I have coolant draining out thru the overflow tube. The tube located next to the radiator cap. The engine is real hot after driving about 30 minutes at hwy speeds; yet the heater isn't creating much heat. Would a thermostat stuck full open?, or a thermostat stuck closed, cause that?,....or is it only possible that the waterpump is shot? Diagnostics is not one of my strong suits.....any ideas on the camaros reason for it's weeping syndrome?
thanks

 

its the water pump well not really the water pump but the impellers INSIDE the water pump. they spin the water through the engine and when they go the water just sits... be careful because of this SAME problem i blew my head gasket . Go to O'Reilleys and get a new water pump with a lifetime warranty for 175.00

 

Do you mean that the overflow tube is flowing coolant into the reservoir, or is there a leak in the overflow tube, causing it to escape before it reaches the reservoir?

When does this happen - 1) all the time?... 2) only when the coolant is heating up?

You indicate "The engine is real hot". What is the coolant temp gauge reading?

 

I unfortunately didn't do a very extenssive investigation of my leak, prior to posting,...I'm sorry! I thought i had a leak of coolant fluid leaking out the radiator's neck rubber-drain-tube. That tube should lead to the reservoiur ( but, i thought i saw that it just went straight down the side of the radiator)
"That's yet another issue if it doesn't lead back into the reservoiur."

Wednesday I discovered the leak was a pin leak about 1" below the radiator cap, facing the A/C condensor or trans cooler or engine oil cooler, whichever it is, it's getting drenched with a steady spraying of coolant, after the engine is warm and creating pressure. The leak may be as a result to overlooked issued from a few years back with unresolved over-heating, from fans underproduction of cold air flow, the thermostat frozen upen or closed, or a water pump gone bad but has no weep-hole leak.

I have always assumed that if the water-pump goes "south", it will leak. Is that a bad assumption??

If memory serves me correctly the spay mist gas vapor that tipped me off of the coolant leak exposed itself only during the right lighting conditions that make it seen as a visible vaporization above the passenger headlight area, as seen from the driver's seat, with light passing thru it, while pulling into the garage. This spay-mist-fog appeared 2 years ago, but, was untraced, and left unresolved at that time. Now as i'm relying on driving the Z-28, do to my second vehicle a '98Blazer having now developed a tranny shift issue.

I think the temperature guage read below the temp needed to trigger fans; but, it is hot enough to fry an egg in 10 seconds, i'm sure. That's what i'm calling "Hot".

Also the heater core isn't producing hot air, could be do to (1) too low of coolant level, now. (2) clogged. (3) water-pump not circulating coolant, so not pushing heated coolant fluid to the heater-core.

Could having a clogged heater-core cause the rest of the cooling system to malfunction or is the hoses to it, able to by-passed allowing the rest of the engine and components to maintain cooling capabilities.?

I know this will be an ongoing issue as that Summer is coming and the A/C is not working and will cause me to have to revisit this or a very similar issue very soon, as well.
Thnx for your responses, and sorry again for my previous misdiagnosis of the source of the leak.

 

A clogged heater core won't cause the rest of your issues.

A bad water pump will begin to leak 100% of the time when it's on it's way out. There is only one part to wear out (impeller support bearings), and when it does, it leaks.

If you've got a pin-hole leak in the radiator, just plug it or get a new radiator.

 

Replacing a "good" water pump" is a adventure i'm glad now, that i may avoid, since it's not leaking.

thanks RamAir95TA

 

OK..... let's try this one more time.

WHAT IS THE TEMPERATURE IN NUMBERS?

The fans turn on at low speed at 226*F, high speed at 235*F. If its running below the fan turn-on temperature, the needle on the gauge should be close to the center marking = 210*F. That's the temperature GM designed it to run at.

You have a leak in the radiator. It blows coolant out when the coolant heats up and builds pressure. When you shut the engine off, and the coolant starts to cool down, with no leaks in the system the radiator will develop a vacuum, and that vacuum will pull replacement coolant in from the reservoir. Since you have a leak in the radiator, the system can't develop a vacuum, and probably isn't replacing the lost coolant from the reservoir.

If it's still running close to the middle of the gauge, but a bit higher than normal, the leak, and inability of the system to refill itself and prevent air entering the system would account for the increased operating temperature.

It sounds like you are going to let it leak until "Summer", when the A/C becomes a problem of some sort. Might want to think about replacing or repairing the leaking radiator now, rather than waiting another 4 months.

 

Sorry for the delay in response!

I checked coolant levels in both the reservour and under rad cap. The fluid form reservour after topping-off, is going into radiator adding to it's level, when it begins falling.

Took the car on a 10 min trip 65mph max., in (ambient temp of 33degF)
The car temp reading was 185degF car in now "Park".
Then i moved car in garage(ambient temp of 45degF), then let sit for 45 min, engine "OFF", the temp reading was 198degreeF.

I'm in process of troubleshooting old issues from before a June'08 apparent game of chicken with an 18 wheeler, on June '08 (that i lost);(including the radiator issue/overheating-stalling-out when 85degF stop+go city driving/ AC inop)....and new issues arrising from the 18 wheeler incident where i dodged getting ran over; but had to crash the camaro thru 2 sets of cement curbs instead. That's when i decided to park the car (new issues "may or maynot" involve bugered-up wheel bearings, crossmemeber now gone, maybe driveshaft out of balance, steering linkage components bent/skewed, anti-swaybar messed-up, upper - lower balljoints. I already replaced the smashed-up white spokes, with used set of tires mounted on salad shooter wheels off a '94 camaro. Im just now getting started the long journey of camaro "fixing".