this was the best youtube ive seen about this mine has slow leak so i bought the new steel ones i will try on weekend great job

this is unbelieveable ,never thought anyone would have a video on this problem, THANK YOU SOOOOOOOOOOO MUCH the best surprise ever

so after a whole bunch of stuff and breaking a set of these I managed to take off the pulley (not the manifold) and replace them easy peasy so thank you sir you helped me save a bunch of money and learn stuff about cars)

YOU ARE A LIFESAVER I'm replacing my lower manifold gaskets as well as swapping out that coolant elbow for a metal one and i didn't realize that there was a bit of the old elbow still stuck but using the toggle bolts took like 10 seconds and I'm so happy ttyyyy

Great vid, But just put a disclaimer on coolant recommendations. I've personally seen Dexcool tested (I do Quality Engineering and Metrological functions in production, including aerospace. I find independent performance analysis crucial) and it performs very very highly, it's just very high maintenance - I CAN NOT CONTAMINATE IT. it's an Organic Acid based coolant instead of the traditional propylene glycol or old school ethylene glycol (the poisonous coolant that tastes sweet). Because it's an organic acid based (organic compound) solution, Dexcool readily reacts to contamination - ESPECIALLY from Propylene or Ethylene, which readily oxidize like mad under certain pH conditions. Mixing Dex with Propyl or Ethyl reacts with Dex, causing increased corrosion - not entirely from the Dex either - it's actually from the Propylene at times, too (Propylene turns into Lactic Acid when exposed to air and high heat - very bad new for your car if your propyl based coolant begins to lack pH buffer and inhibitors over time). The issue with an aluminum elbow versus a plastic that user Jeff brought is a good thought, but isn't relevant. It's true that Aluminum has a higher heat capacity and thus retains the heat longer, but the O-Rings themselves are the concern. Please refer to this chart if you have concerns about the O-Rings in this repair applications - mykin.com/rubber-properties - the chart gives the metrological data on a matrix for choosing the right O-Ring for the right application. For heat, the best choice is Silicone, but note that Dexcool is a known plasticizer and reacts with Silicone, destroying it rapidly. THIS IS WHERE the Hate on Dexcool comes from. It's nothing to do with performance, it's to do with the silicone o-rings rapidly degrading once exposed to Dexcool. GM was sued specifically for this issue.

Thanks Mike for taking the time to post! The aluminum replacements appear to be a better way to go. My grandson's 2008 Grand Prix has a "mysterious" very slight coolant leak that I haven't been able to locate. This gives me a good possibility to check. Thanks again for a better way to tackle such a job!

Thankyou for this, i did it in 2hrs! it wouldve been faster but i was stuck dealing with the pieces that broke off inside lol

Lower, fat factory elbow went out on my 2005 Buick Lacrosse, 94,000 miles. Replaced both with aluminum type. Great video. You explained things well and got good video shots. Everything went back together fine.

Thank you so much for posting this. You made this so easy and I was able to finish it in a little over an hour. I have a 2004 Bonneville and the engine is slightly different but being GM close enough to your description. I replaced the plastic ones that failed with the metal ones you showed and you saved me a ton of money. I cannot thank you enough. What was going to be a several hundred dollar repair at a shop turned into an 11 dollar DIY. The plastic elbows are about $5 and the metal ones are about $11 so that was a no brainer. I am not a mechanic, just a DIY kind of guy so anyone thinking of doing this should have no trouble with changing this. Thank you again. Bless you.

straight forward description and nice video. My broken elbows were way more of an issue than yours...and i used a bearing puller to try to get out the remnants. piece past the o ring wound up having to be pushed INTO the engine, then fished out with wire...no big issue...cleaning up the surfaces was the most time consuming for me.

Thanks Mike for posting this video. This video and others helped enormously to find and fix the problem, saving $$$hundreds in repair bills. I found the elbows on the shelf at Advanced Auto. Buy yourself a cold beer and say it's a gift of thanks from me. :)

This video was super helpful! I had to do this on my 2002 3.8L Monte Carlo. I learned all of this the hard way. I also felt the need to use high temp RTV (gasket sealant) on the elbows before putting them in. This reduces the chance of further leakage. Best decision I made in this whole process.

