1997 Suburban Water Leak
June 10th, 2014, 2:23 PM
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1997 Suburban Water Leak
First time on the 'burb forum here!
I have 172,000 miles on the thing and it has had its share of adventures. 3 years ago my daughter in law rear-ended someone and bashed the front end in. We repalced the grill and the bumper, but since the radiator wasn't leaking and the condensor was fine, we left them alone, though theya re shaped funny now. About 4 years ago I had the intake manifold gasket done. Other than tires, shocks and other suspension stuff, nothing else.
Fast forward to a few days ago and it started to lose water seriously. I thought it was coming from the bottom of the overflow, since that was where it was dripping onto the road from . . . just behind the front right tire. Then last night it looked like water was pooling in the bottom of the fan shroud and I thought the radiator was bad and leaking. So I started at 5:30 this morning and removed the radiator to take it down for a pressure test. It was hard to get it our because of the severe bow in it from the previously mentioned accident. Anyway, only one shop in Tucson does a pressure test on a radiator that isd aslready OUT of the car, and they are booked up a week for even that.
But,
Now I'm thinking it might be a intake manifold gasket again . . . but this time from the back.
I need to get it fixed by tomorrow night.
I have 172,000 miles on the thing and it has had its share of adventures. 3 years ago my daughter in law rear-ended someone and bashed the front end in. We repalced the grill and the bumper, but since the radiator wasn't leaking and the condensor was fine, we left them alone, though theya re shaped funny now. About 4 years ago I had the intake manifold gasket done. Other than tires, shocks and other suspension stuff, nothing else.
Fast forward to a few days ago and it started to lose water seriously. I thought it was coming from the bottom of the overflow, since that was where it was dripping onto the road from . . . just behind the front right tire. Then last night it looked like water was pooling in the bottom of the fan shroud and I thought the radiator was bad and leaking. So I started at 5:30 this morning and removed the radiator to take it down for a pressure test. It was hard to get it our because of the severe bow in it from the previously mentioned accident. Anyway, only one shop in Tucson does a pressure test on a radiator that isd aslready OUT of the car, and they are booked up a week for even that.
But,
Now I'm thinking it might be a intake manifold gasket again . . . but this time from the back.
I need to get it fixed by tomorrow night.
June 10th, 2014, 4:30 PM
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I found a great place in South Tucson that pressure-tested the radiator and there were no leaks. So tonight after work I will reinstall and then early in the morning it goes in for a real mechanic to figure out what is wrong. Here is a picture of what is waiting for me when I get home:
June 11th, 2014, 11:49 AM
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So I reinstalled the radiator and put everything back together and the put some pressure in the radiator and lo and behold . . . it is the Y fitting on the heater hoses that is cracked! I wish I had thought of pressure testing it myself to begin with.
I drove the 'burb to work this morning and it is back in the pink and running fine. in the morning we are headed to San Carlos and Guaymas for some marlin fishing. The last thing I need is a breakdown south of the border.
I drove the 'burb to work this morning and it is back in the pink and running fine. in the morning we are headed to San Carlos and Guaymas for some marlin fishing. The last thing I need is a breakdown south of the border.
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