Girl needs coolant help!

[Ramproud96]

Hi everyone! I have a 1997, 1500, 5.2L. So my father and I replaced basically the whole cooling system (thermostat, radiator, water pump, all the hoses) and my truck was fine! This was about 3 weeks ago. This morning I came outside and my truck leaked about a quart of antifreeze on the driveway and there's an antifreeze smell coming through the vents. I literally can not tell where it's leaking from but it a steady leak. Can anyone help??
Thank you !

 

[HolyRamBatman]

If you can not find a leak in the engine bay, you probably have a leaking heater core in the dash on passenger side. You can bypass the heater core by connecting the two hoses that go into the firewall. But if you need heat where you live then you will have to fix it.

Good luck.

 

[Ramproud96]

If you can not find a leak in the engine bay, you probably have a leaking heater core in the dash on passenger side. You can bypass the heater core by connecting the two hoses that go into the firewall. But if you need heat where you live then you will have to fix it.

Good luck.

Would I need to replace the actual heater core or just the hoses!? I have heat in the cab, so my only concern is that I'm dumping antifreeze everywhere right now. I live in New Jersey hence why I fixed my no heat problem by replacing all the parts except the heater core. My heat wasn't working initially, just blowing air. Thank you!!

 

[HolyRamBatman]

It really depends on what is leaking. If you get lucky and the hoses are leaking the you don't have to replace the core. But if you are already in there you may want to consider changing it. If money allows.

Get the truck to operating temps and look for the leak. If you don't find it in the engine bay then you will have to get behind the dash.

You're welcome. That's what we are here for.

Anyone else with any suggestions/tricks?

 

[JohnD72]

There's an old-school trick to find out if your heater core is leaking. (Besides looking for antifreeze in the carpet - lol) It's not 100% dead-on accurate, but it works.

Drive the truck in the evening with the heat on until it reaches operating temperature, then park it overnight with all the windows and doors closed. In the morning, if your windows are fogged over on the inside, you most likely have a leaking heater core.

 

[Ramproud96]

There's an old-school trick to find out if your heater core is leaking. (Besides looking for antifreeze in the carpet - lol) It's not 100% dead-on accurate, but it works.

Drive the truck in the evening with the heat on until it reaches operating temperature, then park it overnight with all the windows and doors closed. In the morning, if your windows are fogged over on the inside, you most likely have a leaking heater core.

I'll try that tonight! Literally though I'm walking around school and I smell like antifreeze from being under my truck this morning hahha

 

[crazzywolfie]

coolant don't smell that bad. now if you smelt like gear oil i don't think anyone would want to be anywhere near you.

where about does the coolant seem to be leaking on the ground? could possibly be a bad timing chain gasket. those are known to occasionally start leaking coolant.

i don't know if you did this when you replaced the heater hoses but you should rinse the heater core out both ways with a hose. i know i have rinsed a crap load of stuff out of mine.

 

[dapepper9]

It could be just be that the gasket for the thermostat wasn't put on completely perfect. If there was just a tad bit of old gasket left it can leak. We replaced my water pump and thermostat and it was fine for a few weeks and then I started getting a leak too. Eventually I tracked it back to the thermostat but it was hard to find that because the fan would dry everything off.

 

[Ramproud96]

The thing is, it's more of a pour than a leak. The puddle is forming under the engine block and dripping all over the front axle ! My school has an auto shop, so I'm putting it on a lift during study hall to see if I can trace the leak back. We put coolant flush in, but that's all we did in hopes of cleaning out the heater core.

 

[dodge dude94]

If it's running down the front of the engine, that would lead me to believe there is a compromised gasket somewhere in the mix. Either timing cover or water pump.

 

[Johnn123]

I'd check water pump, thermostat, coolant bypass hose (that little sucker if installed incorrectly would leave a nice puddle) and timing chain cover. Check the rad too and see if there is a leak. Hopefully you find it, good luck!

edit: check the rad hoses too, the lower one on ym 01 likes to rub the frame, you might have something going on there.

 

[Ramproud96]

I'd check water pump, thermostat, coolant bypass hose (that little sucker if installed incorrectly would leave a nice puddle) and timing chain cover. Check the rad too and see if there is a leak. Hopefully you find it, good luck!

edit: check the rad hoses too, the lower one on ym 01 likes to rub the frame, you might have something going on there.

I drove it around town for a little while, popped the hood & there was steam from near the water pump, but the water pump looked dry. While running its a slow leak, but if I'm stopped at operating temp. It throws up another quart.

Do you think it could be a freeze plug??

 

[jf5.9]

Definitely sounds like withe the water pump being dry its cooking on top of the intake/block and the Heater bypass hose is compromised.

 

[Johnn123]

I drove it around town for a little while, popped the hood & there was steam from near the water pump, but the water pump looked dry. While running its a slow leak, but if I'm stopped at operating temp. It throws up another quart.

Do you think it could be a freeze plug??

Doesn't sound like a freeze plug, you'd have to check them out to be sure though.

Definitely sounds like withe the water pump being dry its cooking on top of the intake/block and the Heater bypass hose is compromised.

+1 to this.

 

[crazzywolfie]

i would also say water pump but since you would be in the ball park and don't want to take any chances you should replace the timing chain and timing chain cover gasket just to make sure. it would save you money in the long run if you plan on keeping it.

 

[Ramproud96]

So, it stopped leaking. Lol, so confused because we didn't do anything. Usually I'll come out in the morning and there will be 2 quarts of antifreeze on the driveway .. but for the past 3 days - nothing!
So confused but whatever, ***** thank you so much guys !