Oil drops in front.

[EliteTahoe]

Investigating the front of my Tahoe 2000 5.3, looking for a strange sound coming in higher revs. Belt for AC was just hanging on crank, it got loose someway. Discovered red fluid coming from somewhere in front of engine.
Could this be ATF? Hyd.oil from steering?
Its 15- outside, dont wanna freeze to death while lying under the hoe.

 

[rockman20]

The AC belt, isn't that a serpentine belt? So it runs everything right? Or is this a seperate belt on the 2000's?

Red fluid would normally mean transmission. Unless is pinkish then you may be seeing Dexcool.

My guess is that the belt flew off. If it's not broke, then you need to find out why it came off. When that belt came off, maybe it hit a transmission cooler line and caused a leak there or hit a radiator hose or something and caused a leak there.

I broke an alternator belt in my old Subaru. What a fricken mess that made. Ripped the pressure sending unit wire and twisted it all over the dang place, bent the cooling shroud so the electric fan now hits it, and dang near ripped the oil dipstick off the dang engine.

Amazing what a belt can do when it lets go.

 

[EliteTahoe]

Nope, a seperate belt. Its on the inner track of the crank pulley. Its probably the smallest belt on the whole car.
With a little tensioner. Going to a pulley with clutch ability. I think its the ac.

Cannot really tell you all, it has a whipple installed, and dont really know what have been done.

2 small pipes going under this tensioner MAY have some damage, have some grinding tracks on it, caused by this belt. Could this be the pipes going to a ATF cooler in front? Then I really should take a closer look on the AT dipstick.

BTW, while dipsticking, should the engine be running?

 

[rockman20]

Engine oil dipstick should not be running.

Transmission fluid should be checked with the engine idling and with the transmission at normal operating temps. And while checking the level, take some fluid and put it on your finger and rub. You should not feel any grit. If you do, you need to have the transmission checked because there is debris in there. Smell the fluid. If it has a sharp burnt smell, you need to have the transmission checked because there is something slipping that caused the ATF to burn. And finally, examine the color. Should be a nice red look. If it is kind of a brownish red, the fluid and filter needs to be replaced.

 

[EliteTahoe]

No debris, no smell, red color, like its new.
The surprising was the amount already in gearbox, afterfilled 0.5 L and still nothing on dipstick.

 

[EliteTahoe]

Flushing underbody and engine. Looks like the two cooling pipes for the transmission oil going to the cooler in bumper has been damaged.
Either the belt or the tensioner have grinded the upper pipe.
I'll get pictures when Im under again.

Are those cooling kits included with thermostats? Need to know if i keep loosing oil, or if its only when oil gets hot.

Is it enough with a hose with clamps, or is it certified pipe parts with fittings to stand the pressure?

 

[rockman20]

In my adventures, this is a very debated subject. Some say that rubber lines will not handle the pressure. However, I have ran rubber transmission line in a lot of vehicles and have never had an issue. I am sure that these lines are not cheap. If it were me, I would probably cut my line. Buy a hunk of rubber transmission hose that will slide over the pipe. I would cut a hunk of that and slide it over one end of the line. Then I would take and set the line together again and slide the hose back over that side a little ways and hose clamp both ends. If it leaked, then I would worry about replacing it.

 

[EliteTahoe]

A local store said that the pipes is for transferring only, and have no pressures. And besides, the pipe that was damaged was the return oil from cooler, no pressure at all.

Fixed it by cutting the pipe, putting a hose on, with clampes on ends.
Just as rockman said.

No problems at all. No leaking after doing this.