NW08Hemi
Junior Member
We've kept our 2008 Ram (4x4, QuadCab, 5.7 Hemi, Laramie) due to it only having 80,000 miles as of 1 Jan 2022. But I've done it wrong. Whether more from pure stupidity or laziness, I shouldn'ta, hadn'ta, oughtn'ta dumped a half a bottle of that Bars leak 'Radiator Stop leak' into the radiator after it developed a tiny pin-hole size leak, 1" down from the top of the core.
Before buying it for approx $8, I did read the 1&2 star reviews proclaiming that Bars Leak could not only ruin your water pump and clog-up your radiator and entire cooling sytem, but also ruin your entire engine!
But like most reviews...the majority of the reviews were positive while proclaiming that it stopped the leaks.
Nevertheless, in painful hindsight, it seems plain as rain common sense-- to not put anything but the proper antifreeze/coolant mixture into a vehicles cooling system !:~\
But I did. :~\ And after having done so, and not attempting to flush it all out (which wouldn't surprise me if that's not even possible) after a week or so, perhaps it didn't matter too much as to how long it's been in there.
And I'm embarrassingly admitting here and now that... I shouldn'ta, hadn'ta, oughtn'ta been so dumb !:~\
But just like in the 1&2 start reviews warning readers not to use the Bars Leak (et al) products . . . the radiator sprung a leak (or two) on the engine side of the radiator, spraying thru the fan, which of course spattered coolant everywhere. Then the water pump bearings started making those rattling noises. Then a few days ago, a rapid leak starting dripping below the water pump, as if a 1/4" spigot had been half opened. Not sure if the WP weep hole can even drip that quickly!? But I suppose that the seals are also blown.
While the fan is intermittently blowing a 360* spattering of brown fluid everywhere, clear over to the side-walls and all over everything. The brown fluid doesn't smear or smell like oil, and the oil on the dipstick looks same as always, and not showing any frothiness or lighter/chocolate color, so I'm hoping that the brown fluid is just from the shear amount of coolant leaking from the water pump...mixing with the engines' exterior dirtiness &c...and subsequently being blown all over.
However, simultaneously the power steering started going out! But no PS lines look to be damaged in any way. When I checked the PS reservoir— it was a little low, but it took only approx 1/4" of a quart bottle to bring it back to the 'max' mark. And while afterwards driving approx 10~12 miles total—for parts & repair estimates—the PS reservoir level hasn't decreased at all.
Planning on doing an engine degreasing today.
Current condition:
> Bad water pump needs replacing — rattling w/occasional whining & leaking rapidly from either weep hole or blown seals — ordered new Gates 43501 OEM matching WP replacement
. . Or, would it be smarter to order the U.S. Motor Works MCK1067 - Water pump and fan clutch assembly ?
> Bad radiator needs replacing — ordered new GPD 2813C OEM matching replacement
> Ordered Gates 22777 upper & 23068 lower Rad hoses & clamps
> Ordered new Gates K071013 serpentine belt w/Gates 38058 Idler Pulley w/Gates 38382 Belt Tensioner kit— original belt looks a bit like it's starting to fray, and has been getting sprayed with the antifreeze/coolant leaks
> Purchased the cheap Prestone Back-Flush Kit ($3 on the Brazillian river site) — requires cutting &/or adding a 'T' to the "inlet heater hose" (of which I'm not positive which one is the 'inlet' and which is the 'outlet' :~\ Question: Is the heater 'inlet' one the one that attaches to the black heater hose pipe that's attached to (comes pre-attached to) the water pump? Or is the 'inlet' hose the heater hose that's attached to the short silver stub-out on the water pump? :~\
> Ordered the "spill proof funnel for adding coolant and bleeding air out of the system" — referenced by @Hemi395 on his super-helpful "Ram 5.7Hemi Coolant Flush DIY" thread (26 Feb 2018): https://www.ramforum.com/threads/ram-5-7hemi-coolant-flush-diy.116399/
. . .(supposed to receive it today); would like to flush tomorrow or next day, and planning on starting the replacements on Sat morning, 13 August 2022.
Questions:
Given the conditions above, what are the best suggested flush methods? And how many flushes should I do? I would suppose 3 or 4 minimum.
