Chevy Siverado 5.3 over heating issue solved.

dej(Jed) · Aug 25, 2014

1. It wasn't bad antifreeze.
2. It wasn't bad head gaskets.
3. It wasn't a bad intake gasket.
4. It wasn't clogged radiator fins.
5. It wasn't the thermostat.
6. It wasn't a clogged line between the heads.
7. It wasn't the temperature sensor.
8. It wasn't the gauge cluster.
9. It wasn't an overheating tranny.

When I dropped the serpintine(sp) belt I noticed drag/slipping marks on the fan blade metal wheel. Under a load the bearing in the water pump was hanging up. I had the choice of a rebuilt pump or a new pump. I went with the new pump and the problem is now gone. Thank you all.

mite-help · Aug 25, 2014

Thanks for follow-up! glad you fixed it-you went down the whole list on that one---

Ellis Kinney · Aug 25, 2014

Do they call that shotgun maintenance? Ellis

dej(Jed) · Aug 25, 2014

I guess shotgun maintenance is a good word. Mr. Good Wrench at the local shop was clueless.

Steve@Advance · Aug 25, 2014

Well, learned something new.

I don't recall ever seeing a water pump lock and then free itself, that would have been the last thing I would have suspected. In fact, I don't recall ever seeing one lock. Leak, rattle, break off, but never lock up!

I've got an 01 4.8 Silverado. The factory pump went 100,000 and started leaking. Went through 3 new aftermarket pumps, first one leaked at the seal, second one the pulley broke around the weld, third leaked around the upper hose neck. All withing 6 months, all warranty with different brands.

Finally gave up and paid the price for a Delco pump, so far so good, better not brag though!

Glad you found it!

Anonymous-0 · Aug 25, 2014

If you get the wrong belt it can look good and
tight
but the tensioner may be at the end of it's travel

leaving the belt tight or not tight enough

make sure the tensioner has more travel left when
installed and tensioned

IndianaRed · Aug 25, 2014

New pump AND new belt?

MarkB_MI · Aug 25, 2014

Thanks for posting your solution. I learn something new every day.

Bob · Aug 25, 2014

That's darned near UNBELIEVABLE!

How many miles transpired between the onset of the problem and the "fix"? (I would have though after a few miles the WP would have seized, and burnt the belt off!)

It would be interesting to stop at a helpful dealership and have them search the GM tech database for other reports/TSB's of the same problem... I can see that going two ways... either it's gonna be a more common problem than we would have imagined, or they've never heard of it before!

Chevy Siverado 5.3 over heating issue solved.

dej(Jed)

Well-known Member

mite-help

Member

Ellis Kinney

Well-known Member

dej(Jed)

Well-known Member

Steve@Advance

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Anonymous-0

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IndianaRed

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MarkB_MI

Well-known Member

Bob

Well-known Member

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