Three Water Pumps? Why?

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‎@WrenchingWithKenny ‎@traditionovertrend2704 ‎@snafuperformance2136 #wrenchingwithkenny #wesselmotorworks #keepwrenching

[@timmatheny-lo9ze]

You always approach any issue with common sense. Great work Kenny. So many lack Common sense.

[@wendwllhickey6426]

People think water pump were out fast but they last very long 1car might go Thur 2 pumps in 150000miles

[@wendwllhickey6426]

Antifreeze will help lube the pump.

[@jeffryblackmon4846]

I know about hot engines. In 1965 or 1966 I was operating a tractor, plowing or disking a field, when I saw the temperature gauge go up. Being an inexperienced teenager, I shut the engine off and opened the radiator cap. Woo-hoo! Hot water burned my arm. It was only 3rd degree, but that didn't make it feel any better. After a doc's visit i was ok. I guess he gave me an ointment to put on it? 57-58 years is a long time to recall all the details.

[@JoeRispo-sq5jy]

In 1979 I was burnt in a house fire, 3rd degree burns are the most severe and require skin grafts.

[@lelandcarlson1668]

As soon as you described the scenario and showed the rust colored evidence of boil over my immediate thought was blown head gasket. Customer was hoping for a cheap fix.

[@wendwllhickey6426]

Needs flushed and thermostat

[@privatedata665]

I replaced head gaskets on 3.4 engines often at the dealership . The failure was almost always on #1 cylinder .

[@ewconway]

Considering the sky high prices of used cars, I would recommend fixing the blown head gasket….. unless the block is cracked, then she’s done. Great video!

[@KendrasEdge757]

Yeah head gasket isn’t a dead engine if it’s just the gasket and with those miles it’s quite probable it’s just the gasket. Only one way to find out lol

[@ericknoblauch9195]

When I had the same problem, the fix at the time cost $2,400.00. The intake has to be removed so you can get to the heads. The heads have to come off, and sent to a machine shop to be worked on, and the block has to be checked to see if it is not warped. When mine blew, it also burned two of the exhaust valves as well. Mine was put back together, and the engine ran well for about six months. Then the first gear clutch in the transmission went out. A new transmission cost $ 3,400. After replacing the transmission, my 2003 Impala started to have temperature gauge problems because the top end of the 3.8 liter was going to have to be taken apart, and all the gaskets were going to have to be replaced. Then the first gear clutch started to go out on that transmission. When I had those problems, they started at around 70,000 miles on both cars. Both cars were traded in. I also still have a 2006 Ford with the 3.9 V-6, and almost have 150,000 miles, and never a single problem.

[@ewconway]

@@ericknoblauch9195 OMG, too many problems and $$!

[@kimbalharris6720]

as soon as you said three water pumps I am thinking( blown head gasket)Lol

[@Virtualhangover999]

Passed away from the injury’s holy cow!! Sorry to hear about that

[@tswinter1]

Thanks for keeping us safe pal...never heard of a fatality from the boiling coolant until now ! Got hit in the face as a kid working at a gas station...man you only do that once...right ?

[@btwbrand]

I was in the burn ward for a few weeks and I can tell you that many many people get burned from removing radiator caps on hot cars. Any video you see of someone removing a radiator cap and a geyser of steam and hot water flying out of it likely resulted in a major burn to some part of their body and it's very possible to die from doing so. Hot water burn around the neck is enough to swell your air-way shut and suffocate you without a tube in the windpipe being placed for breathing. Hot water burn completely around the wrist can cause enough swelling to stop blood flow to your hand etc. etc.

[@wasntme3651]

I did it once also. In the early 2000’s I took the radiator cap of on my 94 Z28 and got burnt pretty bad but it could of been worse.

[@haneyoakie14]

I’m dumb enough that I have done it twice. 30 years apart, but I have burned myself twice on the fountain of hot coolant.

[@OzFrog48Z]

Same thing happened to me in high school at my first job pumping gas. Someone came in and wanted his coolant checked on a hot Summer day. I loosened the cap and the pressure shot scalding hot water on my forearm. I had to go to the hospital because my metal watchband fused into my burning skin. That's a mistake you only make once. Fortunately years later no scarring.

[@glennfields8121]

Hey brother Kenny, an excellent video. Customer got what they paid for.

