How to find a coolant leak on a LS 4.8, 5.3, 6.0 (cooling system)

how to use a Harbor Freight radiator coolant pressure tester

[@ugo90]

I have a significant leak in my 2000, 5.3 L, Sierra that I couldn't locate without taking the whole top compartment apart. I saw your video today and happened to be close to Harbor Freight with my 20% Coupon in hand. It worked beautifully out of the box. I found the hole in the radiator in 3 minutes. Thanks much for sharing - the cost of the tool was about half the cost of a mechanic doing it - saved money and time !

[@Slicpartna]

I'm glad you were able to get your truck fixed and back on the road

[@richardalaquinez13]

Been having an issue on my isuzu npr with chevy 6.0, didn't even know harbor frieght sold this kit. Thank you for your video and great explanation

[@Slicpartna]

Thanks for watching, Let me know if you have any questions

[@dtuiaana]

Great video and thanks for the info on on the harbor freight tool!!! It'll save me time searching for the leak.

[@Slicpartna]

Thanks for watching Let me know if you have any questions

[@narrowminded7694]

Great video! I will go to harbor freight tomorrow. Having the same problem. Keep up the good work

[@quickchrome2012]

Ok my 03 4.8sierra was leaking down the engine oil pan like yours. i got a new water pump and thermostat 3 years ago. So yes pump is still good good. Thankfully all i changed was the 2 water pump gaskets. The one closest to the alternator was broken in pieces and that was the source of the leak.

[@Slicpartna]

Cool beans! Let me know if you have any other questions

[@Blackhammerforge]

I'm having the same problem with mine. thank you for the video brother! 👍

[@Slicpartna]

Thanks Let me know if you have any questions

[@SomeGuyInSandy]

Nice! I have the same issue. 2004, 5.3, drip drip drip! I've been smelling coolant for a while now. The leak finally got heavy enough for it to drip past the skid plate and onto the driveway. Fun!

[@Slicpartna]

Let me know if you have any questions Thanks for watching

[@SomeGuyInSandy]

@@Slicpartna I ended up replacing the water pump today. Pretty easy really, except for the coolant mess. Whoever it was at GM that made the decision to block off the radiator petcock is a grade-A idiot, lol. I ended up putting two and a half gallons of coolant into it when I was done, and after bringing it up to operating temperature, it doesn't show any signs of leaking! Fingers crossed.

[@Slicpartna]

@@SomeGuyInSandy hopefully that solved the problem. Let me know if you have any future questions

[@danielmonkay]

Thanks for the video that was a great help to me

[@Slicpartna]

Thanks for watching, Let me know if you have any questions

[@MaryannFeenstra]

Hi I'm Mary I have the same Issue .I've replace my water pump and hose just this week .I have a 2005 Chevy Silverado V8 5.3 liter 2 wheel drive Crew cab .I wondering if this is a recall thing with Chevy GM .? I'm a 65 year old Lady doing all this myself .I bought in November 22 2022.

[@Thewordaround.]

I believe I have that issue too thank you.

[@Slicpartna]

Let me know if you have any questions Thanks for watching

[@josemarquez5247]

Tks really helps

[@Slicpartna]

Cool cool Thanks for watching

[@gregmurphy4231]

Water pump bolts have a sequence and a torque to be followed. Center bolts first then criss cross 22 ft lb not left side first then right side

[@Slicpartna]

You are correct on your observation

[@derrickscott2974]

It works

[@joehillman4141]

Thanks for the video man. I gotta figure out where mine is leaking from also.

[@Slicpartna]

No problem Thanks for watching Let me know if you have any questions

[@mohdkhamis1217]

thanks a lot

[@Slicpartna]

Thanks for watching Let me know if you have any questions

[@lawjo1978]

Gonna have to pick up one of those pressure testers since their pretty decent. Definitely eliminate the guess work...

[@Slicpartna]

The pressure tester exceeded my expectations.

[@boyleheightscollective4097]

Thanks gee

[@Slicpartna]

Thanks for watching

[@donoberloh]

Ive always just Poured ground pepper and it even seals larger cracks

[@Slicpartna]

Interesting idea, I will have to keep that in mind Thanks for watching

[@FinallyOnRecords]

Great video!!!! Question?? Is it possible to mistake a rear main seal leak for this type of coolant leak?

[@Slicpartna]

negative, rear main seal has to deal with the oil seal around the rear of the crankshaft. now if you are talking about the rear steam tubes for the coolant then you should see the coolant come out of where the leak is. it is possible to have more than one leak. let me know if you have any more questions

[@bernardoalpizar6689]

I think I got the same problem but do U think its convenient to replace the hole water pump, or just the gasket?? Or what did U do?? But great video thanks for that

[@Slicpartna]

Be sure to verify where the leak is first You wouldn't go wrong by replacing the water pump especially if there are alot of miles in it Let me know if you have any other questions

[@bernardoalpizar6689]

@@Slicpartna yea I dont know exactly when was the last time they replaced it I barely hot it a year ago, I'm saying cause the water pump works just fine but it it's just the leak

[@Slicpartna]

@@bernardoalpizar6689 how many miles on it?

