cutlassgal

Ok... I took Teepo out for a little drive last evening! It was soooo nice to be driving her again! Talk about stress relieving..... it was great! I had her out about 20 minutes, just down some of the parkways around here. I don't like to get on the big road until I'm sure nothing is wrong from her sitting for 5 months, ya know? Had the heat blasting cause it was cold out. She has a great heater, lol! Steering column has a little squeek sound that wasn't there, maybe from disuse for so long? Nothing major sounding. She ran great, no idiot lights on, no strange sounds, squeals, or anything.

So I got her home and back in the garage, and when I popped the hood to disconnect the battery, I noticed little wisps of smoke/steam coming up from the pulley that the water pump goes in, under the belts. Nothing like major smoke/steam, just little wisps. No coolant visable anywhere. It was hard to see the front of the pulley because it's under the belts.

So I crawled underneath her - no coolant dripping anywhere that I could see, but there was just a little bit on the bottom radiator hose. Very little bit, just kinda coming down the side of the hose. I wiped it off with my finger. Didn't see any around the clamp? That hose didn't seem really hot to me, but I don't know if that's normal or not? Top hose was hotter?

I was upset all night.

I went out this morning and looked at the engine - no coolant anywhere, looked underneath at the floor, no coolant anywhere. Checked the coolant in the radiator, and it is down. You can still touch it with the tip of your finger, but when I parked her for the winter, it was full to the top.

I didn't notice any leaks this winter when I'd go out and start her. I always look at the engine after I shut it off just to check. Nothing under her on the floor either. Could the water pump be going out??

Now I'm afraid to start her again. I don't want to hurt anything.

Let the suggestions begin! Thanks guys!!

Lady72nRob71

Could be water pump, but I would not say it is until I see coolant comoing from it.
The leak could be small enough now that only steam (in air pockets) is escaping or the liquid is evaporating as fast as it leaks.

Top hose is feed into radiator, so that one should be hotter than the bottom.
Tighten all clamps and wipe off the lower hose and all. Top off the radiator and repeat the drive. Keep an eye on it all.
How old is the water pump?

cutlassgal

Hi Rob! The water pump was replaced in 2007 I believe. Wasn't long after I got her.

Since I know like nothing about this stuff, is there a shaft or something that goes into the fan that could be getting hot?? Just guessing! God I sound like such a gurl......

Lady72nRob71

What kind of water pump? If a reman unit, it is time I think... Never had issues with new ones.
The shaft that goes into the fan does get hot but not much hotter than the coolant temp, as that shaft connects to the water pump. Steam coming from there may mean there is excessive air pockets in the system.
A good water pump seal may still let steam escape slowly but will keep the liquid in.
I assume you are running a 50-50 mix of coolant and water. Right?

Most girls I know would not even know what is under that front slab of sheetmetal, let alone know how to open it...
So you way surpass them.

made in the usa

Easy way is to get a small mirror and a light and try to see behind the pulley at the bottom and look for a discolored spot around the weep hole. Most likely this is the problem when it gets under pressure from driving it will leak and run down the lower hose. But when shut down the shaft isn't spinning. I have had a couple like this if you have one of those little telescopic mirrors would be great there only a couple bucks at any parts stores good luck. And try to stick with a new pump over a reman if you can.

cutlassgal

Thanks for the compliment!!

God I can't remember - I think it was a new one. I'll attach an old ugly pic. Blue would know more about it since he saw it when he painted the engine.

I imagine Blue put in the proper coolant mix when he put on the new hoses last year!

Where would an air pocket come from? What makes them?

underhoodpics013-1.jpg


Wisps were coming up from under the belts there, where you really can't see in there.

Nilsson

Gonna have to deduct points for the non stock hose clamps and dirty intake manifold.

cutlassgal

Excuse me, sir???? She's beautiful now, lol!!!! All correct clamps and beautiful Olds Gold!! There will be no deductions!!

Enginepics010.jpg

Bluevista

That is a pretty engine.
Nicer than mine now and she wins over me at shows.
I don't have an OCA chapter show trophy, speaking of thieves here lately....



They did deduct points, that's why Sandy never won anything until I took care of it.

I put in brand new correctly mixed coolant.
They put on an aluminum water pump on for some reason?
I have nothing to do with this, I only screwed up the thermostat housing gasket.