[@PredatorOmnivore]

I once installed three water pumps in a row because the car owner told me that the first water pump leaked, so I replace it with the second water pump. Then she told me the second water pump leaked, so I replaced it with the third water pump. Then she told me the third water pump leaked. I finally realized that she was a fool and that she did not understand that all things change size when they change temperature. I asked her to show me the leak. I told her to let the car sit overnight with a piece of cardboard underneath. I came over the next morning to start the car and look for the leak. She told me that she would show me the leak. Of course the cardboard was dry with no antifreeze leak smell. She then took off the radiator cap and showed me that the antifreeze was not up to the tippy top. So everyday she drove the car, the antifreeze heated up and the expanded excess went into the overflow tank. Then everyday in the morning she filled the radiator up to the tippy top with a tiny amount of antifreeze which promptly warmed up and went into the overflow tank. And this women was a school teacher.

[@WrenchingWithKenny]

Thanks for sharing. Keep wrenching 🔧

[@map7463]

I'm almost certain they removed the thermostat from that engine. If it's only been running for 5 minutes and the water is circulating there is either no thermostat or it's stuck open. Since they are running pure water, the water was expanding and boiling before the thermostat would open and before the fan turns on which likely caused it to boil over. That would explain the rust everywhere. I would install a thermostat if it doesn't have one and put the right coilant in there then see how it behaves.

[@SeanBZA]

Blowing gas, so even a new thermostat will not fix the problem, gas in the coolant, and no antifreeze, means it is blowing it out fast, which is a blown head. About the only thing you can do is a can of stop leak, and see if it slows down, but that engine needs a new head gasket on it, and possibly a skim, though it can have cracked already and need either a new head, or stitching together. VW was famous for making a 5 part head if you overheated, cracking between each cylinder.

[@map7463]

@@SeanBZA I saw steam coming out of the overflow bottle. The cooling system only has water in it. Water expands and starts to boil at much lower temperature than coolant. He should test the water to see if it has combustion gases in it.

[@randy1ization]

its likely been leaking for a long time, so they were adding water, then ran it too long without enough water, and blew the head gasket.. they found a monkey to change the water pump, that didnt work, they found another monkey to change the water pump and remove the thermostat, that didnt work, so they found another monkey to change pump, and add stop leak, and that didnt work.

[@DonziGT230]

Where did you get the notion that the water was circulating?

[@map7463]

@@DonziGT230 True, it was likely not circulating. If it had been circulating with no thermostat it wouldn't have run into the expansion tank when he loosened radiator cap after only running a few minutes. If that thermostat temperature is near the boiling point of water, the water will expand and may start boiling before the thermostat ever opens. I just think a few things should have been checked before concluding the head gasket was bad.

[@wolfewispr]

I love your channel and i'm subbed, but Why not replace the head gaskets? It always frustrates me that so many technicians/mechanics these days are just parts replacers. When i was a kid we replaced head gaskets in our front yard. and all the shops repaired the engine rather than replace it with a junk yard motor, unless the block was cracked or had catastrophic damage. Have all the shops just decided that engines are just disposable even though it can still be repaired?? My daughters hyundai had a bad timing belt the shop she sent it to, told her she needed a new engine that would cost her $8,000. we brought the car home, pulled the head replaced a bent valve, lapped the valve, put a new timing belt on it and head gasket and vlv cover gasket. cost us $350.00 and the time to do it. She's still driving the car today..... I guess when the shop buys a junk yard engine for $300.00 and charges 8 thousand for the engine and installation they make a HUGE profit. Even if the shop replaces the intake gaskets, vlv cover gaskets and pan gasket you still have a used 300.00 junk yard engine that you don't know very much about.. Better to repair what you have than go with the unknown. Most junk yard engines are worn out by the previous owner unless you get lucky and find one that was totaled in a rear end collision or t boned, but even then you are gambling on whether the previous owner didn't try to hot rod it..

[@erwinpadgett1050]

3.4 engines have a bleed screw right above the water pump and this engine has a bleed screw on the thermostat housing. When you lose antifreeze from this engine to refill it properly you have to bleed the air out of the system. It will run hot until you bleed the system. Might be what caused the problem with this engine. When or if you tear the heads off a 3.4 make sure to keep the pushrods in correct order. The Intake and exhaust pushrods are different lengths!

[@Watchout1010]

Yes keeps coolant air in the upper assembly-must bleed

[@44hawk28]

3.4 is well-known for overheating problems. I've never known it to have a problem with three or four different water pumps. But they'll blow a head gasket in no time.

