My 97 Sonoma 4.3 died on me about a week ago. My volt meter had been low all night, so I thought alternator or battery. I had my battery charged and it starts up and runs. I took it for a short drive down the block and noticed it was starting to overheat so I went start home. I opened the hood and there was little to no coolant in the overflow resorvoir. I heard that maybe my water pump is leaking coolant onto my belt and that's why I was losing power before and why my coolant is low. Does this sound right to anyone or does anyone have advice or an opinion?

Thanks in advance.

 

If the belt tension is improper or slipping that could cause the alternator not to be working properly.
You should also check the output of the alternator as well.

 

I agree with "golfer" but will add the following. Alternator and water pump have the pulleys and belt in common. Alternator and battery have power in common. After you went for your little drive did you happen to notice whether your volt meter dropped alot or not? Overheating can be such a variety of things with simple to pricey fixes. Check for leaks around the engine etc. Do you smell antifreeze when you get out of the vehicle but can't find a source for it?

 

Ya I smelled antifreeze. I just got some dexcool today and mixed it 50/50 and put it in her, with the engine hot. The engine was just starting to go over normal running temp and when I put it in it went back down to normal. I drove it a short distance and checked the coolant level again, it was really low again. So I repeated the procedure and after another short drive it was low again. I'm guessing I've got a pretty fast leak somewhere. As for the volts, they're still very low, almost to the red, but they weren't moving at all, they held steady at about 10.

 

No evidence of coolant on the ground, right?! Two things 1. Check your oil does it look cloudy/murky/milky? 2. Turn your heater on does it blow hot air or cool or so-so and when you first fire up the engine do you get a lot of condensation on the inside of the windshield?

Voltage...I would say alternator is going. Get it checked for free by a professional.

 

what size hex key do I need for the belt tensioner?

 

Use a 3/8" ratchet