It could just be from the car sitting, this is an earlier and colder first run than normal isn't it? Coolant weeps out in storage and has to burn off, always seems to find every little opening when the seals get stiff and the steel contracts. My GTO used to leak coolant all over the place in storage until I heated the garage, now not a drip all winter.
If you checked the coolant when it was warm it would be near the top, cool it should be about a finger's length down, it may have not lost any coolant.
It's cold out and overnight the level could of dropped down to the cool level but that is suspicious. You have to check it when it's warm and fully cold to see if you have a coolant leak. You didn't top off the coolant when it was cold did you?
I would wipe off any coolant you see, make sure the radiator is filled to the cool level, should be marks on the side of the tank, and drive it again and see if it stops. Unless the light comes on, a big cloud of steam comes out or there is coolant dripping on the ground it won't hurt anything.
Grab the fan blade, (with the engine off ) and wiggle it up and down and see if there is any play in the pump shaft.
If it is the water pump it's no big deal to replace, too big a deal for me at this juncture though.
Buy one and Adrian will handle it when he stops by.

cutlassgal

There you are! That is a beautiful engine, isn't it??? I never get tired of looking at it lol! I'm still excited about it!

No, I have not added any coolant to her at all. She's been full ever since you changed the hoses and such last spring. She hasn't needed any. I did not check the coolant before I brought her out of the back garage, last I checked it was when I put her out there in the fall and tested it. It was full then. Right to the top.

I checked it this morning - it's about 40 degrees in the house garage, and the level was down. I could see like 4 rows of those slat things down the side inside of the radiator. Is that low? I never had her out in 30 degree temps before last evening, and I had the heater cranking. It put out good hot heat!!

There was a tiny bit of coolant on the side of the bottom hose last night. I didn't crawl under her this morning, just got down and looked for puddles. Nothing.
Nothing around the water pump itself, or thermostat or anywhere. I did wiggle the fan last evening - seemed tight.

So think I should add coolant tonight and drive her again? I just don't want to mess anything up, ya know? It scares me. I'm not replacing the water pump - Don Sitts can do that when I take her over there.

Nilsson

Excuse me I stand corrected. That is very nice indeed.

Jamesbo

Sandy,

I'm with Blue. Crank it up and see if it will reseal itself.

You Go Gal.

Pics of you under the care would make this a much more interesting thread.

Bluevista

I'd fill it to the cold level and try it again, start it up and look at everything and if you don't see any drips take it for a test drive then shut it off and check it again. Listen for any hissing after it's shuts down.
There is that little hole in the water pump snout that coolant will leak out of, it's supposed to leak there if the shaft seal inside goes bad to let you know, or it can leak around the front of the shaft.
The engines are really easy to work on, if it does need a pump it would be a good job for you and Nicole.
You could get in some some quality mother-daughter bonding time.
Can wrenches bond to skulls?
I know Larry could do it, he was/is a farmer, they can fix anything.
Has he fixed the PTO shaft on that big tractor yet?

You knew the fan blade deal Sandy?
I'm impressed.

cutlassgal

It's ok Nilsson! Gave me an excuse to post a pic of my beautiful engine!!

Jamesbo..... somewhere I have a pic of me under the front end of one of my old 72's - hair tucked under a hat and coveralls on, lol!!

OK - I think I have coolant at home - the old stuff thats pre mixed - so I'll fill her back up tonight and take her for a spin and see what happens when I get home.

It's really hard to pin point what could be wrong isn't it? Until it makes itself known.

Blue..... ya wanna find out if wrenches can bond to skulls?? I can help ya out with that, lol! I know Larry could fix it, but he doesn't work on cars.... remember?? I'm sure he's told you often enough!

If she does it again, I'll drive her over to Don Sitts since she's gonna be going there anyhow, and he can replace the water pump or figure it out, then repaint everything nice and pretty for me, lol!

Jamesbo

Me to Blue,

After all most 2 years and 3366 post on CO, She knows more than just how to make Potato salad.

MDchanic

In my own experience, once I've noticed steam from the water pump shaft, it's just been a matter of time before I needed a new pump. The amount of time has always been adequate, though, to let me change it when I felt like it. These things tend to progress slowly, and even when it is blowing antifreeze out into the fan stream and out the top of the hood onto the windshield, you can still get 'er home with a gallon or two of water.

Wait and see, and if it seems to get a little worse every time you drive, it, you've got an afternoon project.

- Eric

cutlassgal

Jamesbo...... I do know a few car things, lol. I had older brothers who were always working on something, and I used to help my nephew David all the time. I like to ratchet and get greasy, lol!! I just helped Davey put front brakes on his little Toyota pick up the other weekend.

Well I certainly don't want sticky yucky antifreeze all over my car!!!! I would not be happy at all! So.... that means I have to get more of those friggin "original" hose clamps cause ya can't use them over again, can ya?? I might have some left. I'll have to look.


So.... does all think it's the water pump getting ready to go?

Lady72nRob71

When you see the first drop of coolant coming from it, yes. Pay the extra for a new unit.

cutlassgal

So it can be ready to go, with no coolant on it anywhere, and just steam or whatever coming out from under the pulley/belt area?

