Is the engine cracked/what’s this, ground wire?

[Lyle Longboat]

So I have posted this pic for the leak that you can clearly see. Mechanic here in no mans land says it isn’t leaking. I beg to diff! It’s not oil as I assume it was a valve cover, was not. Hardly no smell and it appears almost like a water substance. Anyways, if you look closely at the top of the freeze plug (drivers side rear pic from underneath) it looks like the engine is cracked right by the bolt holding what appears to be a ground? Is this just a surface crack and what is this bolt holding to the engine? My truck has been to stalling or just not start after driving fine. I have to get a boost and she starts right up and won’t give me a hard time starting for awhile and then does it. Could this wire be the cause? Ground?

Thanks for any insight.

 

[TheEnder]

View attachment 211226 So I have posted this pic for the leak that you can clearly see. Mechanic here in no mans land says it isn’t leaking. I beg to diff! It’s not oil as I assume it was a valve cover, was not. Hardly no smell and it appears almost like a water substance. Anyways, if you look closely at the top of the freeze plug (drivers side rear pic from underneath) it looks like the engine is cracked right by the bolt holding what appears to be a ground? Is this just a surface crack and what is this bolt holding to the engine? My truck has been to stalling or just not start after driving fine. I have to get a boost and she starts right up and won’t give me a hard time starting for awhile and then does it. Could this wire be the cause? Ground?

Thanks for any insight.

I’m not sure, if it’s possible to put your hands there, does it wiggle? by wiggle, does the metal it’s screwed into wiggle? I don’t exactly know, but it looks like dirt that had some sort of water run through it in a very fine bead and it made that effect. I’m not so sure though.


Sent from my Blue Onyx RAM 1500.

 

[NJMOPAR]

Looks like an engine ground strap to me. If you can, remove it & clean both strap & block. As for the cracks, I'd wire brush the surface for a better look.
Looks like one on the right side of the freeze plug too.
Could just be paint scaling.

 

[Lyle Longboat]

Alright I shall get out there sometime tomorrow evening and get at it. It’s easy to get behind the engine as I have a 3” BL. PITA climbing over the engine though lol. Thanks guys, I’ll update once I getter done!

 

[NJMOPAR]

Use brake cleaner to clean the block then a small wire brush to remove/smooth paint scaling.

 

[bellaireroad]

All I see are casting lines in the cast iron


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[JohnnyMac]

All I see are casting lines in the cast iron

Same here, I don't see that those are cracks. As far as the leak, maybe a little coolant sneaking past the freeze plug?

 

[Lyle Longboat]

Same here, I don't see that those are cracks. As far as the leak, maybe a little coolant sneaking past the freeze plug?

It’s above the freeze plug and coming down past it. My first thought was intake manifold, but according to local mechanic from Sesame Street, it’s not the intake manifold.

 

[gofishn]

Looks like yoru freeze plug is weeping and needs replaced.
Regarding your Battery issue, strongly suspect that is exactly what it is, a battery issue.

Think about it, once that bolt was attaching that wire to teh block and seated, how in the world is it gong to lose connection for electrical current to pass through it?

Only possible way is if the wire attached to the connecting piece which the bolt pases trhough is corroded. Which I doubt, oooks liek far too much oil and gunk on it to be corrdoed.
far more lieky your actual battery is weak. No matter how strong the battery or how stron the Jumping battery, if there is no solid ground, it ain;t gonna work. which really makes me think its the battery.

 

[McBroom]

The spiderweb lookin part above the freeze plug is is from the block mfg process. It looks more like its raised than a cracked area. The wire is definitely a ground wire. And may trace it back to the battery. While tra can it check the wire for cracks and corrosion too.

Blue Mule

 

[Batt4Christ]

I don't see actual cracks - looks like casting flaws, probably harmless. As to the truck stalling then running fine for a while - there may very well be an electrical connection issue - plug on the alternator, battery cable, even a defective alternator - way too many things to even ponder here - but I would begin with every electrical connection related to the alternator, battery, and fuse box.

 

[Lyle Longboat]

Well I had all three battery, starter, and alternator replaced starting in Dec in that exact order. Still getting the stalling when I’m reverse shifting to drive and randomly when I shut off for a few minutes and try to start. Will start if it sits for a bit or a boost. I checked grounds however didn’t inspect starter Really good which I’ll check when I get out there this evening. Thanks for the suggestions.

 

[Wild one]

Well I had all three battery, starter, and alternator replaced starting in Dec in that exact order. Still getting the stalling when I’m reverse shifting to drive and randomly when I shut off for a few minutes and try to start. Will start if it sits for a bit or a boost. I checked grounds however didn’t inspect starter Really good which I’ll check when I get out there this evening. Thanks for the suggestions.

If you suspect a bad ground,just go to your local Auto Parts outlet and grab a pre-made battery cable in the length you want and just run it from the negative battery post to the engine Lyle,beats trying to track a bad ground down.

 

[Lyle Longboat]

I was already looking the local parts store for a cable lol. I’ll go this route too. I still want to clean the mess up here and see if this thing is still leaking and from where. Thanks Wild!

 

[Wild one]

I was already looking the local parts store for a cable lol. I’ll go this route too. I still want to clean the mess up here and see if this thing is still leaking and from where. Thanks Wild!

You wouldn't believe the amount of grounds my truck has,lol.I ran new grounds to both fenders / PCM / Engine block ,grounded the box to the frame / ground from the frame to the battery etc,lol. It started out because the damn tailgate lock wouldn't lock or unlock occasionally when the truck was new,after running more grounds then Carter has pills,the tailgate lock has never acted up again,and I swear the heater works better and the headlights are brighter,but that might be my imagination,lol.There was a thread years ago over on the other Ramforum with guys running new grounds and a few of them swore up and down they even gained milege,i won't go so far as to make that claim,but the truck definitely doesn't mind the upgraded grounds,i also piggybacked another 6G from the alternators output to the battery.Might be overkill,but FCA definitely under wires the trucks to save weight and cost

 

[Dodge 1500 4X4]

That ground look one of those flat cable ground if you can get it, ill bet its corroded find out where it goes to and replace it, clean the block real good with emery paper and put dielectric grease on it, there are multiple grounds for certain systems on all of these trucks.

 

[Lyle Longboat]

Yeah I have no clue where all the grounds are located on these trucks. Searching for something I don’t know where to look lol. All I did honestly was start at the battery and follow wires from ground and double check other wires that were bolted to frame/fenders. I found a few of them and they all seem pretty clean and tight. But as always, I’ll double check. She’s raining out here now so I may have to wait a couple days as it’s not suppose to quit until Saturday. I’ll still update once I get everything done.

 

[buddy guy]

Make sure your grounds are to bare metal too. I've run into more than one vehicle where the paint can cause a bad ground point

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[Dgriffi2]

Can I ask, what is a freeze plug?

 

[Ricks Ram]

Can I ask, what is a freeze plug?

A freeze plug is the name for the round plugs inserted in the block. They are called freeze plugs because in theory they are supposed to pop out in the event the coolant in your block freezes to prevent the block being damaged.

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