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Water Jacket on 2001 Chevy Silverado


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Albert
Novice

Apr 30, 2012, 1:11 PM

Post #1 of 14 (4310 views)
Water Jacket on 2001 Chevy Silverado Sign In

Hi, I have a 2001 Chevy Silverado 1500 with the 4.8, about 180k miles. Removed the intake manifold to replace knock sensors. The rear sensor was so rusted that it disintegrated, so I had to drill it out. This isn't really a hard job, but it's hard to get at and I found myself precariusly perched over the engine compartment to access this thing - quite a feat for anyone over the age of 40. Oops! I drilled a hole in the rubber water jacket underneath the knock sensor. I assume the jacket is in communication with the overall coolant system and so will be pressurized. What's the best thing to use to seal this up? I've read the loctite red and other compounds are marketed for this, but this is not simply mating two surfaces together - it's a hole. Will JB cold weld marine grade work?


Tom Greenleaf
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Apr 30, 2012, 1:23 PM

Post #2 of 14 (4293 views)
Re: Water Jacket on 2001 Chevy Silverado Sign In

Not sure what you mean by a rubber water jacket? I know of water jackets at passages in engine blocks that flow engine coolant in and around where needed.

I hear you with the corrosion thing as here road salts wreck even bridge steel never mind just the vehicles!

T



Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
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Apr 30, 2012, 1:26 PM

Post #3 of 14 (4286 views)
Re: Water Jacket on 2001 Chevy Silverado Sign In


Quote
I found myself precariusly perched over the engine compartment to access this thing - quite a feat for anyone over the age of 40.



Hahaha................ you gotta be kidding

I'm over 60 and have to do these acrobatics every day. .................................................I'll agree, it's not as easy as it used to be though.



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We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.



Albert
Novice

Apr 30, 2012, 1:32 PM

Post #4 of 14 (4278 views)
Re: Water Jacket on 2001 Chevy Silverado Sign In

Thanks for responding, Tom. The knock sensor sits in a recess in the aluminum head, in the valley between the head intakes. The recess looks like a cup that sits down in the head. In the middle of the recess is a vertical stem that sticks up - it contains the female thread that receives the male threads of the knock sensor. The bottom of the recess is a rubber or plastic compound. The female thread stem juts up out of this rubber/plactic compound. So when the knock sensor is installed, the rubber/plactic compound is below it. That rubber stuff is what I drilled a hole in, and I believe it is the water jacket. Sound right?


Albert
Novice

Apr 30, 2012, 1:35 PM

Post #5 of 14 (4276 views)
Re: Water Jacket on 2001 Chevy Silverado Sign In

That gives me hope. I'm only a weekend mechanic. Maybe I'll still be able to do it in 20 years. For now, I just hope I don't have to have an enitire head job because I couldn't get my fat self in a good position to do the work!


Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
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Apr 30, 2012, 1:36 PM

Post #6 of 14 (4271 views)
Re: Water Jacket on 2001 Chevy Silverado Sign In

Why didn't they make us take gymnastics in voc schools Hammer? LMAO,

Tom


Albert
Novice

Apr 30, 2012, 1:39 PM

Post #7 of 14 (4265 views)
Re: Water Jacket on 2001 Chevy Silverado Sign In

Yoga and a diet will be next on my list as soon as I get my ride working again. For now, though, any thoughts on whether or not I've gotten into the water jacket or which sealant to use?


Hammer Time
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Apr 30, 2012, 1:43 PM

Post #8 of 14 (4261 views)
Re: Water Jacket on 2001 Chevy Silverado Sign In

That is a valley cover that can be removed and replaced if necessary.





~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.



Albert
Novice

Apr 30, 2012, 1:46 PM

Post #9 of 14 (4254 views)
Re: Water Jacket on 2001 Chevy Silverado Sign In

Exactly what I needed to know, Hammer. Thanks a million. I'll let you know how the diet works out.


Tom Greenleaf
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Apr 30, 2012, 1:52 PM

Post #10 of 14 (4248 views)
Re: Water Jacket on 2001 Chevy Silverado Sign In

If you have a real hole into a water jacket (still don't understand the rubber thing) then the best of products wouldn't' work long or at all. Depending on what, how and where some things can be welded, aluminum welded. If you mean a rubber freeze plug that was a quick repair with yet another if you wish. They work and I've used them but not as good as the right fix ever.

Dorman (others maybe) used to make copper ones that were pretty dang good that would expand when tightened and good luck getting it out if it doesn't work! If this is engine block damage (a hole) it could mean removing engine for a fix. Just don't know as would have to about see it to guess,

T



Albert
Novice

Apr 30, 2012, 2:05 PM

Post #11 of 14 (4240 views)
Re: Water Jacket on 2001 Chevy Silverado Sign In

The diagram of the vally cover that Hammer provided, above, helps a lot. The two recesses I described are visible in the diagram - it looks like two cups sitcking down. In the bottom of each cup is the wad of rubber I was talking about. It's not a repair - clearly part of the original manufacture. I'm trying to find a parts supplier that sells this valley cover so i can get a look at it. If I could get a look at what the bottom of the cover looks like it would help a lot. I want to see if the valley cover recesses have holes in the bottom of them that are sealed by the rubber. If the rubber does not actually seal anything and is just there to dampen vibration, I can just goop it up with high temp silicone and put 'er back together.


Hammer Time
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Apr 30, 2012, 2:37 PM

Post #12 of 14 (4229 views)
Re: Water Jacket on 2001 Chevy Silverado Sign In

You'll have to go to the dealer for that cover. The only rubber that should be anywhere around that would be a seal to keep the water out. The knock sensor has to thread into solid steel to be able to work. If you damaged the thread or cover, then you just need to order a new cover or you will have an oil leak. There is no coolant there.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.



Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
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Apr 30, 2012, 7:51 PM

Post #13 of 14 (4207 views)
Re: Water Jacket on 2001 Chevy Silverado Sign In

Albert: The term "water jacket" and rubber thru me off. Water jackets as said are passages for coolant to keep the cylinders cool and at uniform temps. Drilling into one would be the engine block itself not a "head" or "intake manifold" so in order the engine is............

Intake manifold that holds the air intake then goes on to heads which are mounted/bolted to the block itself. As Hammer just said if a part now has a hole where it doesn't belong it was shown in that graphic above.

Hope that clears that up............. Good luck with the fix and again except for other things not real engine the glues and tricks wont last. A hole in your washer fluid bottle/container can be fixed but not real engine parts with tricks,

T



Discretesignals
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
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May 1, 2012, 11:44 AM

Post #14 of 14 (4182 views)
Re: Water Jacket on 2001 Chevy Silverado Sign In

Drilled a hole through one of the seals that are pressed into the well of the valley cover. Hopefully all those metal shavings from drilling don't end up down in the lifter valley.

The knock sensors screws into bosses that stick up off the engine block. The bottom seals seal the lifter valley cover around the bosses. There is another seal on the top of the knock sensor well the wiring protrudes through. Those are supposed to keep water out of the knock sensor wells, but they don't always work that way.





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(This post was edited by Discretesignals on May 1, 2012, 11:47 AM)






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