Car issues with a 99 gmc jimmy?

Question

if the car is drivable but keeps overheating, are those symptoms of a blown head gasket or a fried water pump? ive had the car for four years and put 100000 miles on it myself, i bought it used with like 53000 on it. if its neither of those, what would the signs of smoke coming out behind the middle pulley on the 4.3 litre and the car overheating?

also, its been leaking antifreeze like a strainer for about a week or so.

Answer 1

bad water pump. I'm guessing the "third pully" is the water pump. They're designed so that if the inner seal fails they'll leak through a hole (weep hole) in the pump as an idicator. Cheap and Easy fix.

Answer 2

usually if the pump fails, it will leak. If the smoke you describe is actually steam, then that is your problem. A broken head gasket will also allow coolant to enter the combustion chamber and deplete the radiator. If the radiator is full (don't open when hot) and the fan is turning then the problem could be the thermostat (they don't last forever). Cheap fix. Careful loosening the thermostat housing bolts.

Answer 3

That "smoke" you see is steam. The water pump is leaking. That is why you are using antifreeze, and will also account for that puddle.
Replace the water pump, and while you are at it, replace the serpentine belt (unless you have recently), thermostat, and refresh the antifreeze. Replace the radiator cap also as a matter of maintenance.

Answer 4

it sounds like a water pump problem, the smoke your seeing is the bearing in the water pump locking down. It has a small hole towards the bottom of the water pump and most leak out through that.

Answer 5

if you see smoke behind the pulley it is your water pump that is not smoke it is steam replace the water pump

Answer 6

Check the radiator.

Answer 7

leaking it from where? It could also be a bad radiator.