05 Yukon POURING fluid

nateolish

My wife came home today and her Yukon was POURING red fluid from somewhere around the serpentine belt. It had been burnt and smelled like bad fish and appeared to be coming from the left side of the engine compartment when I was belly up to the front end. I fired it up and checked the brakes and steering and both seemed fine. I thought it could be water leaking but haven't ever seen red antifreeze. Checked the level for steering fluid and it was fine.

This car has recently had the rocker cover gaskets replaced and smokes badly upon start up, which my mechanic chalks up to failing valve guides, an apparently common problem with GM engines. I have to add 1.5 quarts of oil about every week and a half to keep it at proper levels.

It is 10 years old with approx. 140K miles. Any ideas as to what it could be?

ray80

Transmission fluid?

nateolish

Don't think so. She told me she smelled it when she stopped for lunch w the kids then drove several miles home. Just learned GM has red antifreeze - think it's the water pump. 

ray80

That would make sense dex-cool is pink and waterpump leaks happen

Mr_Shiftright

That's an enormous oil consumption by the way, if in fact you drive 14,000 miles a year and you have to add 1.5 quarts of oil every ten days. That's about a quart every 400 miles. Way too much to be explained away by valve guides IMO.