99 blazer, v6 4.3L, 4x4, 108k mi

i noticed this last time before i filled up. (i had 3 gal left in the tank)
when i first start to put my foot on the gas from idle (stop light) i get a gurgle sound (like water), i assume its the fuel pump.

it sounds like its coming from the console / dash / passenger side
it has done it the last couple of days, mainly when i turn and accelerate
im going to fill up after work today. (probably have 4-5 gal left in the tank)
i dont accelerate fast, only street driving (45mph max) very leisure acceleration and breaking, 8-10mi trip total per day.

it happens more when turning and accelerating, which makes me think that the gas is just moving around in the tank and since it is low (<5 gal) that the pump is getting to the top of the gas. it only occurs when i am first moving from idle, i do not hear it again while moving until accelerating again from idle. (either accelerating or decelerating)

could this be something minimal (fuel filter), something bad (fuel pump), or something pointless (low gas)?

i typically drive it till i got down to 3-4 gal, and that i should not left it get too far down b/c the fuel in the tank keeps the pump from overheating (ive heard, whether myth or not, i dont know)

thanks,

 

That's not your fuel pump. It's your heater core; it needs to be flushed.
Just had mine done a month ago.

(Doesn't matter that it is summer and you aren't running your heater. It is the heater core)

 

I don't know about the flushing.
Mine was doing that, about 6 months ago. Water pump was dying, and I'd lost enough antifreeze from the WP's weep hole, so that's why there was air in the heater core.
I replaced the water pump, and filled it up with antifreeze, and that fixed it.
Check your antifreeze!

 

Could just be low coolant level. You will want to make sure that you get all of the air out of the system and probably should replace the radiator cap, especially if it is a stock cap. Get the Stant Safety cap.

Flushing the cooling system wouldn't hurt anything.

 

since i need to get the radiator flushed anyway, should i go ahead and have non-dexcool put in (so that hopefully i wont have all the problems everyone else does)

also, is it possible to change out a radiator and refill it without the help of shop?
the shop said i should do it soon, but i cant afford $200 + labor right now.
found the part online for $120. or since i drive it so little that it will last 6 months so i can junk it and get a new car?

 

Dexcool vs non-dexcool is a whole other thread(s).

I flushed once and replaced with dexcool. worked great untill I developed a leak which caused me to have my own set of dexcool sludge problems. So I have no flushed and filled with Prestone traditional green coolant.

Why do you think you need a new radiator? What did the shop indicate was the problem?

 

they said i had a leak in the radiator, but it wasnt major (i could go 6 months if i did not drive it hard)
since i didnt have $209 + flush + labor, i put it off. and top off the radiator once a week (still on the same bottle)

 

Try some bars leaks radiator stop leak. It worked amazingly well. I thought I was going to need a new radiator as my oil cooler line was leaking on the radiator side. the one bottle sealed it right up.

 

wolfpack

thanks, - ill have to give that a try, is there any specific version?
http://www.barsproducts.com/barsleaks_products.htm

i know that the radiator is aluminum and plastic
they have "Bar's Leaks Radiator Stop Leak", "Bar's Leaks Liquid Aluminum Radiator Stop Leak", and then powder and tablet formats

also, should i flush using their coolant flush after fixing (radiator stop leak suggests flushing BEFORE)

thanks for your input.

 

I used the C16 one.

I read somewhere the GM reccomendation is actually to drop a couple of those table horse pill things in after a complete coolant flush. The stop leak pretty much stays suspended in the coolant until it catches air, and it swells up. And I would think you only need the liquid aluminum stuff if your aluminum cooling fins are punctured, and that's where the leak is coming from. If you're leaking at plastic or at a hose connection, just get the normal stuff.

as for the flush procedure...definitely flush first. Get all the contaminants out and start with clean coolant. especially dealing with dexcool, you want to be sure all the sludgy stuff is gone. also, thered be no real point to adding stop leak if youre going to flush


flush -> refill with coolant -> add stop leak.