[Paul Reed]

Looks like its that (problem) time again. I had been having some fain whiffs of smoke coming into the driving compartment, and today I got actual smoke from the engine bay.
When I opened her up, there was fluid around the water pump and the white smoke was coming from that area. The fluid almost looked like oil but not quite, too thin. ALso, when getting on the gas a bit the water pump pulley throws fluid up.
Please see my short video below

https://youtu.be/aBRl0ILYZqM

 

[mwilson]

Looks like the water pump is shot. I just changed mine last weekend and it is a handful to do. It is underneath that drive pulley that you can see and requires removal of the water manifold to replace it. I believe that fluid is Dexcool from the cooling system. You need to stop running it before it locks up, the bearing must be bad where it is flinging coolant around like that plus I thought I could hear it in the video.

 

[Paul Reed]

Yeah, I was just about to come back with the update. Forgot the dexcool was orange. The pump has spilled the coolant all over the driveway, but strangely im quite relieved. I was hoping it'd be something simple as this. Thanks

 

[Submariner409]

Plenty of Northstar water pump pictures and notes in my albums. Click my username, open the profile. left column - 2 albums 6 pages of Northstar stuff.

Your 2006 engine will have the "new" water pump/thermostat cover seal. The tensioner pulley is noisy - $23 at a NAPA. Gates, AC Delco, DAYCO, SKF, Fafnir.

You can change the pulley only - no need to buy a whole new tensioner and arm. The assembly is held by the 2 long stud/bolts that the 10mm nuts came off of to remove the steel safety shroud.

Click a thumbnail to enlarge, use your browser <-- to back out.

 

[Paul Reed]

Got it to the mechanic..the pump is indeed shot. 800 buck repair bill...freaking ouch

 

[MoistCabbage]

Ah yes. In '06, GM decided that they should do away with the water pump cover, and necessitate removing the entire water crossover, to perform what used to be a fairly simple WP replacement.

 

[mwilson]

Ah yes. In '06, GM decided that they should do away with the water pump cover, and necessitate removing the entire water crossover, to perform what used to be a fairly simple WP replacement.

I was pretty depressed when I found that out. That really nice water pump socket in my toolbox is no good on the '06. It was a fairly easy job on my old '97.

Taking that water manifold out is a handful. Very happy when I had it all back together with no leaks. Not a job for an amateur.