if that is the DII you bought the pics they took show the coolant level way low. maybe it was never filled properly after HG repair and the hoses popped off and there was nothing left.
'99 DII arrived today...broke down 45 minutes later...
- Thread starter dcarr1971
- Start date
Blue said:
That's great and cheers to you for using it as your avatar. But don't let your situation get you down. Whatever; it is, it can be fixed and like they said you'll have a more intimate relationship with your vehicle. This is only the first hiccup it happened today but it could have happened in a month, timing sucks but really no difference.
Here's the diagnosis.
Belt is chewed up and you dumped coolant = water pump, Grab hold of your fan and see how much you can move it. There is only one bearing in that water pump and when it goes it does what you have indicated. I had mine go last week, so it's fresh in my memory.
Will water pump + new belt + coolant and re-pressurize = back on the road.
Belt is chewed up and you dumped coolant = water pump, Grab hold of your fan and see how much you can move it. There is only one bearing in that water pump and when it goes it does what you have indicated. I had mine go last week, so it's fresh in my memory.
Will water pump + new belt + coolant and re-pressurize = back on the road.
Thanks everyone! Sorry I didn't get back to you last night. We had some big thunderstorms go through and I lost power, so I didn't get a chance to run the engine up to temp until this morning (before work). I have the front end up on ramps now, so when running, the water is flowing down the underside of the transmission pan and dribbling off the back.
From what I'm seeing, I'm somewhat less confident that this is just a bad hose. The two latest pixs show the top and bottom of the water pump. On the picture of the bottom, notice that the pump appears to be dry nearest to the hose and the drip of coolant is forming further away. On the shot of the top of the pump, it's hard to tell with the engine running (the moving pulleys and fan wreaked havoc with the auto-focus on the camera) , but liquid is accumulating right up against the pump itself near the 2 bolt heads that look like they're behind the pulley for the water pump itself. There isn't enough liquid there for me to be able to see it actually flowing, or exactly where its coming from, but with the engine running and warmed up to operating temp (the Temp gauge is reading steadily in the middle...see 3rd picture) that spot doesn't dry up even when the engine is hot. I'm still not seeing coolant squirting out of anything though, so it's still hard to tell for sure...
Very true, and it would have been far worse because I'm hoping to pack the wife, kids, and dog into the Disco and drive to the beach in NC (Emerald Isle) in late July.
My grandfather looked at me a couple days ago and said, "Dave, You've just got to hope that all that stuff breaks right off the bat so you can fix it yourself and get to know the truck...that's the only real way to get to trust one that's this old."
Maybe just a flush of the system then when I do the hoses and having someone test the radiator to see how efficiently it's working? If I'm looking at more than a $135 though, I'm wondering if it wouldn't just make sense to buy a whole new radiator...they look to be pretty cheap and if I'm replacing everything else.
From what I'm seeing, I'm somewhat less confident that this is just a bad hose. The two latest pixs show the top and bottom of the water pump. On the picture of the bottom, notice that the pump appears to be dry nearest to the hose and the drip of coolant is forming further away. On the shot of the top of the pump, it's hard to tell with the engine running (the moving pulleys and fan wreaked havoc with the auto-focus on the camera) , but liquid is accumulating right up against the pump itself near the 2 bolt heads that look like they're behind the pulley for the water pump itself. There isn't enough liquid there for me to be able to see it actually flowing, or exactly where its coming from, but with the engine running and warmed up to operating temp (the Temp gauge is reading steadily in the middle...see 3rd picture) that spot doesn't dry up even when the engine is hot. I'm still not seeing coolant squirting out of anything though, so it's still hard to tell for sure...
parsonsjunior said:
Very true, and it would have been far worse because I'm hoping to pack the wife, kids, and dog into the Disco and drive to the beach in NC (Emerald Isle) in late July.
My grandfather looked at me a couple days ago and said, "Dave, You've just got to hope that all that stuff breaks right off the bat so you can fix it yourself and get to know the truck...that's the only real way to get to trust one that's this old."
KyleT said:
Maybe just a flush of the system then when I do the hoses and having someone test the radiator to see how efficiently it's working? If I'm looking at more than a $135 though, I'm wondering if it wouldn't just make sense to buy a whole new radiator...they look to be pretty cheap and if I'm replacing everything else.
