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Comments
Where is the leak? From the weep hole at the bottom of the pump, or someplace else?
If it's leaking from the weep hole, it probably means the bearings and/or seal is gone. The question is why? What coolant are you running? Is your drive belt for the water pump on correctly and not skewed?
today i learned a trick on the odometer code and how to get the code
first last yr there was fluid in my passenger floor board , then no heating or cooling followed that , when i checked my radiator it was almost empty , i filled it up and i have heating and cooling again , so I Had a new radiator put on and it is still loosing flood but not in my floor and not on the road or in my oil , so i had it preassure check and couldnt find any fluid coming out anywhere , my engine light is on and the odometer code is P0045, I call a Dodge dealer mechanic and he says there is no code like that for my truck . imagine that !
Also Adv.Auto did there dianostic and it says emmission leak , i have had the gas cap to cause the engine light to come on but now it is not that , also when i try to pump gas in my truck it fills up to the nozzle and the pump kicks off.
Please advise me , Im stuck about this truck .
Lisa
The loss of radiator coolant sounds like a heater core or water pump problem where it's primarily leaking while you're actually moving at speed. You probably need to have your truck on a dyno or on a lift where someone can simulate driving while another tech checks for leaks while the engine is well above idle.
kcram - Pickups/Wagons Host
Though, if when you filled it back up there was lots of air in the system, it could take a while for all the air to percolate to the highest point in the system, which would make it look as if the coolant level was dropping.
How much coolant have you had to add after replacing the hose?
thnx
bruce
Any solution
Thanks, Pauly
I have a 2000 sport v6 with over 300,000 km on it. What you describe is a leaking heater core. I have just put in the 3rd one. Not a job for the meek.
I am actually reading through this to see if anyone else has had experience with 2 heater cores going bad, first one original mopar part went after 250,000 km. second one went after 14 months (12 month warranty on the part) and was an aftermarket copper heater core.
New one is an aftermarket aluminum heater core. Part is about $40 (US). Labour is 8+ hours.........
I want to know if anyone else has had any luck in trying to determine possible causes?
I check for electrolysis (none to speak of, cannot remember actual reading)
Suggested too much pressure in system. Rad cap is original and has been tested. Rated at 21 psi and still good according to test. local garage says it should only be 18 psi. Cannot confirm this.
I was also told that it was running cool. (195-200 F) cannot confirm correct op temp either.
IMO if pressure is too high than temp should be too high too?
can anyone elaborate or help with trying to prevent a 4th heater core from being installed.....
Also have a 2000 V6 sport.
I have a subscription to AllData and also checked an online resource link title
I could not find the code P0045 either. Not saying it doesn't exist, just cannot find any info about it.
I do get a code somewhat regularly which is P0455, Large evaporative leak detected. Usually goes away and cannot find the real cause. Sometimes gas cap isn't on correctly or the evap. canister has issues. I believe dusty has dealt with this more thoroughly than I have (or want to)
Thanks
Bruce
Omen
On the radiator pressure - keep in mind that much/all of the pressure increase in the cooling system is due to the coolant heating up when the engine runs. Once the engine is off and cools down, the pressure should pretty much return to what it was before. That's why there are warning notices posted around the radiator to not remove the cap unless the engine is cool.
Could also be the fan relay.
I would poke around the fan control stuff a bit more. Maybe let the engine warm up and, with it idling and parked (in your driveway or on the street), try to get the temperature up and see if the fans kick in or not. If not, it could be the module the controls the fans, ECU or PCM??? You will probably need a wiring diagram in order to probe back into the connector coming out of the control module.
Did you mean a compression test? That should detect a cracked head gasket. Bubbles in the coolant sure sounds like a leak between the cylinder and the coolant passages.
So a year goes by and it starts overheating again. This time I got it to the shop before the engine over heated and it only cost $800 to replace the radiator the second time. This time they were able to meassure the radiator temperatures with a gun base thermomiter. Cold in the center and hot around the edges, should be the other way around, if the water was flowing properly. These have fine diameter channels that are easily plugged. Electroysis is another theroy.
the antifreeze turns acidic. That is why the rad and engine block and the
heater core should be reverse flushed before adding any new antifreeze.
If the rad corrodes and the channels get blocked, the engine will overheat
and other failures can occur, like the water pump seals or even the thermostat.
2 rads does sound unusual for a 2000. (Mine is a 98 with the
original rad and no problems with overheating).
I have a "93" Dodge Dakota LE,4x4, 3.9 eng, 5 spd trans. (Calif, Compliant).
Iv'e had it appox, 5 yr's now. When purchased it had appox, 920,000 miles on the odometer.
I've driven from California to Oklahoma pulling a trailer loaded to capacity. Through desert sand storms, mountains, snow/ice storms and red clay.
I've never had any problems with the cooling system, or for that matter, the only problems I've had at all(knock on wood) were minor and pretty much normal wear.
NOW...
My Pastor has an 1988 Dakota that's having a major overheating problem(s).
My point is that I am very happy to have found this site. Some of the post have already answered some questions and some have given me an idea on what my next step should be.
I will be posting more questions according.
Thanks y'all
MK
You say that the engine is overheating, yet you are feeling cold air out of the vents?
How is this possible, unless the vent vacumn operated heater door is not functioning or the heater core is not getting hot coolant from the engine coolant pump.
Something is definitely not right because engine overheating and heater core still blowing cold air means that a blockage is possible somewhere.
What kind of thermostat did you install ..a 195 degree or a 160?
Is the thermostat installed correctly? The thermostat can be considered a one way valve when it finally opens when the temperature is reached. Install the thermostat incorrectly and it acts as a restriction to coolant flow and that could bring on those symptoms you are observing.
Usally thermostats have a stamped "top" on it indicating the installation orientation, to avoid improper installation.
If you are sure that the thermo is installed correctly, then there could be a restriction of coolant circulating throught the aluminum rad cross tubes.
If corrosion build up in these, you may not see this corrosison and everything appears normal looking down the rad fill tube, but the rad could actually be partially blocked and that would cause engine overheating, unless the fan is moving enough air through the rad fins.
so to summarize, possiblilties and things to check..
1. thermostat (possibly) installed upside down
2. thermostat not of correct temp range
3. possible rad corrosion/blockage..in this case, the rad needs to be replaced
4. Heater core blockage
5. Heater/A/C vent vacumn operated doors or vacumn servo that operates them is not functioning correctly
A fast way to check is to place a cardboard in front of the A/C condensor (the one in front of the rad) and cut a 8x8 hole in the middle to allow some air flow while engine is idling, or even running on the road.
With heater running...if you are still getting cold air..you have some kind of blockage to the heater core, or the vacumn operated door heater vent are not working.
If you start to feel some warm air coming out of the heat vents, then it's either the rad or the thermostat.