1991 ck1500 Coolant Leak HELP !!!!!!

[jimdarkwoods]

I have a 1991 ck1500, V6 4.3 Liter Motor.

Just came back from town, and noticed its leaking coolant pretty badly out of a spot i cant find anywhere in the Chiltens Book.

Its a metal Pipe that connects into the top of the Engine, just Left of the Distributer Cap. It looks to me like the pipe connects from the Motor to the Heater. Im just trying to figure out what the name of the pipe is. and if its a hard replace. The 1st 10 inches of pipe is Metal, and then the rest is Rubber that goes to the Heater. It just looks like its leaking where it connects to the Motor at.


Anyones help would be much appricated. I took photos of it, but this forum wont let me upload them.

[Blue 04 Z71]

Its a coolant quick disconnect. They are known to break off in the manifold because they get brittle over the years. If you get lucky and it comes out in one piece go to lowes or home depot and get a brass barbed fitting to replace it. It will last alot longer than that quick disconnect fitting. And you'll need some heater hose also. I forget the thread size but I believe its 1/2 or 3/4.
Here is what the part you need looks like if you want to go stock again
http://www.autozone.com/autozone/acc...er=238651_0_0_

[Stevenc942]

You may consider not yelling. "!!!" I've seen in the past where it has actually limited the responses but I know what you mean, you're in a tight and it happens to all at some point...

The replacement disconnects (aftermarket) are made of steel and are not subject to the brittle condition like the stock piece. They will attach to your current hose and come out in one piece if needed in the future.

[jimdarkwoods]

Thank you guys sooo much for responding, I really appricate it. I didnt mean to come across as Yelling, This thing breaking kind of put me in a bind, i build and sell furniture for a living and had a big order i had to deliver this weekend, and then this was going to make my life a nightmare. So i was more in a panic then yelling.

Im going to go out and soak it in some Wd40, let it soak nicely into the joint, maybe tap on it a few times, spray some more wd40 on it and try and get it out, then head to Home Depot, and get that replacement fitting.

Thanks again for your help, Its def going to make things better in my Life this week.

[jimdarkwoods]

Well things went from bad to worse... I just barely, just with the slighestest amount of pressure started to take the bolt off, and the damn thing broke off leaving all the threads inside the Engine block.

Tried using an Easy Out to get it out, and it wouldnt come out. uuuggghhhh.... now i dont even know what to do.

[96Z71Siverado]

Dont sweat it...there's a couple ways to go about it.... get a metal cutting blade small enough to fit itn the hole, and make cuts at 12 oclock and 6 oclock position then chisel the pieces out, or you may get away using a small sharp chisel only to bust it out..the barts store actually sells a thread tap for this reason..its just going to take some patients...
I believe the OEM part is aluminum so its prety soft..had to do the same thing on a budies truck..took about an hour but worked out fine..
and btw , I didnt read anything in your original post to give me any indication you were yealling at anybody..dont know what "stevenc942 is talking about..did you delete something you said?

[Stevenc942]

dont know what "stevenc942 is talking about..did you delete something you said?

We cleared that up...it's a common forum faux pas.

OP try the things stated above. It always seems way worse than it is right after it breaks. With some careful chipping the material will give up pretty fast. I believe it has a high magnesium content which causes this. Once you get it out and if you have some usable threads left the replacement steel piece is much more durable.

[jimdarkwoods]

Well ive been chipping away and used a metal cutting blade to cut at 12:00 and 6:00. Once i did that 50% of it just peeled up, and i was able to pull it out with tweezers.
But this other half is pretty rough, ive been using Dental picks, and a small rounded chisel, and punch, and wire brush, tooth brush, anything and everything i can to get it out ... and its just like breaking off and crumbling off, and pieces are getting trapped below the depth of the threads..

Ive noticed alot of crap is falling into the Coolant system, Would it be a good idea (once i get it all assembled) to leave the connection into the Heater unplugged, and turn on the truck and kind of flush all that crud up thru the new hose and out, so it doesnt get trapped in the system.

[Stevenc942]

Well ive been chipping away and used a metal cutting blade to cut at 12:00 and 6:00. Once i did that 50% of it just peeled up, and i was able to pull it out with tweezers.
But this other half is pretty rough, ive been using Dental picks, and a small rounded chisel, and punch, and wire brush, tooth brush, anything and everything i can to get it out ... and its just like breaking off and crumbling off, and pieces are getting trapped below the depth of the threads..

Ive noticed alot of crap is falling into the Coolant system, Would it be a good idea (once i get it all assembled) to leave the connection into the Heater unplugged, and turn on the truck and kind of flush all that crud up thru the new hose and out, so it doesnt get trapped in the system.

You can try but there's so many nooks in there that likely none will come up. If you have a shop vac you can use a funnel or some kind of reducer (with duct tape) so you can insert a small hose and suck them out that way. I had a few that I never got out of mine and it hasn't been a problem. I suspect they became stuck in a corner somewhere and don't move.

[cancritter]

tool for removal

[jimdarkwoods]

Thank you all very much ! I got it fixed doing everything you all said to do. Going to upload some pictures

[Srabai47]

why not pull the intake manifold and fix it while its off the engine. im glad you fixed it but for future readers it might be easier and while your down there you can throw a new intake manifold gasket in there to prevent future issues.

[jimdarkwoods]

Well here is some photos of the whole process, for anyone in the future who may go thru the same thing. Again i really appricate everyones responce. Everything that was communicated to me over this thread was done, and it got fixed and works perfect again. Took it for about a 20 minute drive up some pretty steep hills, not even 1 drop came out.



The whole fix including the 50/50 fluid was $50.00, and took me about 2 hours. It wasnt too bad as long as u took your time. I wasnt able to get it out with the easyout though, i had to actually cut and chisel it out. I also turned on the rig with the Coolant pipe that went into the heater, pointing down into a White pan, and ran the motor and cleaned out any crud that fell down, it actually had a good chunk of the crud in the pan, then i clamped in the last hose and put in fresh fluid.

[cancritter]

glad you got it sorted...welcome to the site

[96Z71Siverado]

Glad you fixed it...see .. a little patients pays off..:)

[jimdarkwoods]

Took it last night for about a 2 hour drive, still not 1 drop came out. Its fixed !!!! Big sigh of releif !!!!

I owe you guys a round of beers