Jamesbo

Not to answer fer Rob,

BUT

Yeah, it could happen and has happened to me on more than one occassion.

I would do what Blue suggested and if it didn't stop COMPLETELY after tonites test drive, Go ahead and buy youself sum cheap insurance. The last thing ya want is to be on your way to a car show in Timbuktu, Ohio on a nice hot summer day and have it go "Tango Unifrom"

After my last radiator pin hole [Cheep aluminum rad in a new car] went TU in de mountains, I carry a few gallons of water just to get me Limp'in home on a wing and a prayer.

cutlassgal

Alrighty then. I will have Don Sitts put on a new water pump when I take her over there. And I will see how she does tonight after another drive. As long as it's not something wrong with the engine, all is good!

Thanks guys! You're the bestest!!

Jamesbo

Not to sound like sum one else on CO [Whose much smarter than moi.]

Technically, de water pump is part of the engine.

p.s. We mods have a great responsibility in keeping thread searchable and in the proper catagories.:rolleyes :

Ergo,

This thread should be in either the "engine/transmission" section or "General questions."

The Club house is Jokes etc.

Put since it's "Teepo" will let cha off with jes a few lashes with a wet noodle.

cutlassgal

Jamesbo..... I will consider myself "lashed", lol! And besides, we got laughs out of the thread too.... we can always count on Blue to liven it up, lol!

citcapp

2nd that motion. Post pictures of the wet noodle lashing for all to see

cutlassgal

You're funny, Citcapp!

Bluevista

This is the correct forum for 'tater salad recipes.
My mom was supposed to have made the best stuff around, I analyzed it with my Gilbert chemistry set in '62 and it had traces of onion and garlic so I never tried it.

w-30dreamin

Cutlassgal,

Your engine compartment looks great with the exception of your Olds wingnut.It's bugging me,please straighten out that wingnut so the Olds emblem is straight up and down not angled off to the side.And make sure the rocket is facing the right way when you look down at it.

Sorry but it bugs me,it's the details that count.

thanks,
Walter

442_Mustang

I can't even open my garage door yet to uncover my car for the year from a snow drift and you people are driving your cars... My birth certificate must be counterfeit because mine says life is fair!

Ausraven

Glad to hear you were able to find out what the problem was and you decided to have Don Sitts fix it, I really didn't want to do it (but I would have, only half hour or so to change pump you would have had to paint it again though ), time restraints and all, THANKS Blue

Cratethis

Here in Northern Ky we went from nearly 80 degrees last Tuesday to freezing temps tonight with snow in the morning. Had my car out and about. Was doing some fixes, but back to the waiting game now for some warmer temps.

Jamesbo

Well Sandy

What's up dis mawn'in. De world is wait'in on ya to report in.

cutlassgal

You're funny, Jamesbo!!! So are you, Walter!!!! I'll be sure to get right on that wing nut, lol!!!

Well I went home last evening and out to Teepo, and looked at everything real good with a flashlight, no leaks or coolant anywhere. I filled the radiator back up with properly mixed coolant. Started her and let her sit a few minutes and got out and looked at everything again with a flashlight. No coolant anywhere.

Took her out and ran her, came home, shut her off, and sure enough just a couple little wisps were coming up. Nothing like the night before, but still there. I want to say it's coming up from that little hole on top of the pump, but they're such thin,
quick wisps it's hard to tell. No coolant anywhere. So I don't know.

I do know they need to get out and sweep the streets! Little rocks and gravel flinging around.......

Cratethis

I think someone has said this before, but before jumping to pulling the w.p. I'd do some more short drives. Make sure you get it up to operating temp and let all the seals warm back up. You're doing all the right things with everything... checking and keeping an eye on fluid levels and leaks etc.

cutlassgal

I have no gauges in her, just idiot lights. I will keep test driving, staying close to home just in case, lol! If she'd break down, I'd call Hagerty and have her trailered to Don Sitts shop.

Bluevista

P.C. Redgoat takes offense to that, told me to tell you that the correct term is "mentally challenged lights" now Sandra.

cutlassgal

Oh God! I'm gonna mentally challenge your lights, lol!!

Cratethis

I wanna watch that!

Jamesbo

Blue,

Sandy is vertically challenged so she can use non P.C. terms like "Idiot Lights"

Which brings me to an ole Randy Newman song.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uFmv22ghzQw&feature=related

cutlassgal

You crack me up Jamesbo!! I'm not that short, lol!

citcapp

As the world turns we have the part 2 of the Sandy "Whats happening with my waterpump" saga can't wait for the part 3 which I assume is already in the can. Who's writing and producing part 4? Will it go into reruns or become a long term series, its anybodies guess