LLY water pump issue possibly?

hypforlife32

New member
May 8, 2016
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Whats up guys, i have a 05 drama with 146k miles on it. I replaced the water pump with a merchant welded one in sept, october of last year as it was leaking out of the weep hole pretty good. Well yesterday i experienced somewhat the same thing. I went outside this morning and noticed a puddle under my truck near the water pump location, i looked under and the steering stabilzer was wet along with the oil pan, and coolant cross over tube. Is this ANOTHER water pump that i need to replace? I thought merchants product was supposed to prevent this? I am letting it sit overnight to check for hard upper rad hose and what not. I i checked it this morning before i started it and it was on the soft side. Has anyone ever had this happen to them? I'm about a week and half away from towing my trailer about 3 hours to OC md and back so i would to figure this out asap. Thanks guys!
 

TheBac

Why do I keep doing this?
Staff member
Apr 19, 2008
15,611
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Mid Michigan
When you did the pump the first time, did you replace the short hose directly above the balancer? If not, it could've failed.

I also think you might have the Merchant's waterpump confused with his transfer case pump rub kit. The former is simply welded to help keep the impeller on, it does not improve the waterpump basic design. The pump rub kit fixes the wear-thru issue on the Tcase.
 

IOWA LLY

Yes, its really me
Feb 23, 2007
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You should check for water leaks. But only you can see where it's leaking from. I looked really hard at my screen but I can't tell for sure where it's coming from.

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Awenta

Active member
Sep 28, 2014
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You should check for water leaks. But only you can see where it's leaking from. I looked really hard at my screen but I can't tell for sure where it's coming from.

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:spit: :hug:

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Mwaterman1

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Oct 30, 2014
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pittsfield maine
Check the pipe coming out of the back side of the water pump going down to the oil cooler, mine would leak there and actually drip down to the oil cooler, and agreed on short hose above the balancer, also seen the o ring on the top of the pump fail, if you peak in from the ds fender liner you may be able to see it


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hypforlife32

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May 8, 2016
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Well guys, I drove home from work tonight. Happened to peak under the truck and feel the hose and it was stiff, checked up hose and its stuff too. Immediately after turning the truck off. Opened the coolant container and boom. Coolant blew out all of the ground....:mad: I assume I need head gaskets.
 

Burn Down

Hotrodder
Sep 14, 2008
7,092
28
48
Boise Idaho
Yep, time for head gaskets... Mine was doing the exact same thing. I just got the heads off today and the gasket was failed on #2 and #6 cyl. Apparently Lilly's are hard on head gaskets, although mine made 5+ years on a home built low 12 second 600hp tune so I figured they owed me nothing:D
 

hypforlife32

New member
May 8, 2016
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Are these trucks any better more reliable with grade c gaskets and studs? If I do this headgasket job I want this to be the last time it comes apart for this reason. I have 146 on the odometer and it's actually been a decent truck so far. Funny think is I just recently started towing a 24ft enclosed car trailer and then my gasket goes. Egt never got over 1100! Efi live with Idaho robs tunes.
 

Chevy1925

don't know sh!t about IFS
Staff member
Oct 21, 2009
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Well guys, I drove home from work tonight. Happened to peak under the truck and feel the hose and it was stiff, checked up hose and its stuff too. Immediately after turning the truck off. Opened the coolant container and boom. Coolant blew out all of the ground....:mad: I assume I need head gaskets.

oy.... your truck was up to tempature which means you had pressure in the cooling system (up to 10-13psi). of course the rad hoses will be hard. it also blew all your coolant out cause the coolant has been under pressure. when you shut the truck off, parts of the engine are over 230*. Soon as the cap is popped, the pressure which keeps the water from boiling and the little tiny air bubbles in the system small, now expand rapidly and come rushing out that degas bottle.

your assumption is wrong without further tests that actually look for blown head gaskets....
 

c20elephant

C20ELEPHANT
Apr 25, 2013
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Phoenix, Arizona
Are these trucks any better more reliable with grade c gaskets and studs? If I do this headgasket job I want this to be the last time it comes apart for this reason. I have 146 on the odometer and it's actually been a decent truck so far. Funny think is I just recently started towing a 24ft enclosed car trailer and then my gasket goes. Egt never got over 1100! Efi live with Idaho robs tunes.

DSP5 tunes or a single tune, what tunes/tune-are/were you running when towing.?
 

hypforlife32

New member
May 8, 2016
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0
oy.... your truck was up to tempature which means you had pressure in the cooling system (up to 10-13psi). of course the rad hoses will be hard. it also blew all your coolant out cause the coolant has been under pressure. when you shut the truck off, parts of the engine are over 230*. Soon as the cap is popped, the pressure which keeps the water from boiling and the little tiny air bubbles in the system small, now expand rapidly and come rushing out that degas bottle.

your assumption is wrong without further tests that actually look for blown head gaskets....

After thinking earlier this morning our 100 percent right. This is what i have done so far. I had a friend of mine idle the truck at 1500 rpm constant for 2-3 minutes and saw no bubbles in the coolant reservoir. My temp gauge is very constant. no crazy ups and downs. sits between 180 and 186 on the way home from work. Towing not much more then 195. I did 4 back to back pulls from a low speed to about 60 and on the first pull had a puff of blackish smoke. the following pulls were clean as a whistle. no smoke on start up. Pressure tested the system to 20psi and it held...but doesnt explain the coolant leak on the front of the motor somehwere. replaced the water pump back in sept.
 
Last edited:

hypforlife32

New member
May 8, 2016
13
0
0
After thinking earlier this morning our 100 percent right. This is what i have done so far. I had a friend of mine idle the truck at 1500 rpm constant for 2-3 minutes and saw no bubbles in the coolant reservoir. My temp gauge is very constant. no crazy ups and downs. sits between 180 and 186 on the way home from work. Towing not much more then 195. I did 4 back to back pulls from a low speed to about 60 and on the first pull had a puff of blackish smoke. the following pulls were clean as a whistle. no smoke on start up. Pressure tested the system to 20psi and it held...but doesnt explain the coolant leak on the front of the motor somehwere. replaced the water pump back in sept.


Also new GM theromostats installed with water pump too.