[@davidtracy7669]

What useably happens is the intake gasket leaks first with those engine first then after time your coolant leaks out and it gets hot the the head gasket blows very common on these engines.

[@northpoint1039]

I saw a neighbor of mine putting just straight water in their car the other day. I asked why they were doing that and they said they have a leak and do not want to waste money on coolant. I asked "Why not just fix the leak?". Who knows....

[@djsi38t]

No time now to fix it will get to it when I can....meantime,water it is.....Its never good to run straight water very long....One reason,the anti freeze has lubricating properties that water does not..

[@sw7366]

​@djsi38t I hear the same reply from people regarding their check engine light and their last oil change before they blew the engine.😢

[@huzudra]

Customer cars never overheat, they only run hot and only just that one time but it never overheated.

[@hansjansen7047]

I like that comment about putting a couple grand in it and you know what you've got. The cheapest car to own is the one that's already paid for.

[@aaronbrasmer1680]

I have a 2005 Impala with a 3.4. Now, it still has "low" miles (still under 70,000, due to a lot of deployments and sometimes driving wife's nicer vehicle) on it. My normal work travel is about 60ish miles round trip. Sometime after 2018 (maybe around 2019, 2020), I experienced a massive heat buildup with my low coolant light coming on, less than a mile from work. Got it cooled down, refilled with coolant, got to work. Can't remember how i got it home (drove or towed). I took it to my local Chevy dealer (same place I bought it new) and a local garage. Both said they really didn't know, "COULD" be a blown head gasket or plugged heater core. Neither place could give a definitive answer (hence why I mostly do my own work on my vehicle(s)). I wasn't blowing white/gray smoke out of the tailpipe (trust me, i know what that looks like. Had a Pontiac 6000 STE with cracked head. Looked like John Candy's car in "Uncle Buck"), nor was I leaking into the interior from the heater core. Long story short, to date, i changed out the head gaskets (which actually were still good), milled the heads (no cracks), visually inspected the block (unfortunately myself. No cracks detected, nor anything in the cylinders, nor cross contamination with the oil), replaced the radiator 2 or 3 times, replaced the thermostat (both temps), water pump (both designs) and temp sensor several times, hoses, flushed and refilled the system numerous times, and burped the living HELL out of it (just did it again last week). The only things I haven't replaced is the fan, fuses or ECM. And still, it might sit a tick mark under the half way point on the temp gauge, or it might climb a tick or two past the half way mark, before the fans kick on and reduce the temp. KZbin and other sites have said the 3.1 and 3.4 are prone to overheating and not much can be done to rectify it. I love the car, so, I guess I will keep utilizing the "parts cannon" until I fix the problem or I kill it.

[@shanestrains2849]

I remember my first and only time using blue silicone, my mentor came up to the car I was working on and said, don't ever do that again 😁

[@JustAnAverageBrad]

ive done many head gaskets on that family of engines...its fairly simple...they were also really bad for intake gaskets and the 3.8s had a tendency to crack those stupid elbow pipes that passed coolant thru the alternator mount on to the heater core

[@SuckIT-2000]

Thermostat stuck closed, expansion tank, cap or hose issue would cause excess pressure. Always do a head gasket check if you suspect a head gasket issue, if it's as bad as you THINK it would not take long to go yellow, so why skip a crucial test. If it is headgaskets or intake gaskets it will bubble thru the heater core on cold start up.

[@SuckIT-2000]

Not saying you are not correct in thinking the headgaskets are blown from constant overheating from the previous botched fixes but those engines you need to be certain and not assume

[@armyjeep4]

Dec-Cool put my kids thru college, thanks GM!

[@openphoto]

I like your videos, find them calming. Im also a huge watch wes work fan probably for the same reason.

[@505fastlife6]

Exactly i worked at jiffy lube and they put the green coolant in everything even these gm cars that require the orange dex cool.

[@davidlampe4153]

Nice quick diagnosis good tips for troubleshooting on my own car, don’t need any fancy test kits just common knowledge and understanding basic laws of thermodynamics.

[@richardgreene7198]

Experience tells you what your dealing with fast .

[@garyr7027]

Whenever red is all over a engine like that at various places around the cooling system, you just know someone has ran straight water in it and rusted that block and or heads up. That alone will plug radiators and heater cores. Very possible why it's shot now, someone overheated the crap out of it, and more likely kept putting water back in it not wanting to buy antifreeze all the time. I've encountered several people who's bought vehicles only to find out the block was full of rust. Even seen a water pump fins rust out to nothing before. It's a classic case of a defective part that turns into multiple issues... there is no one remedy in this case of scenario. And condolences to the lady who passed away, that's just not a decent dignified way to go... so sad indeed.

