went outside today and noticed i have a coolant leak, i did some searching and found that it could be a number of possible things, radiator, cracked hoses, heater core, etc etc.

I tried to track down the leak but I'm not that talented with cooling systems and newer cars. Anyways I snapped a few photos so maybe someone could tell me where to look or check. I also get confused by where the coolant was leaking and where the fan is blowing it to.




This shot is pre much straight on from the front of the truck, the top of the pic is the bottom of the fan shroud



another shot of the shroud



Here is the shot of the four hoses that run on the drivers side underneath, the one way on the right is wet where it is darker in the picture



this is the passenger side frame rail and crossmember that was wet with coolant



passenger side again, coolant was dripping off of the bolt towards the bottom of the picture on the black bracket



last pic, passenger side shot of the crossmember again

lmk if any other pictures would help you guys or if there is anything i can easily check for

 

Throw some stop leak in there

 

Sorry, I don't agree with this. You can create other problems with this sometimes, it's bandaid fix maybe.

 

Is the coolant coming from the overflow tube on the reservoir.
Coming down the pass. side and hitting the cross-member would suggest that or you have a leak in the RAD. Best way to check for a RAD. leak is, drain it, pull it out, take it to a RAD. shop and have it submerged for a pressure test. Also have you looked at the the bottom RAD hose for a leak.
I just changed out my Brother-inlaws on his Dodge 1500, he had a pin-hole leak in the seam on the RAD.

 

I would NEVER use that crap. Makes a freakin mess of the cooling system and my experiance has been it almost NEVER works..

 

Chances are you need a new rad. Try the dealer as they were cheapest by far when mine was replaced. I'll bet it's a fin if you pressure test you'll actually see it **** out. They build them so brittle anymore. Mine went twice, both times in the winter too. I believe it to be the additive I used to clean out the coolant system partly. No need to change the hoses (not cheap) but maybe the t-stat and o-ring. Sorry, just looks too familiar and both times it was a rad. I don't like the stop leak stuff, seems stupid but to each his own.

 

I meant it in a bandaid way. Till he takes it out and pressure tests it or replaces the rad. you could use black pepper the same way but it needs to get fixed or replaced. Thats like using fix a flat and then never having the tire fixed correctly

 

There was stop leak in my mustang when I bought it. Took me forever to get all that crap out of there. I put 2 engines in the car replace every cooling system except the heater core and I was still finding it. The third engine pretty much got it all out. I'd never use it.

 

Pretty awesome that you found your best deal from the Dealership.
That is the 1st time I heard that.
I have replaced a few, in different vehicles and found that for good quality, and a good price, I go to NAPA . I havn't heard good things about the Rads from Advance, other than those 2, I would have to run to the city.

 

i just topped off the coolant system on saturday before i came back from college but is it possible that that much flowed out of the overflow tube?? it seems excessive to be caused from that

i drove it around town today a little and tried to find it actually leaking out somewhere and came up with nothing,

thanx for the responses here though, i'd just hate to pull the rad and have it not be the rad

 

when you say top off do you mean up to the fill neck or up to the line that says max?

 

If you want piece of mind, pull the Rad and have it checked. My Brother-inlaw
thought he was just going through "a little coolant" and a few weeks ago on his way home from work it went from a little peeing to pissing like a race horse. He had to pull over a few times to let it cool down because it was real close to red-lining the temp gauge a few times. Why is it, I get called when things are at there worst and people are always panic'ed by then.

PS: I had the old one out, new one in, cleaned everything up, test driving in 2 hours. Real easy pulling that out of there for testing.

 

Take it to a garage and get the system pressure tested.

 

You should remove the fan shroud and then pressure test the system. I was just barely able to see mine when it crapped out but didn't have to start the engine either. A pressure test will tell ya.

BTW- I paid for my rad $222 plus tax and everywhere else wanted $400 so do look around in the meantime. Ya, this at the dealer, go figure.