[@bernardoalpizar6689]

@@Slicpartna 253,000 so I dont know if they have replaced it before

[@Slicpartna]

@@bernardoalpizar6689 yea yea It wouldn't hurt to replace the water pump especially if you suspect it might be leaking

[@baronfaison2092]

What is the name of the kit that you got from the store you're talking about and what is that to you use is digital when you was turning the tighten it it would let you know it would make a noise I'm having that same problem with my 2004 Chevy 1500 Suburban Z71

[@Slicpartna]

Hey hey thanks for watching It is a radiator pressure tester, You can find it at harbor freight I was using an electronic torque wrench Let me know if you have any other questions

[@eb6736]

Any videos on repairing a rear main seal leak 😅. I have a leak in my 6.0

[@Slicpartna]

Na, no videos on a rear main seal repair

[@HOTRODRICO]

damn thats brutal... sorry to hear you have to do that monster of a job

[@sethturner8483]

How often did you have to put more coolant in? I have to replace mine after driving about half a tank of gas out. I was wonder because idk if my leak is too small to find with the pressure test.

[@Slicpartna]

I was adding coolant maybe every 2-3 months. I kept putting off fixing the leak Let me know if you have any other questions

[@sethturner8483]

Thanks sir. I’ll let you know if I get it fixed.

[@luckjoy69]

2007 4.8 gmc 1500 seirra

[@dirtyboy8336]

This is exactly what's going on with my old lady truck she haves a 03 GMC Yukon and I told her she need to service her truck because I think she was losing coolant two weeks before it came to this problem. I have this sense that I can smell when the car is having a problem. I know what transmission fluid smells like I know what oil smells like I know what coolant smells like I know what gear oil smells like so I know when it's that time to service a vehicle. She never believe me so I just watch her get upset about😂

[@Slicpartna]

Might want to get those issues checked and corrected before there is serious damage.

[@dirtyboy8336]

@@Slicpartna That's a bet it's been at the house about a week now she's waiting for me to fix it or take it to an shop

[@mailonwilliams6864]

My buick century was leaking coolant bad and i could not figure it out and today i look behind the coolant tank on passenger side and it's soaking into the back of the glove box ?? It's dripping down to the ground i did not see it or saw it getting soaked i tried to reach to see if its a cracked or a hole I'm not a car guy i don't know what to do i had another leak i know it was a head gasket it

[@Slicpartna]

Is it wet inside the car? Is the carpet wet?

[@SergioGarcia-lu5yo]

Were you getting any coolant odor through the a/c vents,when your coolant was leaking?

[@Slicpartna]

No I didn't a coolant odor through the vents but I could smell it outside the truck

[@wrenchone5003]

If you smell it in the vehicle it's most likely the heater core inside the truck behind the dash/glove box.

[@Slicpartna]

@@wrenchone5003 yea yea That is a strong possibility Thanks for watching

[@triplebbb2862]

I’m having exactly the same problem I just don’t know where it’s leaking from I’ve changed. Pretty much everything

[@Slicpartna]

Did you check the steam tubes on the heads?

[@jeffreysolie197]

Did you figure it out? A ghost leak unfortunately makes me check my oil right away! Check if its clean good looking oil, or is it frothy and whiteish?

[@gbpgbp9992]

Added a dye to my coolant to find my leak but this would be quicker method for-sure

[@Slicpartna]

yep yep, it doesn't take much time for the leak to reveal itself let me know if you have any future questions thanks for watching

[@luckjoy69]

I am having the same issue large amount of coolant liquid under the engine, I changed the input out put hoses and the V hose then the coolant reservoir and still a leak that I can't find.😢

[@Slicpartna]

Could be the water pump (weep hole)

[@keving1774]

How many hours did it take to replace the water pump?

[@Slicpartna]

It only takes about 30 minutes to replace a water pump

[@jeffreyluna8627]

My goodness no way 30 minutes ur kidding me even for ur first time u think or maybe 90 minutes for a rookie ?

[@ricpla6930]

90 minutes because you’re going to be meticulous in what you’re taking off and where, 30 min if you know what you’re doing

[@victoravila2566]

I have a 2007 Chevrolet Suburban 2500 6.0 I just change the water pump, temperature coolant sensor, termostat , fan clutch, head gaskets and radiatior was replace maybe 2 and half year ago but still overheating 🥵 because in the heat 100 degrees my ac just go off and start blowing hot air I don’t know what else to replace

[@Slicpartna]

How long does it take for the engine to overheat? Does the air for the heater come out hot? What type of coolant are you using? Make the sure there isnt a blockage When the engine starts to overheat, the top hose should be hot and the lower hose should be warm. I suspect that there is a blockage in the system. I would suggest doing a coolant flush. Let me know if you have any other questions

[@jammy46235]

May have air in you coolant system that would cause that too

[@Rook814]

I have questions my Yukon Denali xl gmc leeking ain't freeze

[@Slicpartna]

Whatz up doc

[@Rook814]

@@Slicpartna my Yukon Denali XL GMC leaking antifreeze under the car but car not smoking or overheating

[@Slicpartna]

@@Rook814 I would recommend pressuring the system to Identify where the leak is coming from It could be a hose, the water pump, the radiator etc. Let me know if you have any other questions Let me know

[@Rook814]

@@Slicpartna I will thank you your video help me

[@Rook814]

Another question how would you know if it's the water pump I think it's a bad whose wen you pour it in the line goes down rite away but the antifreeze comes out in seconds but still don't over heat no smoking

[@timothyking3201]

Coming out the weep hole??

[@Slicpartna]

Na, it was the gasket that failed Let me know if you have any other questions Thanks for watching

[@DemoN_6196]

Did you replace the pump as well ?

[@Slicpartna]

Negative, the pump was still good Let me know if you have any other questions

[@HOTRODRICO]

If you have the money do it, so you don't have to go thru the job twice... "a cheap man pays twice".. peace

[@HardWorkpaysofff]

So eventually you just had water

[@Slicpartna]

Im not sure I understand your question