Pink fluid dripping from front of truck (see pictures)

[wagslick]

I have a 99 Chevy Silverado z71 Ext Cab. w/5.3 liter engine. I totally misdiagnosed a bad seal connecting my axle to CV joint. I saw a few drops of oil underneath that joint and assumed it was bad. I started jacking my truck up again to get started on some work and the leak started dripping a lot faster. I climb under the truck and see that the fluid is a reddish pink and is coming from a slightly different location than the CV joint (but its not far away). Yes, I checked the transmission fluid, and it's a tad low (your supposed to check the fluid while the engine is running right? Here are some pics.

This first pic is the location under the truck where it's leaking. I can't id the source of the leak though. Notice two drops of pinkish fluid.

This second pic just shows the color of the fluid.

[Blue Bowtie]

If the fluid is transmission oil it will appear red or dark red when blotted onto a paper towel. Engine coolant will appear light red to reddish-orange.

If the fluid is transmission oil, check the transmission oil cooler lines and the connections. If it is engine coolant, start looking at the water pump, hoses, and gasket flanges.

[mcmalloy]

it looks like antiefreeze ,most of the newer chevs dont use green antifreeze, take it to a shop and get the cooling system pressure checked,

[wagslick]

Originally Posted by mcmalloy

it looks like antiefreeze ,most of the newer chevs dont use green antifreeze, take it to a shop and get the cooling system pressure checked,

I don't know why I didn't think of this before but I wiped up some of the mystery fluid with a white paper towel, stuck another paper towel in the coolant, and put transmission oil on another. Turns out the coolant matched my mystery fluid..... so I'm leaking coolant. It's not leaking from the radiator or the reservoir. Where else does the coolant go?

I removed the skid plate and shined a flashlight up and found where the drips are coming from but I still can't find what's leaking. I ran my hands underneath every hose I could find under the hood and can't find any leaks.

[mcmalloy]

probly coming from the water pump, there is a weep hole , fuild will come from there when the pump is going, you wont be able to see it unless you pull the pully of the water pump

[wagslick]

Originally Posted by mcmalloy

probly coming from the water pump, there is a weep hole , fuild will come from there when the pump is going, you wont be able to see it unless you pull the pully of the water pump

Do I need to replace the water pump or is there some seal I need to replace? My Haynes Manual says, "A seal protects the water pump impeller shaft bearing from contamination by engine coolant. If this seal fails, a weep hole in the water pump snout will leak coolant. If the weep hole is leaking, shaft bearing failure will follow. Replace the water pump immediately."

Do i really need to replace the entire water pump or do i just need to replace the two gaskets holding it to the engine block?

[wagslick]

I replaced the entire water pump. What a pain. Getting that fan clutch off was ridiculous. I used RTV sealant plus the gaskets the pump came with. So far, no leaks.

[rjeffery]

Use an inspection mirror to check the weep hole under the water pump. If the weep hole is leaking, water pump should be replaced. The job is not that difficult, you can get the fan clutch off pretty easy with a large wrench and a strap wrench.
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