[@williampatrickfagan7590]

I would have checked the thermostat. After I made sure the electric cooling fan was working.

[@jeffbotkin1405]

Sorry this phone is giving me fits. I think you got it pegged. Keep up the good work. Over and out

[@bobby9195]

Afternoon Mr Kenny hope y'all have a wonderful day 😁

[@24roughing76]

Clicked on every Amazon link. Keep wrenching 🔧

[@mandragor85]

thanks for your videos i will look into geting some of those tools especially a Scanner and possible the Power probe circuit tester :)

[@WrenchingWithKenny]

Glad to help. Keep wrenching 🔧

[@GeekBoyMN]

Clear water will wreck a water pump pretty fast along with building a lot of pressure earlier than a proper antifreeze mix. Could be more to this than just head gaskets.

[@openphoto]

People who run water think they're so smart saving 20$

[@randy1ization]

I would have taken the rad cap completely off, let the water overflow, the rev the engine and see if the water pump pulled the level down. they may have put the thermostat in backwards

[@WEESHBONE]

I really enjoyed your video. I found this as interesting as watching a detective show. You sir are mesmerizing.

[@r.weaver3769]

Problems fixed by internet vs problems fixed by proper diagnosis...Internet Zero...

[@pontiacsrule8761]

I'm surprised Kenny didn't remove the dipstick to see if it was milky I always shut the engine off & remove the cap. If you have a bad head gasket that engine will be puking right away & it's safer that way. Just my 2 cents. Like mentioned, having pure water will boil faster then antifreeze will, another issue with that Impala. Probably overheated a few times in it's day with all these supposed water pump issues.

[@bubbasteele2991]

My Sister had That Same Type engine & it Blew A head Gasket& she had it Fixed & it blew again within like 6 months. Then She Got A Motor for it& for real it Blew A head Gasket 3-4 months. She Scrapped the Car & it was A beautiful car but she wasn't gonna fool with it anymore

[@bobv8219]

Much respect kind human

[@merrillschaps2325]

I have seen people use the wrong coolant which can cause the water pump to fail prematurely. Not saying this was the case though.

[@dimmn82]

when i was in auto school. a kid took the cap off while it was running and burned 3 people, including myself.

[@sentryfe74]

The oil will probably will have coolant in it too.

[@campermike8879]

Yea boss at work had one of those cars and prob about the same year. About the same miles Same issue head gaskets With the expense and tough as it is to find a good used car prob be worth putting a engine in it these days

[@KRich408]

Don't you miss the old metal caps with the relief lever on them? Also knowing the pressure is coming from the combustion I would have shut it off before popping that cap.

[@jorgefernandez-mv8hu]

Nice video and Thanks for the tips.

[@danielclark5170]

The GM 3.1 and 3.4 are iron block and aluminum heads which are notorious for overheating and having warped heads and multiple problems. I've heard that from multiple professional mechanics.

[@lt.schlechtnacht9414]

It's also probably because the deck wasn't machined correctly during manufacturing. There are lots of 5.3 Chevys that have cast iron blocks and aluminum heads. Hell some people put aluminum heads in n their 350 abc.

[@Darrenlawrence89]

What’s worse is I’ve witnessed 4 of these after replacing head gaskets they end up spinning a rod bearing ,,, the overheating seems to wipe out the bearings , and Kenny being in his position most the labor rates make it replacing a motor cheaper than doing a head gasket ,

[@donames6941]

I would do the head gasket but then i do my own work

[@lightmobile]

This man is a font of mechanic tips

[@c.e.anderson558]

I got such a burn, small burn for taking cap of reservoir. A volcano of steaming water. The plastic clip on lid held that pressure.

[@jthonn]

I guess what it costs for a head gasket, vs engine, um, I hear ya. It would be a nice project for a kid that can turn a wrench. Change the HG and see what happens. Thanks Kenny, let us know.

[@rickylafleur5823]

on a 3400 with 200k miles? these are dime a dozen in the boneyard with lower miles for cheap. relatively easy to swap out too.