Attachments
Very hard to tell by the picture where it is coming from. There are two of the bolts for the water pump that go through the timing case, the other bolts fasten to the case itself. If these two bolts don't get RTV on them when the water pump is replaced, they can leak like you describe.
Could also be a bad gasket itself on the water pump.
I would look closer at the hoses and check to see if all the hose clamps are tight. I would also see if any of the water pump bolts are loose, especially the two I mentioned.
You may have to just roll up your sleaves, remove the shroud and fan and dig in to it.
Edit. That is an old belt, I have my doubts they changed the water pump.
Could also be a bad gasket itself on the water pump.
I would look closer at the hoses and check to see if all the hose clamps are tight. I would also see if any of the water pump bolts are loose, especially the two I mentioned.
You may have to just roll up your sleaves, remove the shroud and fan and dig in to it.
Edit. That is an old belt, I have my doubts they changed the water pump.
lcater said:
OK...belt is ancient, but water pump is supposedly new (dealer definitely said that they reused the belt that had been on the vehicle before replacing the pump...seemed crazy to me when they had it torn down that far, but my guess is they figured it wouldn't add to what they could sell the truck for). Anyway, I tried moving the fan, but it seems to be solid so I'm guessing that maybe the water pump gasket could be compromised if this doesn't turn out to be a portion of the hose that I just can't see from where I'm at. New hoses are due in tomorrow via FedEx Ground, so I'll put them on and see what happens. If that doesn't clear up the problem I'll probably move forward with replacing the pump and gasket ASAP.
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rovercanus said:
x2
I'd be suspect of any work they say they did. That belt should have been replaced. The fact that they didn't just screams shoddy/cheap work (if any at all).
You're going to need to remove the fan and see exactly where the leak is coming from. It will also help you replace the hoses.
I HATE PONIES said:
Yes. I PM'd him a couple days ago (when folks started talking about cracked blocks) and he gave me the name of a shop in the area to use for big stuff. (Once all the parts show up, I'm feeling pretty confident that I should be able to handle something like this on my own though.)
water pump does not look to me like it was replaced very recently... usually you can see the marks on the bolts where the socket knocks off the grudge, as well as the aluminum being alot cleaner than the surrounding aluminum. unless it was a crappy rebuilt unit. which every rebuilt one I have put on, leaks bad.
SGaynor said:
FWIW, they did tell me they reused the belt. It seemed crazy to me since they had everything off and it needed replaced anyway, but they told me they reused the hoses too. By the time I pull the fan, I won't be able to start the engine...any suggestions for how to pinpoint the leak at that point? (Do they make dye that I could drop in the reservoir? Maybe that would help...)
Looking through the RAVE, this all looks like like I'd have had to tear most of the cooling system apart to replace the hoses and serpentine belt anyway, so I figure even if this turns out to be a water pump it shouldn't be dramatically more work than I was already looking at.
this.JohnB said:
it is not common for a d2 radiator to get plugged up because the side to side flow design. I have never ever replaced one other than a warranty recall, and the one on my moms truck because it was a crappy after market when we bought the truck (leaking from the side tank seals).
Not saying it cant get clogged, though.
you can start the engine without the fan, just don't run it very long... like don't let it warm up.
I'd guess that just about any of them should have the Dexcool...I just picked up 2 gallons at Advanced Auto Parts...
Maddeningly, the FedEx Home guy apparently showed up with my hose kit from Atlantic British while I was out getting the Dexcool. I called FedEx and they said the earliest I could hope to get it now is sometime tomorrow. (DOH!):banghead:
Maddeningly, the FedEx Home guy apparently showed up with my hose kit from Atlantic British while I was out getting the Dexcool. I called FedEx and they said the earliest I could hope to get it now is sometime tomorrow. (DOH!):banghead:
ptschram
Well-known member
Yep. I've tried that in the past, but they've just ignored it.
I stuck a note on asking them to call me on my cell phone. They insist on coming to my back door (through the back yard with my 95lb German Shepherd...go figure???) because my house actually fronts on a steep dirt road that most delivery trucks can't make it up. The other problem is that the back door has no doorbell and even if it did, I couldn't hear it up in the 3rd floor of my house where my office is.