Thanks for the video and all the comments, also the diagram for belt routing can be found in the owner's manual if it hasn't been removed from the glove box.

Excellent job! Thank you very much for this detailed video & explanations for all the areas involved. This is one of the best informational/training videos I have seen in awhile! This really helped out with my job on my 2002 GTP. Thanks!

Well My 2006 Lucerne blew this out this morning! Thanks for the video, I got the part # and the local NAPA has the part in stock. Yet another victim of corner cutting, and poor design. Thanks for the video.

Excellent video. Thank you for taking the time to share this repair. I was able to swing by the parts shop on my way home from work, and swap out my deteriorating/blown out plastic elbows with aluminum ones. Having watched your video, I felt confident that I knew what to do, and I was able to replace my '06 Grand Prix's in about just over an hour, taking my time and bleeding the air out of the cooling system before I test drove it. Just got back from my test drive, and it's running steadily cooler than it has in over a year. Now I know where my coolant had been going.

My plastic elbows came out in pieces, I had to extract the broken pieces from the tensioner as well as the block, to extract them I used a couple large bolts, I just screwed them into the broken plastic piece a few turns, twisted turned and eventually pulled them right out. "PRO TIP!!!" Replace the rubber O rings on the metal heater hose fittings clamped to the hoses before you re install them into the tensioner. If the metal heater hose fittings them selves have a lot of play when you re install them, go ahead and replace them, they are pitted, worn out, and WILL cause leaks! Auto Zone has them for about 18 bucks a piece. Good luck anyone to anyone reading this...YOU GOT THIS ;)

Buy AC DELCO o-rings. they last the dorman ones fail after a few years. after replacing them 3 times I got the right o-rings and they have lasted for years now. 2003 Chevy Impala 3.8 275k

Great video, one of the best I've seen for this fix!

Great video for the DIY mechanic! It helped me troubleshoot and fix my leaks. Thank you Sir

Great video. definitely explained very easy how to replace the elbows. Thanks

Good job, I appreciate your effort and how you don't skip any details. My 2004 grand pri water pump is just a little loose but not leaking and no noise but I can't keep coolant in it so I assume its the elbows, also I'm getting some water in with the oil which I assume to be the upper intake plastic warped and or bad upper and possibly lower intake gasket. cThanks again for your time. Ryan Tucson Arizona

Very helpful video. For anyone watching in the future, be advised that you'll leak around 1/4 to 1/2 gallon of coolant on the ground when you pull that bracket off with the elbows. I wasn't prepared for that gush. Kitty litter to the rescue.

Great video and very detailed. Thank you !! I gotta replace mine on my 2003 Monte Carlo 3.8, @ about 160,000 miles.

Thank you bro just fixed my coolent Elbows aka Heater Hose very informative !!!

Excellent video from an excellent instructor, well done keep up the good work!

Thanks man! Super helpful! I have to attempt this with my mom's car....

Great video I found it really detailed and easy to understand should be able to swap the elbows out on my 2000 Pontiac bonneville ssei, I was just gonna clean out the ports that the elbows sit in with a wire brush but I think I’m gonna run to the store and get some scotch bright pad to clean them so I don’t mar up the aluminum

I've got a 2005 grand prix 247,155 miles still running strong

great video !good time to change the power steering fluid .

Thankyou for making this great video!!

love the 80's honda spree you got there. oh the memories

Thank you very much. Very helpful and informative. 👍

Went to napa and got these for 15$ easy install hardest part was getting the bolts back in gotta go with the the middle bolt berly thread it thought and then do the other 2 tighten them down Lil by Lil switching between the 3 bolts til there all the way in

Just replaced the elbows in my sisters 2008 Lucerne. We installed the new aluminum units, put it all back. Filled with coolant and heard coolant leaking into the pan under the car. We took it all apart again. I saw a crack in the new elbow as I was trying to pull out the tensioner assembly. When I went to pull the elbow- it broke in 2. We went back to AutoZone and we got the part replaced under their lifetime warranty. Put it back together and it appears to be holding. Looking at the broken elbow, there was a discolored part along the crack... leading me to believe that it was defective to being with. 2 hours 30 min to do the job 2 times (and going back to auto parts)

Excellent video!

