HI,

Been chasing this for a couple day. Wife told me her car was blowing steam so I looked and figured it was the water pump. I changed it and it'* still leaking pretty bad. I used my phone and got some video and then compared to what I can find online. Pretty sure it'* the timing cover but I REALLY want to be sure before I start tearing in to this thing. I've attached a video.

Also, would love some guidance. Maybe a link?

Please and thank yous are not enough.

Kind of difficult to tell where the camera is. I believe it is upside down next to the water-pump pulley towards the front of the car, and the camera is facing towards the driver'* side.

That isn't likely to be the timing cover. That is likely to be a failed coolant elbow. This is the elbow that connects the tensioner assembly to the lower-intake manifold. The plastic ones fail all the time.

Imagine you can pass through solid objects, then put your head inside the strut tower. Look horizontally at the face of the water pump pulley. Draw an imaginary clock on it with 12:00 straight up. The coolant elbow is between 12:00 and 01:00 . Find it cold, start the engine and let it build pressure, shut the engine off, find it again. I'd bet coolant is gushing from there.

If this is the issue, there are a million Youtube videos of this fix, and many threads here as well. If you're used to doing it, plan on taking an hour. If not and you're fairly handy with this kind of stuff plan on two or three. Always replace this plastic elbow with a metal one.

More questions etc. or a better video, please let us know.

That'* where the camera is pointing.

I was thinking, at first, that it could be the elbow but then I found a video or two on youtube.

From what I can tell, I would have to get to the tube to do the other so if it isn't the tube I won't have wasted any time.

Thank you very much!

I'll let you know. Hopefully I can get to that tonight.

If the black plastic elbow is the culprit, Dorman 47065HP is the metal replacement part.

I changed the elbows with the Dorman parts. Still leaking. :-?

it'* behind the water pump, along the block, right behind where the radiator hose attaches.

Since I'm not there to visually inspect it, is it now a situation of the RTV or Gasket of the waterpump has failed on your new pump?

Was thinking same. Or thermostat housing gasket failed or isn't tightened down . . . ?

If anybody is reading this post still, I had the same problem, I changed the water pump and I believe you have to put RTV silicone on the long bolts that hold the water pump in place. I didn't do this and didn't realize it until after i went all the way to the timing chain to fix the cover gasket. Not saying my problem wasn't the timing cover gasket but had i known this i would have tried to seal the water pump bolts first. It was a job and i worried most about where the timing cover meets the oil pan but nothing leaked after wards and that has been over a year now. I packed the bolt holes with rtv silicone on the way out though. 2007 Pontiac Grand Prix. Changed the elbows a long time ago too.

Thanks for the input!

I'm thinking yours was probably the timing cover. I've done a few 3800 Series 2 water pumps and never added RTV. Others may have different experience

It'* been 90 days since the OP last posted so I'm guessing they're not coming back. Others might find the information useful though!

Yeah i post for others in the future because i had this same problem a year ago, i just joined this forum today working on an ac issue and seen this post. I read somewhere about the screws needing to be sealed, i think its a back up move in case the gasket fails, and my thought was if the original person sealed the bolts , when i took them out it may of tore the gasket that i never intended to change but thinking about it i think your right, it was the problem the whole time, what a pain that was at 55 years old in the driveway.