I rented a coolant pressure test today and observed the gauge needle drop slowly within 30 seconds. Makes me wonder if I have a leak too. I'm going to keep an eye on the catch can.

 

Straight from AllDataDIY.com:

 

I forgot to mention it was tested on my Impala. It was driven about 10 min before I tested it. I couldn't pump the bastard past 16 psi. I wonder if it has to do with the fact I did not lube up the O ring on the gauge.

I'm going to run the engine tomorrow with the gauge on and wait until it warms up.

 

OK it's saturday the 11th and i checked the coolant this after noon weird the coolant is up there is no signs of moister on the oil fill cap and the overflo resavior is ok at a loss of knowing what to do next as soon as it warms up here in NY i plan on taking the plentum off and retorqu the intake and see if that works what do you think.oh there is a smell of antifreeeze after you shut it off can't find a leak..any ideas of what to do next?????[&o][:@]

 

Water pump weep hole. Check the top of the water pump for anti-freeze.


and no, coolant leaking is not common for these engines. They are extremely strong and durable engines. It is the same as a 350 with 2 pistons removed. Even utilize the same parts, internally and externally.

 

weep holes are fine no signs of leak around them ..I must have a dud engine i have had nothing but problems with it since i have had it .must say for the miles i have on it it still runs strong.I'm waiting right now for the rain and cold fronts to move threw so i can retorque the intake to see if this will help..will let you know if it does..[&o]

 

OK It's saturday 4/1/06 I had my blazer over to my buddys house and he has looked it over the moister I see on the oil fill is OK is normal good thing i don't own a new dodge hemi ..the hoses are calapsing do to a bad radiator cap so i replaced.I just replaced the upper and lower ball joints what a pain why is it they go bad every 12000-14000 miles I'm not rouph on it becouse it's my only source of transportation..
thank you for all your help and support with this problem now i can move on to replacing the rear pinion bearings and fix the a/c problem....john...

 

You need to lube the heck out of the ball joints and keep them that way. They will last forever on the S-10 if you do this. My 93 4x4 has the original with 120K on them.

As for the slight coolant leak, the 95 and older vortecs are not common for intake manifold leakage, they had a good intake manifold on them. Most likely it is a small seep in a head gasket when it is totally warmed up and running down the highway. You could pull the spark plugs and look at them, if any show a pretty birght white burn pattern, that is the cylinder that is burning the water.

As for using a pressure tester. DO NOT USE one on a hot or even a warm engine. Pressure decreases as the engine cools. A true pressure test is done to a cold engine, and left on over night. The above mentioned slight head gasket leak is nearly undetectable through a pressure test, I know, I had one.

My coolant leak was on the right side between cylinders 2 and 4, 4 being the culprit.