Slow Coolant Leak

[aediaz]

My 02' 1500 Avalanche is a having a slow coolant leak. I have to add about one cup of coolant every other week, but I never see coolant in the floor. The other day I notice a coolant drops by the oil drain plug, so I took the truck to my mechanic and after he check, also he did a pressure test, he told me the leak is by the water pump gasket. I never heard that before, so he told me instead of just replace the gasket, to install a new pump, serpentine belt, etc.

 

Anyway, my question, I'm not an expert, but if it's possible that the leak is by the gasket? If it's possible, why and how happend? That hapend to somebody before?

 

Thanks

[ken1mod]

Any gasket can leak, anytime it wants. Chevy engines are normally leak tight but nothing mechanical owes you anything.

 

Ken

[Zembonez]

I've seen several posts here about 5.3 waterpump gaskets leaking. No sense in replacing the gasket and using the old pump. May as well replace it with a new one while you are at it...

[BlownL67]

My 02' 1500 Avalanche is a having a slow coolant leak. I have to add about one cup of coolant every other week, but I never see coolant in the floor. The other day I notice a coolant drops by the oil drain plug, so I took the truck to my mechanic and after he check, also he did a pressure test, he told me the leak is by the water pump gasket. I never heard that before, so he told me instead of just replace the gasket, to install a new pump, serpentine belt, etc.

 

Anyway, my question, I'm not an expert, but if it's possible that the leak is by the gasket? If it's possible, why and how happend? That hapend to somebody before?

 

Thanks

 

Parts just let go sometimes. The truck is 6 years old and probably has some pretty good miles on it. There is absolutely nothing uncommon about a water pump / gasket developing a small leak after several years. The job is not very hard at all, and the pump, gasket, and belt are not very expensive either! Hope this helps.

[z85violator]

very common problem on the 5.3. how many kms? i just did mine a couple months ago, changed pump, lower rad hose and t-stat, and new coolant. only took me around 2.5 hrs. the rubber material gets seperated from the metal backing and the coolant leaks out slowly. pretty easy job if you take your time.

[aediaz]

very common problem on the 5.3. how many kms? i just did mine a couple months ago, changed pump, lower rad hose and t-stat, and new coolant. only took me around 2.5 hrs. the rubber material gets seperated from the metal backing and the coolant leaks out slowly. pretty easy job if you take your time.

My truck have 69,000 miles