LT4 Have a leak on my LT4. Is it transmission fluid or something else? Help needed quick

[megatron]

My Collector Edition LT4 is currently put away for the winter, but I start it about every week. Today, when I opened the hood, I noticed a splatter mark on the underside of the hood (near the front - think of that area of the hood right above and in front of the MAF when the hood is closed) that was red/brown in color. Some of it was actually dripping down off the bottom side of the hood onto the engine. I smelled it and it was odorless, and I noticed that it was also leaking on the floor of my garage.

When I restarted the car, I did not notice any leaking. Since it was red in color, I suspected it would have been transmission fluid. However, I would have expected that to drip down rather than splatter up.

Anyone heard of this before? I'm baffled.

Thanks in advance

 

[6 Shooter]

I'd say it's your water pump going out.

Later . . . . . .
6 Shooter

 

[froggy47]

Spatter up under hood is usually water pump, very unlikely to be zf tranny oil under hood.

 

[toby]

Same symptoms on mine -- water pump. The Dexcool leaks out of the weep hole on the bottom of the pump and gets slung up under the hood by the serpentine belt. I replaced all my coolant hoses with the water pump. They were 8 years old (last summer) and it gets pretty hot under the hood of an LT4, which is rough on hoses.

When replacing the pump you might think about replacing the plug wires if that hasn't been done before.
Toby

 

[megatron]

When replacing the pump you might think about replacing the plug wires if that hasn't been done before.
Toby

Why's that? Are the wires hard to get to otherwise?

Also, I found the water pump from GM for about $220.00. Is that reasonable or can I do better?

Thanks

 

[toby]

Why's that? Are the wires hard to get to otherwise?

VERY hard otherwise. (Don't ask me how I know!)

Also, I found the water pump from GM for about $220.00. Is that reasonable or can I do better?

I paid about $170 for mine, but my local Corvette shop (Corvettes of Auburn) is good about parts pricing.

Toby

 

[megatron]

Why's that? Are the wires hard to get to otherwise?

VERY hard otherwise. (Don't ask me how I know!)

Also, I found the water pump from GM for about $220.00. Is that reasonable or can I do better?

I paid about $170 for mine, but my local Corvette shop (Corvettes of Auburn) is good about parts pricing.

Toby

Thanks alot

 

[TrackDayLT4]

Before you replace the water pump, make sure it is not power steering fluid.

My LT4 developed a very similar leak while it was under warranty and the dealer replaced the water pump. Unfortunatly for them it was the high pressure fitting on the power steering pump leaking on the serpentine belt, not the water pump. They got the replace the high pressure power steering hose as well. But hey, I got a new water pump at 30K for free out of the deal.

Cheers,

Lawrence

 

[Vettelt193]

i agree... check the waterpump and the power steering before replacing anything. Dexcool makes it a bit tough to decifer these things

check gmpartsdirect.com for the best waterpump price