Turns out it was the water pump afterall, $430 got it done today by the time I got off work. My wallet feels a bit lighter now but its taken care of. The shop wanted to charge an additional $400 to replace all the hoses and thermostat and do a coolant system flush. I can do that all without getting my hands dirty, in retrospect I wish I had told the shop to refill the radiator with straight water so I could just drain it in the street and not have to worry about coolant getting into the storm drains. When I asked, the mechanic said there would be no labor charge if I wanted them to put on a new serpentine belt because they were going to have to reinstall the old one anyway, which makes me wonder why they were going to charge labor to replace the hoses that they were already going to have to reinstall anyway?

If my wife wasn't planning on driving a group of preschoolers to Sea World tomorrow, if we didn't have plans to go to the Wild Animal Park on Saturday (San Diego is a rough place to live when you've got season passes,) if I didn't have a scout meeting next Tuesday and a campout the following Friday night I would have done the repair myself but at this point I just didn't have the time to do it and still meet other commitments.

For future reference is there anything tricky about replacing the radiator hoses or the thermostat assuming I follow general mechanics practices in doing the work like using each bolt in the hole it came out of, greasing threads and using a torque wrench?

 

Replacing hoses and thermostat are fairly easy to accomplish if you know your way around a wrench and sockets.

Thermostat might require you to remove cable bracket to get at the rear nut holding down the thermostat. The thermostat should have a rubber gasket around the outside that seals it to the engine.

Hoses require knowlege of screw drivers and pliers. Pliers are required to remove the factory clamps. The screw driver is needed for the new clamps if you decide to replace them.

Then you just need time to finish the project.

 

Nothing wrong with using a mechanic. You may get clowned on by your friends like I do but, it sure does save the frustration factor now and then.

The radiator hoses are a no brainer. If you plan on doing them all at once just be sure to do them one at a time. Like spark plug wires, if you take them all off at once you get to play "where did this one go?" The thermostat is about as easy. Here in AZ it gets into the 110's during the summer so, I'd runn a colder thermostat during the summer than the winter. I got pretty good at changing them, could do it in about 20 mins. Just be sure to not put to much gasket maker on the gasket. If you get it into the radiator fluid its not a good thing.

 

The hoses are real easy, there are 2 not including the 2 heater hoses. The stock clamps are meant for use when asembled, then dont return to the same holding power once they are removed and replaced. Do yourself a favor and buy 4 real hose clamps from the parts store, its like $3 for a pack of 2. These will hold better than the stock ones, and theyre much less of a pain in the a$$.

 

Well , glad you got it done. Not knowing how to deal with it might have cost you that much plus a tow.

Only thing I can't believe is the price of this nowadays. Maybe because I do all my own work, I get a little behind the times on prices.

I am going to have to give the wife and kids receipts for the amount they DIDNT pay.

 

Too late. Astro vans already have a single accesory aluminun bracket. Couple of bolts and the whole thing comes off. Makes life easier for engine swaps.


Glad to hear you got it fixed.
I use WD-40 on rubber hoses. Over time the rubber hardens and the WD-40 softens up teh rubber, makes removal much easier. Also seems to help break the corrosion bond betweent eh hose and fitting.

Also glad to hear your family is active and you keep the kids involved. I was a Scout Leader/Baseball Coach/Sunday school teacher for both of my sons. My youngest just past his Eagle Board. I am proud of both my sons. Both earned Eagle Rank, both are also inducted into the National Honor Society, and both are going onto college. One to be an attorney and the other to be an electrical engineer. Personally, kids are our greatest nature resource, and the future of our world.

 

Just to note to you guys some of the later year blazers require a special fan clutch removal tool to get the fan clutch off, Now this is only if its electric, the tools specific name J-4124d electricfanclutch wrench makes things way easier. how to go getting one of thess , A-buy one (175$) or B-befriend a current or ex gm mechanic.

hope this helps

 

Never heard of a Blazer with an electric fan from the factory.