Just watch your temp gauge, and coolant level. It doesn't take much coolant to make a BIG mess. So long as fluid levels are up to snuff, you will be ok for a little while.

This IS something you want to address SOON though. Get the wifes car back on the road, and get the truck fixed.

You have to pull the fan to get the shroud out of the way. I don't know if you have the style of water pump that has the pressed on pulley...... (I am still learning about these too, been a GM man most of my life)

You should be able to get the engine warm, so that it is actually leaking, and open the hood with the engine running. CAREFULLY look and see if you can't see where it is coming from.

 

Okay, TYVM everyone for the insight, and suggestions. Looks like I'll be checking out the water pump asap. Found some online for 50-60$, so not quite as bad as I was expecting. Hopefully the parts stores around here, have some for roughly the same price, so I can skip shipping charges.

I'll keep looking tomorrow tho, when I can see, and try to pinpoint the leak. Thank you all again.

 

Take the belt off, and take that idler off and clean it up that way... And while the belt is off, grab the water pump pulley and feel for any play in it. If there is any play, the pump is prolly shot

 

check the thermostat housing also there prone to leaking and thats about the area coolant will spit into

 

Yeh I'm wondering about that thermostat housing area too, cause when I looked straight down, in front of the throttle body, where the thermostat housing is...there is a pile of greenish/ brownish dried up gunk there. Looks like it may have been leaking from there for a while. I looked all around, the best I could with a flashlight around where that radiator hose goes into the manifold, and none of the freshly leaked coolant was there, or on the hose there. But there's definitely been something leaking there. Sigh.
It's all on/ in front of the acces. bracket. Sooo...guess I will have to check both areas out. Thx.

 

mine did this.... it ended up being a blown timing chain cover gasket

 

well turns out it was the waterpump. I cleaned up the area around the thermostat housing and replaced the thermostat. After I did that, the next day, the truck threw a code. Stopped by autozone, and got P1281 I think it was. Low coolant level/ failed thermostat was what they told me. Well, I had just replaced the thermostat, and the coolant level wasn't low, so I cleared the code and drove a few more days. Few days later, the belt starts squealing like mad, so when I get to work, I pop the hood, and there's coolant everywhere. Waterpump went out. Now it gets interesting though.

I replace the waterpump and another thermostat, and it's good for a couple weeks. Proud of myself as it's pretty much the first motor work I've done by myself on my own vehicle ever. Sidenote ( I used this forums waterpump DIY, and did not need to remove the alternator or a/c compressor to replace it. Just remove fan/ shroud) Anyways, it's been two weeks now since the waterpump replacement, and threw another code today. Stopped in autozone, and it's the same code as before. Low coolant/ failed thermostat. Now I'm confused. This will be the second "failed" brand-new thermostat, in 3 weeks. WTH. I just dont want to make the same mistake as last time and keep driving it, and have the waterpump go out again. Any suggestions? I can't watch this post as my internet is down (am at the neighbors) but will check back in a couple days, see if any suggestions are worth trying. I appreciate any help. Sorry to make this long, but I gotta add a bit more info. as it may help with an answer.

First time I did the thermostat, the temp reading worked til I got home. Next day, went to work and the temp didn't move at all. (this is a 180 deg. fail-safe t.stat, so it stays open when it fails) But it sat at the bottom, until it threw a code.
Second time, when I did the waterpump and t.stat, the temp reading in cab has been working fine since I did it. And the temp reading is currently working fine, but it's still throwing the code. Does this mean the thermostat has/ hasn't failed if it reads regular temps? It seems to be reading at approx. 180 deg. like it's supposed to. Should I spend the 5$ and replace the coolant temp sensor in the top of the manifold maybe?? Again, suggestions are appreciated, thx.

 

You might just need to burp your cooling system again. When I got my truck, it was rather low on coolant, so, filled, ran the engine warm, let the thermo cycle a couple times, topped it off, and called it good. Drove it for a few days, and had to add some more coolant. Since then, the level has remained where it should be.

Do you have one, or two temp sensors on the manifold? Are they plugged in good? I think the PCM drives the gauge, via its reading of the temp sensor.......

It is also possible that just because it is a 180 thermo, and the PCM is expecting 195, that may be confusing the PCM, so, it sets the code.

 

he only has one sensor. i would change it and see if it help but i wouldnt buy a failsafe temostats because i had one and it kept messing up just get the durlast one and it will work much better

 

alright, thanx for the advice. Autozone has said they'd give me instore credit for the thermostats if I bring them both in, so guess I'll go grab another thermostat, non failsafe, and give it a whirl. What happens without the failsafe? Overheats? I had autozone clear the code, but have to drive 100 or so miles for work tomorrow, so im hoping it'll last til the weekend. thx again