So over a month ago I changed the coolant elbows and everything was fine.
Today I pull into my spot @ school and smoke is coming out from under my hood.

Not good obviously, checked it out and I'm leaking coolant.

I can't tell for sure or not but I think it's the damn elbow again.

Is it possible for these to fail THIS quickly?

 

Find exactly where the leak is.

Maybe a piece of the old elbow broke off and is causing your new one to not seat correctly.

Take a look and see what you find.

 

x2!! if u removed the old elbows and didnt check for broken pieces left behind, that could be the case as to why the new ones aren't sealing correctly therefore causing a leak again.
find out where the leak is coming from first

 

If your heater hose is more than a couple years old it could also be that it fatigued and cracked where it pushes onto the elbow...especially if it's being held on by a worm gear clamp and it was overtightened. Without actually having a look it's difficult to say what's causing the leak.

 

I got all the old broken pieces off and the holes where clear of debris.

I refilled the coolant And I just ran the car for about 10 minutes and I can't see any leak from the elbows

 

Borrow a radiator pressure tester from an auto parts store to help isolate the leak. That will allow you to pressurize the system while cool and figure out where the coolant is spewing. Can't do much 'til you locate the leak.

 

I had an O-ring on an elbow not seat right cause a leak.

Get the radiator pressure tester and check for hissing noise and leaks.

 

Today I just ran it again for another 20 minutes or so, can't see ANY leak?

As I'm looking at it, it doesn't add up that the coolant was all over the battery and those boxes above it.

If it was leaking like that, in 20 minutes I should have seen at least a small leak right?

They do that sort of stuff for free right?

 

Coolant on the boxes and maybe the hood insulation? That sounds like a possible water pump to me.... Just a guess (most pumps I know that start leaking get coolant onto the belt and the belt then flings coolant around).

Go to the parts store, do the loan-a-tool on a radiator pressure tester. Using this, you can check for leaks without the engine HOT and without the engine running. Also, since the pressure tester has a gauge, you can see if you are loosing any pressure.

 

I'll have to try tomorrow...

Is a water pump hard to replace?