Thanks for the help 🔧

Watched your video because I was about to put in a new radiator and didn't wanna spend all that money just to lose coolant and so I went and looked at mine and it had alredy been replaced with the new metal ones

Mike, thank you for the video. Tips such as: not scratching the aluminum, wiggling the bolts, reverse thread, torque specs included, etc are what made this great!

Thank you so so much for this, I'm about to attempt to change mine tomorrow and im nervous I haven't ever done anything like this before beside like changing my oil lol

had to do this yesterday so fun lol

Thanks for the video It helped a lot funnier yet we have the same song playing in the background

Nice job! Next time use some anti-seize on the bolts. If you or anyone else needs to get into it later, you or them will thank you!

Hidden bolt. I knew it! Your bench looks great compared to mine,btw.

Good video man thanks

You are awesome the video was extremely helpful and detailed

Do you have to take the nose cone off if you have a supercharger? Thanks for posting, very helpful and wish me luck!

Each time the pieces break off, sometimes O-Rings get left behind and some plastic pieces that u cant get out, i went ahead and left both old pieces inside the [Upper] hole...it really wasn't a big issue even after replacing it the first time, that same piece Kept failing Until i showed this metal piece to my engine, White Thunder is happy once again :), P.S. Do Not leave the plastic piece/O-ring inside the Coolant bypass unit ^_^

Big time thank you!!!!!! Thank you 🙏

I would really like to thank you very much I was able to do it myself

I have a 2004 Grand Prix GT with 276,921 miles. I have bought it brand new and have bought other cars but I used it for short-distance traveling. Nothing major has happened to it over years besides normal preventative maintenance issues. However the last few yrs have been the most active on replacing parts. I have had to replace my ac resistor module 5 times, blower motor wheel 4 times and the water pump 4 times. Most recently I had to use JB weld to fix a cracked radiator because apparently the fans wasn't turning on correctly and I have a coolant leak somewhere. That caused the car to run hot with must affected the small crack in the radiator. I went to a few mechanics that wanted to charge me $50 - 80 diagnostics checks to check the coolant leak but i said no. I went to another shop on my way home and the guy did a pressurized check and the elbow busted with water. I was happy to see the problem but more upset with my other mechanic who changed my water pump a few months back. I told him i wanted to change the elbows to the new aluminum ones and he said NOOO its not needed. here I am 3 mos later with cracked elbows and more labor cost. I hope they work and are a perfect fit.

Easy time to Check or change the PS fluid

thanks so much

what if part of the old elbow drops down into the lower manifold? just a black plastic ring but it worries me. I got the o-ring out ..........

Thanks for the video, Great job. You saved my ass and about $800. I`m doing the same thing on my friends son`s car

I'm getting ready to change mine out today. Hoping this fixes my heat problem to the inside of the car. Really hoping it is just air from the crack in elbow and not heater core. 08 Buick lacrosse. Could this be what is causing my interior heat problem?

Uh, uh, uh, uh, great video. I believe that I will be completing this very soon. Glad you posted this video.

Hoping for a quick reply as I have to have my ‘04 Buick done tomorrow! Does the toggle bolt cause any scoring? Praying it doesn’t.

Great video! I'm going to be looking at a car with this same engine. I'll be sure to check to see if it has the aluminum elbow already installed or not thanks to your video. I have some quick questions though. Did this car have the Series 3 engine? Also do the Series 3 engines have problems with the Intake Manifold Gaskets? I read online the Series 3 have the upper and lower Intake Manifold made from aluminum on the naturally aspirated models. Is that the Intake Manifold itself it's referring to or the gaskets? Thanks for your help.

Will this cause lost oil n water

Does it cause it to overheat

Is it possible to see that the leakage is from the elbow or from the water pump without removing any parts? Or could the leak be from the bolts holding the water pump in place since the 1/2" bolts go all the way through to the water jacket. I need some diagnosis assistance. thanks.