[@jthonn]

@@rickylafleur5823 You're right I'm sure, for what it would cost for head gaskets, worth it. I was just pointing out that it would be a nice project for a kid, as a learning experience. That was how I became somewhat mechanically inclined as a young teenager. At 15 I fixed up an old 65 Doge Polaris, wires, you name it, at 16 I put a 455 olds in a '67 cutlass, that was when I learned to put the same engine back in a car that came out, I did it, but a pain. There goes the AC just as one small example.

[@rickylafleur5823]

@@jthonn3-500$ to be done with it or spend money on gasket, new heads or send them out plus the gaskets inbetween(these intakes like to warp to) and your even or spending more for a gamble.

[@jthonn]

@@rickylafleur5823 I hear ya, it would be a gamble. I guess I should have let known, not for this customer, just sell it cheap to a Kid and let them mess around with it. Maybe get some parts from a junk yard or even an engine. If the owner wants to keep it, let Kenny take care of it, it would be done right.

[@rottmanthan]

i have a jeep with the 3.8l that has pressure in it 24/7, between the half dozen parts i have to go into it and now that, i dont feel like messing with it.

[@vicpetrishak7705]

On older cars if the engine is overheating turn on heater on high . If temperature would lower , signs of a plugged radiator .

[@jensenwilliam5434]

Thank s!!!

[@sheerwillsurvival2064]

My 2c put a head gasket in or put blue devil in it and drive it till it dies . Not worth a motor

[@oldbiker9739]

I don't mind fixing up old cars at least I know what I got and what has been done to it , unlike buying a used car and don't have a clue to what's been done to it , that's probably why I wont get rid of my 2005 blazer 2dr 4x4 I know what has been done to it , and no payments .

[@KenzertYT]

not to mention buying a new car that's a ton of modules and parts that can't be user serviced.. and is intended to be obsolete on purpose.. best route is used with maintenance and repair history

[@HoundDogMech]

If it's indeed a Head Gasket what's the cost to replace the head gaskets? Why recommend motor replacement in this case?

[@thetraditionalist8638]

Might be almost the same. Sad if they just junk it great motor I have 3100 would fix it my self in a heartbeat.

[@SeanBZA]

Labour cost, and not many places around any more that will recondition an engine and block. Cheaper to drop the engine out and bolt in another than strip the head off, send out to be skimmed, do the valves, clean off the block ,check block is still straight, get head back, and install again with new gasket on it. Especially US rates, though take it across the southern border, and the price to do that is halved, due to the lower cost of labour.

[@Emoralis]

im gonna assume if it overheats in 7 minutes. that the engine is already warped. need new heads at a minimum who knows what else was damaged. slap a head on there, the block is warped and you're right back where you started...

[@thetraditionalist8638]

@@Emoralis got to do it the right way besides long block is iron not aluminum.

[@mph5896]

Prob start at $2k to do a head gasket job correctly

[@aberobinson1]

LA1 3400 is well known for head gasket problems. Never have I heard of it having water pump problems. I'm curious who has been working on it, was it a local mobile mechanic or an actual legit shop?

[@mcqueenfanman]

I heard of guys putting a rubber glove over the radiator fill hole and watch for the glove to puff.

[@bigpicturethinking5620]

Damn that’s a good idea.

[@vdog4799]

That's a great idea!

[@vdog4799]

​@@bigpicturethinking5620I 2nd that👋

[@ericknoblauch9195]

Had the same problem with the water pump on a 3.4 litre in a 2005 Impala. When the pump failed the second time, it blew a head gasket. The intake manifold gasket was replaced before the fsilure. The second water pump was a Gates water pump, and failed after only one year. The mechanic who fixed it after it blew a head gasket said the aftermarket water pumps were no good on the 3.4 engine, and recommended installing only a factory GM water pump. The after market pumps say they are oem. They are not, and do not even look the same as a pump purchased at the dealer. Those 3.4 litre engines are nasty. They are known for intake gasket failures, and head gasket failures. After all that stuff was fixed, the transmission went out, and had to be replaced. The Impala 3.8 also had intake manifold, and head gasket failures as well as transmission failures. I once owned both a Impala 3.4. And another with the 3.8. Both were problems.

[@paulwindisch1423]

I disagree about the 3.8L. Plastic intakes fail on those because of the egr tube, but the head gaskets absolutely do not fail. Ever. They are iron block and iron head. One of the best engines ever built by any company.

[@mph5896]

@@paulwindisch1423 3800 is a good engine. Series 2, all the accessories bolted to it are trash. And the 3800 does go bad. I have replaced MANY due to rod knocks.

