Recently, my truck started to overheat. I would also notice large puddles of coolant under the ruck when I stopped. At the worst point, I was putting in a gallon of water/coolant per day (until I overheated this last time). I would hear this loud whistling/rushing (like a pressure release) when the truck stopped, as well. In my past experiences this was usually caused by a bad water pump or bad hoses. So, after not finding any leaky hoses, I proceeded to change out the water pump. I put everything back together thinking the problem would be solved, only to find the same kind of severe water leaking that I observed before changing out the water pump (and, yes, I am sure I sealed the water pump well, and torqued the bolts correctly). A mechanic friend of mine cam over to assess, and told me that, in fact, the water that we were putting appeared to be coming from the intake manifold gasket. This strikes me as odd, and I am trying to figure out just how likely this may be. It does seem probable, as when I bought this truck a while back (8 months) the Check Engine light was on, the idle was rough (code at Autozone referred to Fuel Injector number two). It makes sense to me, now, that the intake manifold gasket may have been the culprit all along in explaining the rough idle. Yet, how likely is it that this problem is causing this water to poured onto the ground just as fast as I put water into the radiator (like it gets to a point in the system, and then just pours out)? If it is this gasket, I will proceed to change it myself, in addition to the infamous plenum gasket that I hear so much about. While I am doing this (if I am looking in the right direction), should I change out the timing chain, gears, gasket, plugs, and distributor cap (all the stuff that Goodyear would do, and charge me over a grand for)? Any knowledgeable response (especially based on experience) would be GREATLY appreciated. (This truck is a Dodge Ram 1500, 2WD, 5.2L [318], )

 

https://dodgeforum.com/forum/dodge-r...s-section.html

 

If you are losing water at that high of a rate, you should be able to look under there with the engine running, and see where it is coming from. (radiator cap needs to be on, as the engine warms, pressure will build, and the leak will get even more obvious. See EXACTLY where it is coming from.

Check your oil as well. If it looks like a chocolate milkshake, STOP driving the truck, else you will smoke the whole motor.

 

Not that year would matter....but it would help.

I would check freeze plugs, especially near the engine mounts. Also look around the inspection cover on tranny (freeze plugs at back of block also). When it puddles under truck, what area is it? Front, rear, left side, etc?

 

If you haven't fixed your plenum yet you just do that anyway. If the intake gasket is your problem you will fix along with the plenum.

When my intake gasket failed my oil became instant chocolate milk. But if yours hadn't completely failed it might not do that.

If you pull the intake go ahead and do timing chain, it sucks because you were just right there but doing it then would prevent a third time

 

welcome to df.

a common leak point is between the timing cover and the block. coolant flows through the ports at the top of the timing cover. see pics below.

if you pull the water pump back off, do replace timing chain. if you remove the intake, do replace dist cap, rotor, wires if they need it.

https://dodgeforum.com/forum/2nd-gen...ater-pump.html

 

Thanks for the replies. I really do appreciate them all. The truck is a 98, it has been a good truck, and I love it (Dodge for life). The water is pouring out of wherever it is coming from so fast that it is not necessary to cap the radiator or heat up the car to find (I think more a problem of actually verifying that is coming from where I think it is coming from). I have already started the take down process (removed shroud, serpentine, fan blade/clutch assembly, water pump, compressor over to side, steering pump, and alternator). I hope to finish the rest of the take down when I get home from work today (riding with wife today.....great except her radio presets are a little different than mine,,,lol).....I probably should have looked at the freeze plugs (just now learning what and where they are), but I can recall vividly, that the leak appears to be coming straight down to the center of the block (front center of the truck, not sides or anywhere near the back...wish it was a freeze plug)......I asked my mechanic if it could be the timing cover (and he emphatically denied it saying that the timing cover was lower than where he was seeing the water come from.....but I am second guessing this as well). It may be the case that I will have to replace the timing cover gasket (along with timing chain and gears) even though I really was just hoping to stop the water from flowing (and, if all is true about plenum and intake gaskets, see the terrible knocking go away). I had planned on keeping this truck when I get my new Ram a few months from now, but now I think I will just sell it cheap if I can resolve this water leaking issue (which I have never had with any vehicle before...confusing the heck out of me). That stated, I may still just have to bite the bullet, and do all the extras, and perhaps I may get to feel what it is like to drive a Ram that is operating at the top of its game. Again, thank you all. I welcome any further advice and/or suggestions.

 

From the center of the engine? I wonder if your bypass hose is what is leaking. It's under the a/c compressor, and the bracket that holds it, and the alt in place. Not an uncommon failure.

 

^^x2 sounds like the bypass hose has split. That is exactly where mine dumped fluid when it let go.

 

Thanks for the replies...looking at every thing closely....I can almost 100% say that my mechanic was wrong. The intake does not appear to be the problem, or at least I discovered two things at a closer look. The bypass does look to be leaking serious water, and, the sealant that I used on the water pump failed (especially where the pump bolts to block in two places). I was kinda looking forward to doing that plenum and intake manifold gasket repair though (especially if it would have stopped that rough idle and knocking with fuel injector replace codes[Autozone]). I may proceed with the repair anyway, but I feel like such a bone head for going through all of this. I think on breaking things down, my mechanic would have seen this too (so no discredit to him, even though I still wonder why he would have suggested the intake manifold gasket). Anyway, again, thanks for all of your help (and now I am going to the discussion on the plenum gasket replacement, as I may still decide to do this...seems challenging, but doable.......pray for me y'all..lol).