After I replace the tensioner elbow and refill coolant, do I need to get air out of the lines?

GM 3 8 coolant bypass elbow leak tensioner repair

Leaking Water Pump Housing the Plastic elbow from Manifold to WP Housing...

Amazon com APD 58176IQ Coolant Bypass Fitting Tube Upgraded Metal Aluminum...

autozone and such sell o rings, replace both elbows, I would move to metal rather than plastic

replace the faulty unit with a new one.

Tools: 10 mm 13,mm,15,mm sockets and a straight screwdriver if you need to pry, a shop light, you will need to get the air out running a while while you add coolant back to level.It's usually the top elbows that leak, if its the 3800 drain coolant into something, go to AutoZone tell them u need the elbows for the 3800, remove your coolant tank, and your alternator, pretty simple, loosen alternator, then slide belt off, then move alternator out of your way, remove the 3 bolts, pull loose, place in new parts, press back in place, then tighten everything back. Discard your bad elbows with bad seals. Check for leaks, if all good, your done.

Is there coolant leaking inside the car? Check the floor under the passenger side dashboard. If the carpet is wet your heater core is leaking.

If the floor is dry check the coolant elbows going from the block into the automatic belt tensioner. That's inside the engine compartment. They are notorious for leaking. You may not be able to see the leak because it drips onto the block and evaporates. That's what the smell may be.

Search google images for "3800 series 3 coolant elbow" to see the part I am talking about.

The only way to find a coolant leak is to pressurize the cooling system. You can rent a coolant pressure tester from an auto supply store. Pressurize the system and look for leaks. You may have a leaking water pump.

The elbows can be purchased from the dealer. The water pump you can get from an auto supplier. Might as well change the thermostat while you are doing the other repair. Drain the cooling system and refill with fresh dex coolant.

Make sure you bleed all of the air out of the system or the car will overheat.

Are you still losing coolant? If so, provided there are no leaks, you are looking at a blown head gasket.

Hope this helps.

That's a pretty common problem with a fairly easy fix. The parts are available from you local parts store. There will be a kit that has both elbows you need to do the job.

First you will need to remove the serpentine belt. Make a note of how the belt is routed to make the install a little easier.

Nest remove the alternator. There will be three bolts that a 15mm socket will work to remove.

Next you will remove the tensioner assembly. There will be three bolts holding it on as well. One is right next to the powersteering pump and kind of hard to see but it its back there. A 15 mm socket will work for these as well. Once the bolts are out the tensioner will pull straight out towards the inner fender. Coolant will go every where so have a drain pan ready or drain the radiator. Sometimes I will take the hoses of of the tensioner assembly to make it easier to get the broken pieces of elbow out of it. If the two hoses are remove you can remove the whole assembly from the car.

You'll see the other elbo as soon as you remove the tensioner from the motor. Pick out the broken elbow pieces from the tensioner and the lower intake making sure all the pieces are removed. Install the new elbows into the tensioner. I like to coat the o-rings with di-electric grease to kae them slide into the holes a little easier. and install the tensioner back onto the motor.

Once all the pieces are back together fill the radiator and start the car. Leave the cap off and let the car idle keeping the coolant topped off as necessary. Once the fans come on the air should be burped out of the cooling system and the cap can be reinstalled.

This should take the average DIY'er about an hour to complete.

I’m happy to assist further over the phone at https://www.6ya.com/expert/jeremy_d728a59f986299fa

It's listed in your owner's manual. Schedule A is normal driving conditions.
SCHEDULE "A"
7,500 miles (12 000km) or at 6 months
- Change engine oil.
- Replace engine oil filter.

15,000 miles (24 000km) or at 12 months
- Change engine oil.
- Replace engine oil filter.

22,500 miles (36 000km) or at 18 months
- Change engine oil.
- Replace engine oil filter.
- Inspect front wheel bearings.
- Inspect brake linings.

30,000 miles (48 000km) or at 24 months
- Change engine oil.
- Replace engine oil filter.
- Replace engine air cleaner filter.
- Replace spark plugs.
- Drain and refill automatic transmission fluid and filter (4.7L).

37,500 miles (60 000km) or at 30 months
- Change engine oil.
- Replace engine oil filter.
- Drain and refill automatic transmission fluid and filter (5.2L/5.9L).
- Drain and refill transfer case fluid.

45,000 miles (72 000km) or at 36 months
- Change engine oil.
- Replace engine oil filter.
- Inspect front wheel bearings.
- Inspect brake linings.
- Flush and replace engine coolant at 36 months, regardless of mileage.

52,500 miles (84 000km) or at 42 months
- Change engine oil.
- Replace engine oil filter.
- Flush and replace engine coolant if not done at 46 months.

60,000 miles (96 000km) or at 48 months
- Change engine oil.
- Replace engine oil filter.
- Replace engine air cleaner filter.
- Replace ignition cables (5.2L/5.9L).
- Inspect PCV valve, replace as necessary.
- Replace spark plugs.
- Inspect auto tension drive belt and replace as necessary (5.2L/5.9L).
- Drain and refill automatic transmission fluid (4.7L).

67,500 miles (108 000km) or at 54 months
- Change engine oil.
- Replace engine oil filter.
- Inspect front wheel bearings.
- Inspect brake linings.