[@randy1ization]

I wonder if they took the thermostat out to try and make it run cooler, but it does look like a blown head gasket.

[@dennisthomas4766]

When you said 3.1 3.4 they came from the factory with bad head gaskets!!! LOL!!!! They have a 100,000 miles r more you know they need head gaskets!!!!!

[@mph5896]

3400 with a blown head gasket. You don’t say😂

[@bigbiddies45]

220,000 miles on my 3.4 grand am. Stock headgaskets. Not everyone of them were shit but alot were.

[@mph5896]

@@bigbiddies45 There is always somebody who runs a POS engine up to 200k+ miles. For instance, I personally have seen plenty of 5.4l 3v Fords run up to 250k and still going strong. Also have fixed or condemned many with 100k blown up. ITs still a POS engine overall even if some get to 250k on them.

[@paulwindisch1423]

The main issue is the 60 degree V6 made its way into many cheaper cars that are more prone to neglect. The smallest amount of maintenance will make them run a long time. The head gaskets on these engines blow BECAUSE they were overheated severely. Once that happens, the head gasket is now the source of overheating. I’ve owned several cars with 2.8/3.1/3100/3400/3500/3900 engines and they have all been solid. The one thing that will definitely fail on that engine without any help is the intake gaskets, especially 3100/3400. If that were my car I would replace the head gaskets and intake gaskets and just run it, especially if the engine is otherwise quiet and there is no evidence of coolant in the crank case.

[@mph5896]

@@paulwindisch1423 The newer 3100's really didn't blow head gaskets like the 3400 did. 3100/3400 went through intake gaskets like crazy. 3500/3900 is pretty much indestructible with the exception of oil leaks.

[@bigbiddies45]

@mph5896 ill give you they aren't very good lol, but for an 03 has treated me very well and only let me set once when the water pump seized. Make great engine noise as well in my opinion for a v6. Mines been moded a bit though. Also helps when you take care of them, most on throwaway cars don't give a damn. Plus with the updated metal intake gaskets since I replaced them, haven't had any issues. Only if gm did better quality control lol

[@MrBeard-ig5zc]

I'll bet it has a plugged cat too.

[@brianstevens3858]

ON a second pump replacement, I would question the original assumption, {thermostat operating/leaking through pinhole/kinking "collapsing" R.hose when warm?{if no the next go to is check for head gasket} her mech. doesn't know how to troubleshoot.

[@frankneher9192]

First guess would be a radiator

[@btwbrand]

Unfortunately your first guess would result in a radiator and a comeback. No reason to guess what is wrong when you can look at the symptoms and determine the problem. People who fix cars for a living don't guess. They use tests and inspections to learn what happened, use knowledge to know why something happened, and use practiced experience to sometimes skip some of those earlier steps to make quick accurate decisions.

[@frankneher9192]

@@btwbrand I did say guess it doesn't show the symptoms of a bad head gasket I would probably pressure test the system to verify. It really needs to run longer to see why or when it overheats

[@AdrianJayeOnline]

ok so why would you not replace the head gasket and check the cylinder head for warping, needs a new engine ? really, MIGHT do, but without checking if the head is warped

[@WrenchingWithKenny]

The car wasn't worth the time it would take to disassemble it. At a minimum it would have cost over $1000 to repair. Not worth the return on investment. Put the $1000 towards another vehicle

[@bluemouse5039]

Why would you need another engine, cant the head gaskets be replaced?

[@billthepainter5106]

"They" say a LOT of things!

[@richardlambert1544]

Just water in the system isn't a good thing, antifreeze lubrication is needed and to protect from over heating

[@jeffreywoodbury2904]

Definitely a head gasket

[@pe3094]

Id first Check thermostat..if any thermostat at all...and see if stuck open or missing

[@myriammorrison9840]

Thermostat 🤷‍♀️ plugged radiator 🤷‍♀️ gases in the water? All before your diagnosis

[@wasntme3651]

Why not use blue on a water pump or thermostat housing? Honest question..

[@nordicpride9708]

Because Blue silicone isn’t formulated for resistance to antifreeze. Permatex makes a specific “water pump & thermostat housing” sealant for this purpose. The one caveat is you must allow it to cure for 24 hrs before returning it to service.

[@paulwindisch1423]

The real question is why did someone use sealant of any color? Those water pumps come with a gasket.

