well ...yeah it looks like the water pump. There is a loud "chirping" sound and now some rattling noise too coming from the water pump . It sounds like some crap inside has just given out. it splatters water now but its not blackish anymore, so that's good.
I guess it's time to change it out. I definitely want a GM one. I thought GM made a "heavy duty" one for LS1's? Or am I imagining it? I can't seem to find it online, just oem, which is ok anyway.
I guess it's time to change it out. I definitely want a GM one. I thought GM made a "heavy duty" one for LS1's? Or am I imagining it? I can't seem to find it online, just oem, which is ok anyway.
Launching!
Joined: May 2013
Posts: 212
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From: Fairfax, VA
There is probably an aftermarket one which is an "upgraded" unit, but it would be expensive. I would stick with the stocker/ oem. One of my friends engine builders builds 600-700hp NA/ NOS motors and still uses the original GM oil pumps, no aftermarket oil pumps even though there are PLENTY out there. Point being don't overspend and/or overcomplicate when you don't have to. Now on another note, a pump from a more severe duty engine LS 3,6,7 etc might fit but I am unsure.
On The Tree
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 125
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Water pump install is pretty straight forward, I did it last fall. Here is a thread I followed to do it
https://ls1tech.com/forums/general-m...placement.html
Pretty much all in the 2nd post
https://ls1tech.com/forums/general-m...placement.html
Pretty much all in the 2nd post