75,000 miles (120 000km) or at 60 months
- Change engine oil.
- Replace engine oil filter.
- Drain and refill automatic transmission fluid and filter (5.2L/5.9L).
- Drain and refill transfer case.
- Flush and replace engine coolant if it has been 30,000miles (48 000km) or 24 months since last change.
- Inspect auto tension drive belt and replace if required.

82,500 miles (132 000km) or at 66 months
- Change engine oil.
- Replace engine oil filter.
- Flush and replace engine coolant if it has been 30,000miles (48 000km) or 24 months since last change.

90,000 miles (144 000km) or at 72 months
- Change engine oil.
- Replace engine oil filter.
- Replace engine air cleaner filter.
- Replace spark plugs.
- Inspect front wheel bearings.
- Inspect brake linings.
- Inspect auto tension drive belt and replace as necessary.
- Drain and refill automatic transmission fluid (4.7L).

97,500 miles (156 000km) or at 78 months
- Change engine oil.
- Replace engine oil filter.

105,000 miles (168 000km) or at 84 months
- Change engine oil.
- Replace engine oil filter.
- Flush and replace engine coolant if it has been 30,000 miles (48 000km) or 24 months since last change.
- Inspect auto tension drive belt and replace if required.

112,500 miles (181 000km) or at 90 months
- Change engine oil.
- Replace engine oil filter.
- Drain and refill automatic transmission fluid and filter (5.2L/5.9L).
- Inspect front wheel bearings.
- Inspect brake linings.
- Flush and replace engine coolant if it has been 30,000 miles (48 000km) or 24 months since last change.

120,000 miles (192 000km) or at 96 months
- Change engine oil.
- Replace engine oil filter.
- Replace engine air cleaner filter.
- Replace ignition cables (5.2L/5.9L).
- Inspect PCV valve, replace as necessary.
- Replace spark plugs.
- Inspect auto tension drive belt and replace as necessary.
- Drain and refill automatic transmission fluid (4.7L).

Thanks for using FixYa -a 4 THUMBS rating is appreciated for answering your FREE question.

This is a 3100, or a 3400 V6 engine? It should be one of the water hoses that connects the tube on the front to the water pump, it is a preformed hose availiable from many parts stores and is not difficult to replace, if you drain a little coolant out before you take it off you will lose less coolant in replacement, be sure to refill coolant after your done. Hope this helps, let me know

most likely when you replaced coolant line and refilled rad the system was not bled properly.
fill the system with 50/50 again and top up the reservoir. run the engine to 2000 rpm and look at temp gauge . it should rise to middle and drop to low this means t stat opend and air is out now let engine idle and top up coolant. good luck

YOU NEED TO REPLACE THE BELT TENSIONER.
IF YOU BUY THE CARTER BELT TENSIONER AT ADVANCED AUTO, IT COMES WITH: A PLASTIC ELBOW WITH O RINGS, TENSIONER, PULLEY, NEW O RING WHERE THE BELT TENSIONER MATES TO THE ENGINE BLOCK AND NEW O RINGS FOR THE INLET AND OUTLET CONNECTIONS ON THE BELT TENSIONER TO THE HEATER CORE (COST $72).
IF YOU DON'T REPLACE ALL THE ABOVE O RINGS THEN YOU CAN EXPECT MORE LEAKS.
IN ORDER TO REPLACE THE PLASTIC ELBOW YOU MUST REMOVE THE BELT TENSIONER ANYWAY. IF THE BELT HAS SEVERE CRACKS REPLACE IT ALSO.
STEPS:
-REMOVE BELT
-DISCONNECT BATTERY
-DRAIN ANTIFREEZ AND DISCARD
-REMOVE ALTERNATOR
-REMOVE BELT TENSIONER
-REMOVE PLASTIC ELBOW (DO NOT ALLOW BROKEN PIECES PLASTIC OR DIRT TO GET INSIDE THE ENGINE WATER CAVITIES.
-CLEAN ALL CONNECTION WHERE O RING WILL MATE.
-TO REASSEMBLE GO IN REVERS ORDER
-REFILL THE RADIATOR WITH COOLENT 50% MIX USE THE 5 YR GUARANTEE TYPE.
-MAKE SURE THE COOLENT RESERVIOR IS
FILLED TO THE HOT LEVEL MARK.
-RUN THE ENGINE UNTILE IT IT REACHES THE 1/4 % TEMP MARK ON THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE THEN TURN THE ENGINE OFF AND OPEN THE BLEED SCREW ON TOP OF THE THERMOSTAT HOUSING.
ALLOW THE AIR TO EVACUATE, YOU WILL SEE COOLENT COME OUT THEN CLOSE THE BLEED SCREW.
-BE VERY CAREFUL WHEN YOU OPEN THE RADIATOR TO REFILL TO THE TOP.
-REPEAT THIS ONE MORE TIME.
-RUN THE ENGINE AND KEEP YOUR EYE ON THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE' IF THE TEMPERATURE GOES BEYOND THE 1/2% MARK, SHUT DOWN THE ENGINE QUICKLEY AND LET THE ENGINE COOL.
THIS MAY TAKE HOURS TO COOL DOWN BUT THE COOLING SYSTEM WILL TURN FROM PRESSURIZED TO VACUUM AND DRAW COOLENT FROM THE RESERVOIR TO REFILL THE SYSTEM.
YOU WILL NOTICE THE LEVEL DROP IN THE RESERVOIR .