[@wasntme3651]

@@paulwindisch1423 Better a silicone sucker than a leaky motherfu*ker 🤣😂

[@nordicpride9708]

@@paulwindisch1423 Gaskets work best when coupled with a appropriate sealant. This is common practice. Blue should never be used on a water pump gasket however

[@paulwindisch1423]

@@nordicpride9708 16 years as a GM dealer tech taught me if the factory didn’t use sealant, don’t use sealant. Those gaskets don’t leak unless someone really botches up the sealing surfaces. To each his own!

[@Romas65]

Unless I missed it, what's wrong with the motor? What's the cause?

[@darlenegeorgeboyd8493]

Bad head gasket is allowing combustion gasses into the cooling system. Caause for bad gasket could be the engine was over heated or sometimes the gaskets just get old and go bad.

[@Romas65]

@@darlenegeorgeboyd8493 ok, thank you, now it makes sense

[@carsten4594]

I think I would have checked for combustion gas in the radiator with a test kit.

[@SeanBZA]

No need with the bubble blowing after a minute of running, with a cold block.

[@Ottos_ScLm_Race_videos_2009_on]

I was told by my father and other never take off the radiator cap on a hot engine. I also will start a car it it is cold and it has over heated and watch the fluid does it run out the inlet. Does it go down then back up it has Air in the system.

[@nealruth664]

Any car that originally came with dexa cool in it would be suspect of gasket damage or plugged passages. Bad, bad stuff.

[@SuckIT-2000]

3 water pumps... sounds like doing headgaskets on that motor for the plastic intake gaskets falling apart, couldn't tell you how many of those engines I fixed from botched mechanics

[@philllsxga.7737]

Since its not a faulty water pump, change the thermostat 🤣🤣🤣

[@anthonytomasso5973]

I have a 2007 equinox with the same motor in it. Those motors has air purge valves that has to be bled out. The most common one is on the stem on the back of the water pump housing. I saw another one on the back of the motor also on this impala.. I don’t know if it will eliminate the issue but it’s worth a shot….

[@anthonytomasso5973]

The other one is on the thermostat housing..

[@shmeleu]

What about the smell? Car with blown gasket has this special smell 😀Also that corrosion, from the leaks kind of tells what is going on

[@btwbrand]

The "special smell" is only applicable if antifreeze is going into the exhaust. In this case the coolant is water and it is not going anywhere. It's staying where it should. in this case the air the engine is using to burn fuel is being squeezed through a gasket or crack and entering the coolant. No smell. No smoke. No Fog.

[@shmeleu]

@@btwbrand No smoke. No Fog. Yes! But I smell the coolant smell, when it goes bad and everything is corroded. Pop the hood and you can feel it straight away, on such cars. You can feel it even before It starts to noticeably "boil" in the expansion tank.

[@kidd1072]

Who knows how long they've been driving this car like this, replacing three water pumps. I believe the problem can be a crack in the head or even the block. You can see that the owner got tired of buying coolant due to the expense. Just replace the motor!

[@PAUL-1961.]

running pure water will make it run hot,

[@g8gtatlman483]

no it will not. it will dissipate heat faster with 100% water. Coolant is to raise boiling point and freezing protection.

[@HarleySLA]

​@@g8gtatlman483also the alkalinity of coolant will protect the metals, especially if you have an iron block like this old thing probably does. Water leads to rust.

[@btwbrand]

@@HarleySLA Yes, water will cause metal corrosion and pitting. But he was pointing out that water can hold and dissipate heat better than coolant or a coolant mix. Water was how all cars were cooled in the distant past, we called them freeze plugs because they came out during a freeze. Water was easy to locate and use. Today we use coolants.. they protect the metals, raise boil over temperatures and lower freeze points. They do not cool better than water alone and the loss of cooling is worth the gain in other points of protection. It's been established by motorsports that 100% water with a "wetting" additive is the best coolant but not best for a vehicle that needs to run as a sealed system for thousands of miles.

[@jameswhite1319]

And what was it ?

[@philspear73]

I'd replace with a 3.8 much better motor.

[@gillgetter3004]

Way back in the day a friend and myself and our dates were driving home from concert ( ZZ Top and REO speedwagon ) my car was overheating 65 Buick. He took cap off while I was going inside I yelled no!!!! To late it sprayed twenty feet in the air and burnt his hand and arm!!! I thought he new better?

[@chicagorc3967]

i said " whose they?" at the same time LOL

[@Watchout1010]

Chrysler 2.7 joy monkies

[@shadetreewelding]

Why not just replace the head gaskets? Labor cost?