Should I ascertain which heater hose is the 'inlet' hose and use the Prestone back-flush kit & method? Or would @Hemi395 's method & procedure (linked abv), with the spill proof funnel, but no 'T' in the heater hose line, possibly be better?
Any and all suggestions and advice will be greatly appreciated !!
Before buying it for approx $8, I did read the 1&2 star reviews proclaiming that Bars Leak could not only ruin your water pump and clog-up your radiator and entire cooling sytem, but also ruin your entire engine!
But like most reviews...the majority of the reviews were positive while proclaiming that it stopped the leaks.
Nevertheless, in painful hindsight, it seems plain as rain common sense-- to not put anything but the proper antifreeze/coolant mixture into a vehicles cooling system !:~\
But I did. :~\ And after having done so, and not attempting to flush it all out (which wouldn't surprise me if that's not even possible) after a week or so, perhaps it didn't matter too much as to how long it's been in there.
And I'm embarrassingly admitting here and now that... I shouldn'ta, hadn'ta, oughtn'ta been so dumb !:~\
~ Apologies for the long preface ~
But just like in the 1&2 start reviews warning readers not to use the Bars Leak (et al) products . . . the radiator sprung a leak (or two) on the engine side of the radiator, spraying thru the fan, which of course spattered coolant everywhere. Then the water pump bearings started making those rattling noises. Then a few days ago, a rapid leak starting dripping below the water pump, as if a 1/4" spigot had been half opened. Not sure if the WP weep hole can even drip that quickly!? But I suppose that the seals are also blown.
While the fan is intermittently blowing a 360* spattering of brown fluid everywhere, clear over to the side-walls and all over everything. The brown fluid doesn't smear or smell like oil, and the oil on the dipstick looks same as always, and not showing any frothiness or lighter/chocolate color, so I'm hoping that the brown fluid is just from the shear amount of coolant leaking from the water pump...mixing with the engines' exterior dirtiness &c...and subsequently being blown all over.
However, simultaneously the power steering started going out! But no PS lines look to be damaged in any way. When I checked the PS reservoir— it was a little low, but it took only approx 1/4" of a quart bottle to bring it back to the 'max' mark. And while afterwards driving approx 10~12 miles total—for parts & repair estimates—the PS reservoir level hasn't decreased at all.
Planning on doing an engine degreasing today.
Current condition:
> Bad water pump needs replacing — rattling w/occasional whining & leaking rapidly from either weep hole or blown seals — ordered new Gates 43501 OEM matching WP replacement
. . Or, would it be smarter to order the U.S. Motor Works MCK1067 - Water pump and fan clutch assembly ?
> Bad radiator needs replacing — ordered new GPD 2813C OEM matching replacement
> Ordered Gates 22777 upper & 23068 lower Rad hoses & clamps
> Ordered new Gates K071013 serpentine belt w/Gates 38058 Idler Pulley w/Gates 38382 Belt Tensioner kit— original belt looks a bit like it's starting to fray, and has been getting sprayed with the antifreeze/coolant leaks
> Purchased the cheap Prestone Back-Flush Kit ($3 on the Brazillian river site) — requires cutting &/or adding a 'T' to the "inlet heater hose" (of which I'm not positive which one is the 'inlet' and which is the 'outlet' :~\ Question: Is the heater 'inlet' one the one that attaches to the black heater hose pipe that's attached to (comes pre-attached to) the water pump? Or is the 'inlet' hose the heater hose that's attached to the short silver stub-out on the water pump? :~\
> Ordered the "spill proof funnel for adding coolant and bleeding air out of the system" — referenced by @Hemi395 on his super-helpful "Ram 5.7Hemi Coolant Flush DIY" thread (26 Feb 2018): https://www.ramforum.com/threads/ram-5-7hemi-coolant-flush-diy.116399/
. . .(supposed to receive it today); would like to flush tomorrow or next day, and planning on starting the replacements on Sat morning, 13 August 2022.
Questions:
Given the conditions above, what are the best suggested flush methods? And how many flushes should I do? I would suppose 3 or 4 minimum.
Should I ascertain which heater hose is the 'inlet' hose and use the Prestone back-flush kit & method? Or would @Hemi395 's method & procedure (linked abv), with the spill proof funnel, but no 'T' in the heater hose line, possibly be better?
Any and all suggestions and advice will be greatly appreciated !!
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