Engine/Transmission (1998.5 - 2002) Head Gasket Leak???

[GBrock]

I started noticing coolant leaking approx 40 miles ago. I parked the truck for a few days until I had a chance to track down the leak. It's really hard to tell where the leak is originating. I washed it off, dried with fans then tried to track the leak again. It seems to be coming from the center of the motor... or the head gasket... . can't really tell. Center of the motor meaning the big pulley in the center. Is that the gear shaft or crank case pulley? I don't have my service manual handy right now so I can't remember.



I replaced the water pump 15,000 miles ago so I doubt the WP is the culprit. I read a few posts from guys on here that kept driving with a HG leak. Is this ok to do for a few hundred miles? I won't have the time to fix it until then.



How hard is replacing the HG if I have a service manual? Can an amateur like myself handle a HG change? I try to do all my own work within reason. And money is a limiting factor for me as well (big pay cut recently).

 

[MHagen]

I would suspect something went wrong with the water pump install. If your not sure have a shop pressure test the system. Most shops its like 20 bucks.



Mike

 

[GBrock]

I suspected the same thing however the leak doesn't seem to be comng from the WP.

 

[GBrock]

Had my mechanic take a look. He seems to think it's the waterpump but he can't get to it until the middle of the month so he's just taking a guess for now. I pressed him on the probability of it being the HG and he said that there would be more seapage at the head... . the water I was seeing at the HG was just spray from the Harmonic Balancer, which was picking it up fromthe leaking WP.



I just replaced the WP a year ago... wtf?

 

[NoSeeUm]

Why did you replace the water pump?



Jim

 

[GBrock]

It failed after 140,000 miles. I'm sure it was the original. I went with a WP from O'Reilly. I believe it's lifetime guarantee but still, I'll have to pay the labor twice unless I can do it myself.