[@btwbrand]

Several reasons to suggest a motor. The engine has water in it. How long has water been in it? It doesn't take long for an engine to rot from the inside out if there is no coolant protecting the iron. Heat accelerates chemical reactions such as rust formation and pitting. It's been overheated, how many times and for how long? Parts do twist and bend and change shape and even crack when they reach high temperature. The engine has 200K miles on it. It's closer to being worn out than an engine with 90K from a wreck or junk yard. Personally I've never condemned an engine unless parts came out the side of the block or were inside the combustion chambers. It's all metal and plastic and can be put back together/ repaired/ replaced. Even cracked blocks or cracked and warped heads can be repaired. Depends on how much your time is worth and the care you put into making things right again. In this case Kenny is a busy guy with plenty of work waiting and he can suggest an engine swap and it would be worth his time. While I've never sent a car to a junkyard or wrecked one while driving others have and for those people in their situations replacement was better than repair. I've never driven a vehicle to the point I feel it is no longer worth maintaining either. Others have, and again in their situation getting something else was the right choice for them.

[@PAUL-1961.]

why not do the head gaskets

[@timewa851]

rockauto $57.79 + shipping? yeah. I'm doing head gaskets! might even put antifreeze in it when I'm done.

[@btwbrand]

@@timewa851 How you treat your cars and how you should treat a paying customers car in a shop environment are usually not the same thing. Using cut rate parts and doing minimal amount of work to get something done and out the door or down the road another few thousand miles will very very quickly flood you with people returning with problems that are related to the minimal work and quality of parts you used. Personally , yes I would repair this car if i knew how long the water had been in it and how many times and to what degree it had been hot. Since he doesn't know either of these and an answer from the customer is likely not going to be complete or truthful and it already has a history of 3 pumps being put on the correct move is what he suggested.

[@dandaman4985]

Another motor, or a new diy head gasket should fix it

[@johnnyq1233]

There is no coolant in the engine...it's just water!!!! Water boils at 100 deg. thermostat opens at 195, so I would drain the system, do a pressure test empty and see if it drops over time, engine off. From what I saw when you opened the reservoir, the water was boiling and not looking like a head gasket at all.

[@btwbrand]

Water boils at 212F or 100C Thermostats are rated at 180-205F or 82-96C Saying water boils at 100 deg and thermostat opens at 195 is a very incorrect way of saying if done as a comparison. All evidence points to this car has combustion gas going into the coolant. Nothing further to test as he already knows what he wants to tell the customer and how he wants to repair it. Sure more tests can be done but why do 5 tests to verify an obvious problem.

[@jongonegone1262]

i hear the blue devil calling $$$$ perfect candidate.

[@nigelterry9299]

I,lost some peripheral vision in my right eye when a coolant hose burst......

[@SuperJoes70]

What did the customer do ?? fix or replace engine

[@btwbrand]

He posted this video 3 HOURS before you asked this question. You think he has an answer for that yet? If he did he would likely say.

[@gilberthale7777]

Bubbles in the overflow tank, yep, dead giveaway of a leaking/blown head gasket. Were it not for that I would have done a Block Test just to make absolutely sure of combustion gas being in the cooling system. But, truly the bubble tell the story. I am sure that you have seen, time and again, where car owners trying to save a buck, or even shops with inexperienced beginning techs will begin to throw parts at a high temp cooling system problem, put in 160 degree thermostats, etc. Everything but doing a quality diagnosis. So sad to see money wasted like that, despite how good the intentions may be.

[@jayjaynella4539]

To confirm even more, check the oil. If oil is brown and watery, well...................................................

[@mod_incllc3235]

Easy diag here.. people are so dumb sometimes.

[@johnknox5692]

when i suspect blown head gasket i put pressure test on radiator watch pressure climb she done

[@robertoruiz7069]

Your right Kenny ,it's a blown head gasket.Why did you not pull the dip stick to see if maybe there was water in the oil?The water went somewhere,it either pumped it all out through the overflow,went out the exhaust,sucked it to the intake,which you could maybe tell by the spark plug being steam cleaned.I felt as though you just gave up,but i do realize "time is money" and 99% this IS a head gasket on a high mileage car.You like to teach,good get a white board and draw us a pic of the block,head gasket and water passage,then say see here's Why the pressure is going here.your video's a good DO this and your video's will be GREAT.haha just teasing you,good work though.

[@Dave-ty2qp]

The horse is dead. Stop beating it. There is no more you can do here. LOL