GM knew full well that those plastic elbows would fail. Planned obsolescence. It's BS !!!!!!!!!!!! Got a Buick LeSabre leaking from those things, right now.

How much different was the supercharger engine to do? I have a 3800 series 2 supercharged

Also , after you removed the alternator , how many other bolts held the tensioner bracket ? Thanks , :-) Wyr God bless

Why in shits name did the run coolant through an alternator bracket... Fn geniuses i tell ya... Will be ding this ti mine in the morning... Top notch video

I pushed a pretty good size chunk of the plastic fitting into the engine when trying to fish it out.It wasnt on the belt assembly part but on the engine itself do you think it should be ok?

Would you use anti-seize on the steel bolts going into the aluminum ? Wyr God bless

dont gotta rebleed the cooling system after u change the elbows or the rad hoses?

Great video! Unfortunately my aluminum elbows (at least the one I can see) is/are leaking. Someone GLOBED rtv in with it. Just a dab will do ya if your going to use rtv 🙄. Anyway, now I have to pull it apart to replace them. Mine is a supercharged 04 Impala SS l67. Been a great car otherwise

i am fixing to change it on my mother in laws Buick. i have to watch with no sound at work but is there metal snap rings in the head were it goes into or is the piece held in with just the o rings O_o

Do you have to drain the coolant first!?

I followed the video to the letter. I believe I got all the remaining plastic parts. I filled the coolant. I am getting a plactic melting smell while I'm driving. What do you think is wrong?

Hey Mike, does the 3.1 Chevy Lumina have the cooant elbows in the same area on the tensioner bracket?

I learned the hard way on those metal parts. I did lower intake manifold gasket not long ago with aluninum elbows. It took me way too long to yank them out due to the corrosion on the cheap aluninum parts. they corroed like pig iron and got stuck on lower intake. I ended up scoring the lower intake and the crossover assembly when I finally pulled them out. I do recommend to use gm parts other than aftermarket metal ones. its not that hard to replace plastics but not metal ones in case you need to touch the lower intake.

what size are the bolts on the bracket

Where did you get the replacement parts ???

after I replaced the elbows and put everything back together my belt makes a slight whine do you know why?

Serpentine belt routing is in the back of the owners manuL

I changed my elbow out to only find them leaking again I had a hard time putting them back in any advice

Did this on my 05 impala. such a stupid design. a piece fell into the intake amd i had to shove my finger in ton fish it back out. hope this fixes my leak priblem tho

why didn't these come factory? is a joke

What are those called. ....when I ask for them? Just coolant elbows?

very helpful tnx!

Instead of a sharp cornered hose why not a curved one, just common sense

Saw that broken in first shot

Where are you located

yeah, but those aluminum elbows get a lot hotter than the composite elbows do, thus degrading the o-ring faster. that's why GM used the composite elbows instead. it's no big deal. all ya gotta do is replace the composite elbows every 5 years, or so

What's the time needed for this repair

Do i need to drain my radiator first

I have a 98 Camaro 3800 V6. I replaced the tensioner assembly with new one. I also replaced the elbow with new plastic one. Since this I am losing water but nothing to be seen anywhere. This all started after replacing the tensioner assembly. Any Ideas?

Hey Mike, do you have a video of this procedure on a vehicle WITH the supercharger? thx

Replace with the metal ones...then you have to deal with o-rings breaking

I've watched this video 3 times, I planned on changing the elbows in the next couple of weeks. unfortunately they blow on the highway today and I had to have the car to a local shop. now it's going to cost me a couple of 100$ to have someone else do it. hindsight is a bitch!!

thanks i have an 88 delta 88 olds.do you know the part number for the elbows?

Rockauto 10$ shipping included aluminum elbows.

Does this problem occur on 3.4 impala? Having a leak problem

So, did your o rings fail on those aluminum elbows, people are saying to use the OEM gaskets that come on the plastic ones, because the aluminum ones will leak eventually.

Will this leak cause your engine to overheat?

what's the part Number on thoughs Elbows the Metal ones?