I may just call them back and tell them to hold the pkg at the depot so I can go get it first thing in the morning.
Tonight, I'm going to move forward with pulling the fan off, trying to find a definite source for the leak, flushing the system, and replacing the serpentine belt so that I will just need to put the new hoses on and fill/bleed the system. As long as it isn't the water pump, I'm hoping to be up and running in the morning. (The wife desperately wants to take the Disco to a pig roast we have to attend tomorrow afternoon so we can show it off...I'd sure like to take it too since it's on a farm near the PA/WV boarder and there's lots of opportunity to have some fun with it.)
I'd probably be asking for trouble, but I have to admit that the in line t-stat mod is looking pretty tempting right about now...
I stuck a note on asking them to call me on my cell phone. They insist on coming to my back door (through the back yard with my 95lb German Shepherd...go figure???) because my house actually fronts on a steep dirt road that most delivery trucks can't make it up. The other problem is that the back door has no doorbell and even if it did, I couldn't hear it up in the 3rd floor of my house where my office is.
I may just call them back and tell them to hold the pkg at the depot so I can go get it first thing in the morning.
Tonight, I'm going to move forward with pulling the fan off, trying to find a definite source for the leak, flushing the system, and replacing the serpentine belt so that I will just need to put the new hoses on and fill/bleed the system. As long as it isn't the water pump, I'm hoping to be up and running in the morning. (The wife desperately wants to take the Disco to a pig roast we have to attend tomorrow afternoon so we can show it off...I'd sure like to take it too since it's on a farm near the PA/WV boarder and there's lots of opportunity to have some fun with it.)
I'd probably be asking for trouble, but I have to admit that the in line t-stat mod is looking pretty tempting right about now...
Well, things are looking ugly. I did manage to pickup the package from the FedEx facility early Saturday morning, but it wasn't until this morning that I was able to start poking at the hoses on the truck.
I've been completely unable to get the fan clutch off, but I did succeed in pulling the old serpentine belt off and getting a better look at the leak. It definitely isn't coming from the hoses...I didn't capture a picture of it, but the coolant is dumping from the weep hole in the water pump. I had one of buddies who is a lot more accomplished at this stuff than I and he concurs that I need a water pump at this point. After we both dug around a little more in the engine bay, it's safe to say that the car also needs at least a set of valve cover gaskets and (assuming the head gasket was actually blown) it will also need a new head gasket because it's looking pretty obvious that the motor hasn't been torn down any time recently.
Needless to say that I'll be on the horn to the s.o.b.'s that sold me the truck first thing tomorrow morning. My buddy is suggesting we replace the water pump anyway and see what happens.
One other thing of note....Condition of the oil. When it first overheated, I had driven the Disco roughly 12-15 miles. My friend and I both checked the oil again this afternoon. It was still clear, and didn't have any odd smells or unusual consistency. My concern was that the dealer (or someone) had gotten it to run as will as it does by dumping a can of engine medic in the oil. This doesn't appear to be the case since the oil isn't tacky and the coolant doesn't appear to be contaminating the oil.
I've been completely unable to get the fan clutch off, but I did succeed in pulling the old serpentine belt off and getting a better look at the leak. It definitely isn't coming from the hoses...I didn't capture a picture of it, but the coolant is dumping from the weep hole in the water pump. I had one of buddies who is a lot more accomplished at this stuff than I and he concurs that I need a water pump at this point. After we both dug around a little more in the engine bay, it's safe to say that the car also needs at least a set of valve cover gaskets and (assuming the head gasket was actually blown) it will also need a new head gasket because it's looking pretty obvious that the motor hasn't been torn down any time recently.
Needless to say that I'll be on the horn to the s.o.b.'s that sold me the truck first thing tomorrow morning. My buddy is suggesting we replace the water pump anyway and see what happens.
One other thing of note....Condition of the oil. When it first overheated, I had driven the Disco roughly 12-15 miles. My friend and I both checked the oil again this afternoon. It was still clear, and didn't have any odd smells or unusual consistency. My concern was that the dealer (or someone) had gotten it to run as will as it does by dumping a can of engine medic in the oil. This doesn't appear to be the case since the oil isn't tacky and the coolant doesn't appear to be contaminating the oil.
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