Getting mad!!!! This cooling system has me very frustrated,

As some of you may know I replace my radiator a few months back becuase it was leaking, was leaking from the drain area, never did pin point where it was comming from,
Then replace the coolant elbows, all was well, But need to rant a little

Until now, get to work the other day and see smoke comming out of the hood, so I POP it and look, elbows are leaking again....,

I was outside at about 11 and noticed a small puddle maybe fist size,(which I have noticed before, then come out this am to go to work and the is a puddle that runs the length of my car....

I have seen it before and have been trying to pin point where it is comming from but nothing substantial so it has not been the priority

Odd thing is it seems to only really leak from the rad as it cools/is cooled down,

But going to toss in a new t stat, new upper and lower rad hoses, aluminum coolant elbows and see what happens after that,

Got any advice I'd be happy to hear it!

 

What elbows did you replace it with the first time?

Water pump gasket starting to go?

 

Plastic dorman's should have known better....

No water pump gasket still good,

Engine is dirty, so pritty easy to tell it's the elbow again... Steam cleaning action!

 

Aluminum is still Dorman, so if the o-rings are giving you the problems, the aluminums might not fix the problem...

 

So you notice the puddling when you park the car after it has been running for a bit? What condition are the overflow hose and tank in? The radiator cap should allow coolant to flow to and from the overflow tank as the engine cools. If the hose or tank have a hole that may be the source of your leak.

 

Comming out the driver side so that puts resivour and tube out, rad cap is new

 

So I have read, was thinking of doing the elbows with GM o rings

 

I put Dorman elbows on Spring of 2011, drove it until winter and parked it. Got the Monte out Spring of 2012, 2nd drive, blew the elbow out.

Did a lot of research and peopel early 2012 on a bunch of forums were complaining of the Dorman elbows blowing out. One guy on a Bonneville forum claims to have talked to a Dorman rep and was told to check the casting numbers on one of the elbows (if it was above a certain number, it's the revised ones).

I opted to replace $5 Dormans with almost $30 GM. The plastic is two different casting types, but the complaint was o-rings on Dormans being too thin. No issues to note all summer, Monte is parked for the winter. I shall see what happens in the spring.

I also have a set now of aluminum ones for the next time I have to mess with elbows. And if o-rings on those ones are an issue, I'll find a way to solve that problem.

 

I too am having a coolant leak problem. I can't quite tell if its coming from the water pump or if it'll be one of the elbows.

to tell the truth, i took it in the shop today during lunch and i pressure tested the system with 15lbs and saw coolant drip from under the water pump, but didn't even think about looking at the elbows, which sit above the water pump. So now i'm second guessing the water pump i just bought lol..