Cooling system

[dowsewashere]

I cannot find this anywhere but it seems that my water pump is puking coolant. Nothing else but its also an isssue because with my temperature gauge reads a solid 170 or a single notch about the quarter line. My truck has 152k. And well I'm confused as to why my truck is reading such a cool temperature and before I buy a new water pump could my gasket(that connects the wp to the block) to have gone bad and cause the thermostat to be off. The truck run greats, leaks no oil, and aside from the coolant leak cant figure out what is going on with the temperature gauge.

 

[96Z71ECSB]

If you are keeping the coolant topped off, then you won't have any cooling issues despite the coolant leak.
The temp gauge is probably reading correctly. Judging by your described temp, it sounds like someone put a 180 degree thermostat in it.
I would stop driving the truck until I could install a new water pump. The leak from the pump will get worse or the pump will fail completely.

There's nothing more embarrassing then being stranded on the side of the road with a big puddle of coolant under your truck.

 

[michael hurd]

When replacing the pump, I would install a new set of rad hoses at the same time, as well as a thermostat, since the system is open and drained down. Also, give the tensioner pulley and idler pulley a spin by hand to see what the bearings feel like when the belt is off. If the belt is suspect, replace it as well. Idler and tensioner aren't expensive either.