1987 Dodge Ram D100 Brake Lines

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BJS3D

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Ram Year
1987
Engine
318
Happy New Year, everyone. My son just picked up this gem today and already popped a brake line for being a typical 20 year old. That's not the issue, though.

Now, I'm not much of a Mopar guy myself, mostly because I'm into medium duty trucks and it's almost impossible to find an old Dodge medium duty. Nonetheless, I am a truck guy and this one issue kind of stands out as unique, something I've never seen before in my 4+ decades working on pickups. Where the brake fluid leak is presenting itself is where a rubber line meets up with the stainless right in front of the power steering pump... from a rubber line going into the radiator. I confirmed, it squirts brake fluid, not trans fluid, when the brake pedal is pressed and it's definitely running into the bottom of the radiator whereat a Chevy or Ford guy would expect to find an automatic transmission line.

Is this normal? Did Chrysler think that the brakes needed cooling more than the trans or is this some sort of cobble? If it is a cobble, what do you suspect the reason might have been to risk increased wear to the trans and why would the brakes be causing so much heat that the fluid needed to be chilled?

Other than a bit of rust here and there on the box, it's really not a bad truck. It had to have sat awhile because it's only got 100k miles on it but it runs amazingly well for its age. I just can't figure why in the flying [insert swear word of choice here] anyone would send brake fluid through the radiator. Any thoughts on that would be appreciated and definitely entertaining.

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1970Pelle

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90 W150,ShortBed/87 Ramcharger 2WD project
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W150 318,4bbl,auto4x4 VGC/ 87 Ramcharger 318/904 VGC
Hey there I read your whole post. Dodge trucks are basically the same design as a Chevy or Ford in how the Hydraulic brakes work.
Your going to need to get a better look under your truck. It seams you have a brake line/hose that's crossed over or under a transmission line. And its messing with your diagnosis of where your leak is coming from. You might want to spray the area with Brake parts cleaner so to get a better look. I use brake part cleaner with from Advance auto parts, its there brand and has a red cap. It drys really fast after cleaning off oil, or brake fluid.
Then recheck your leak, I think you will find the right line leaking this time.
But there are not any brake lines that pass though the lower or side of the trucks radiator.

Please let us know, of we can help you in any other way. Ken
 
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BJS3D

BJS3D

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Dec 31, 2021
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Ram Year
1987
Engine
318
Right you are. It's funny, too, how it played out. Those were transmission lines going into the trans but the way the brake line beneath it was spraying, it totally appeared like the fluid was coming from the trans line, even had the trans line socked to be more convincing.

Thanks for replaying. I forgot I asked the question to the forum. In hind sight, it definitely looks like a rookie question but, man, I was convinced there was serious cobbling going on under the hood. :D
 
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