That sweet scary smell

[iamdub]

Plain gaskets. LS engines are 100% or nearly-100% O-ring gasketed. Did you find evidence of leaking around your pump?

 

[YukonandtheHOE]

95% of the time the water pump to block gasket fails and the pump is still fine.

 

[S1nemesis1s]

Also, wanted to ask, what are some good hose clamps? I will be replacing the hoses as well.

 

[TheAutumnWind]

Okay Gurus, thank you! The part is original and I am going to do a coolant flush anyways so I ordered a new one online, let me ask you this: I see that it comes with gaskets. Do I still need to RTV them or should I just install with the plain gaskets?

I used RTV. It probably wasn't necessary, but made me feel better about it.

 

[S1nemesis1s]

I used RTV. It probably wasn't necessary, but made me feel better about it.

See I am in this camp too lol. I think I will.

 

[iamdub]

Also, wanted to ask, what are some good hose clamps? I will be replacing the hoses as well.

I reuse the factory spring clamps for that clean OEM look. If you must change them with something else, regular worm gear style clamps are fine. Just get quality stainless steel clamps and not the cheapest you can find. Wurth makes a quality product >CLICK HERE< and so does ABA/NORMA >CLICK HERE<

 

[S1nemesis1s]

I am going back with Dexcool from Prestone - any objections to that? I have read both camps, and where this truck has so many miles, 166,+ I am afraid to switch it up.

 

[S1nemesis1s]

I reuse the factory spring clamps for that clean OEM look. If you must change them with something else, regular worm gear style clamps are fine. Just get quality stainless steel clamps and not the cheapest you can find. Wurth makes a quality product >CLICK HERE< and so does ABA/NORMA >CLICK HERE<

Thanks I will keep that in mind!

 

[iamdub]

I am going back with Dexcool from Prestone - any objections to that? I have read both camps, and where this truck has so many miles, 166,+ I am afraid to switch it up.

That's what I've always used and I've never had any problems with it. Also, I'm a bit of a "flush freak" with cooling systems. I use the Prestone kit that allows you to hook up your garden hose. I flush it according to the direction. Then I flush it with a whole box (the mid-size box) of Cascade. Then garden hose to get the Cascade out. Then 6-8 gallons of distilled water (filling through the garden hose port while it drains out the upper rad hose). I feel and smell the water for evidence of soap, then go 1-2 gallons more to be sure. Then I fill it with the premixed stuff, purge the air, and top it off with Water Wetter. This ends up not being a perfect 50/50 ratio since there's already distilled water in the system. But, it doesn't freeze around here and plain water cools more efficiently so the higher water-to-antifreeze ratio actually helps with cooling. I know it all sounds overboard, but it's a once every 100,000 mile operation and I like having zero doubts about as much as possible, especially with the family on a road trip.

 

[rockola1971]

Me personally I replace all dexpuke when I get a vehicle with it. Its ok until it gets contaminated then it solidifies up and looks like puke with chunks. Clogs up the radiator and heater cores. I just use the regular old green ethylene glycol thats been around for 80 years and worked all those decades just fine and mix with distilled water.