smoke from engine and antifreeze everywhere!

[BlueCollarTahoe]

today my truck got hurt. i made a turn like i susually do then noticed some smoke from the fornt of the car. i thought it was the tuner car in front so i go around and see its coming from car!! i pull over and white smoke everywhere and coolant is leaking from under. i open the hood and smoke seems to be coming from where two hoses go down into the middle of the engine and on the other side of the block where the power steering fluid goes. theres coolant splashed everywhere. i look in the coolant tank and theres nothing in it. im not sure what to do i wait a while and see if maybe i can at least get it running to a mechanic. once it seems to cool down i pour some coolant in the tank i had for emergencies in the trunk it just leaked out the bottom of the truck. thought maybe if i could get it circulating it would work. i started the engine as i poured and the leak became a drip. i hop in and try to drive but the smoke comes up again and engine lights come on. i pull over and turn it off. had to get a tow truck come get it andput it up until i can get it to a mechanic. he said hes seen worse might be some broken hoses. family member says maybe cracked radiator. anyone have any idea? by time we got to the spot i had him put it the car was cold to the touch no more leaking fluid once it wasnt moving.

2004 chevy tahoe 96k miles, V8 5.3 L engine i changed the engine oil a couple weeks back. car was driving normal until this afternoon.

 

[MrBalll]

Before you send it off to a mechanic you out to save money and work on it yourself.
Just pour distilled water in the res tank and see where it's coming out of. If it's a hose go to an auto store and get a replacement. If it's the radiator order one and put it in yourself. Won't take more than a few bolts and you're done.

Just a suggestion. If nothing else get under there and look around.

 

[BlueCollarTahoe]

Before you send it off to a mechanic you out to save money and work on it yourself.
Just pour distilled water in the res tank and see where it's coming out of. If it's a hose go to an auto store and get a replacement. If it's the radiator order one and put it in yourself. Won't take more than a few bolts and you're done.

Just a suggestion. If nothing else get under there and look around.

i just looked at replacement radiators online they were as expensive as i thought. the acdelco is reasonable. i honestly have no idea where its coming from. there are two black hoses that scoop down into the front middle of the engine. it looks like the hose "plugs" into some sort of aluminum housing. it looks like the coolant is leaking from that housing or those hoses. distilled water wont damage the car?

 

[MrBalll]

I wouldn't suggest running it with distilled for a long time, but it's a good thing to fully clean out the system when you replace the radiator fluid.
Just be sure to put in fluid to make up for the 50/50 mix with the water.

 

[HiHoeSilver]

Was there a giant puddle of antifreeze when it happened, or could it have been leaking a little for a long time? If you leaked that much that fast, you should be able to see where it's coming from if you fill that bad boy with water...

 

[BlueCollarTahoe]

i googled some pics and this is where it looks like the coolant is leaking from in my truck. that silver housing those two hoses are going into or something under it. this is where its all spilling from says lower radiator hose in image search

 

[BlueCollarTahoe]

granted this is my first car that i ever really wanted and im not a mechanci but damn this is worrying me lol i dont know h0w you guys do it

 

[Tonyrodz]

Looks like the heater hoses, that go from the water pump to the heater core on the passenger side of the firewall. Did you check the clamps? Could possibly be a split on the underside of the hose that you can't see looking down. Reach down and run your fingers underneath the hoses at the connection --where the clamps are holding them onto the water pump. Coolant will always stay wet. Any coolant on your fingers, there's your leak. Keep us updated.

 

[BlueCollarTahoe]

Looks like the heater hoses, that go from the water pump to the heater core on the passenger side of the firewall. Did you check the clamps? Could possibly be a split on the underside of the hose that you can't see looking down. Reach down and run your fingers underneath the hoses at the connection --where the clamps are holding them onto the water pump. Coolant will always stay wet. Any coolant on your fingers, there's your leak. Keep us updated.

i touched it with gloves on but to be honest everything was covered in the stuff i couldnt really tell either way, i know when i poured fresh coolant in the tank it seem to spill from this particular area at a heavy flow.

 

[HiHoeSilver]

i googled some pics and this is where it looks like the coolant is leaking from in my truck. that silver housing those two hoses are going into or something under it. this is where its all spilling from says lower radiator hose in image search

That's your water pump, buddy. Easy peasy.